trench art ashtray ?

[max]

This appears to be made from artillery brass, but I'm not sure. It looks to be too detailed to be trench art. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks, Max

 

 

reverse:

 

[jayhawkhenry]

Max, IMHO, This does not look like an artillery shell to me. I do not see a rim. Many "trench art" items are very detailed some are quite crude depending on where and when it was made.

Regards, Henry

[Bob Hudson]

Most trench art was not made in the trenches, nor was it made by GI's. WWI trench art seems to have largely been made by French civilians using brass apparently gathered from battle grounds. It gets to be quite elaborate and the ashtray you show would easily fit in with what I've seen from WWII.

[RustyCanteen]

I concur with what FS has said, most of the "trench art" of WWI and later was made in shops by people looking to make a living in the immediate post war years selling battlefield refuse that had been "repurposed" into something useful. Vases, cigarette lighters, etc. were all popular items made from brass shells and other items.

 

Harry S. Truman mentioned purchasing a trench art vase made from an artillery shell before returning from France in WWI.

[max]

Thanks for the information, I didn't know about the civilian production. Looks like an interesting collection area for me to pursue.