1942 50 Cal Lighter

[Brig]

Not sure if this is trenchart or if these were produced for souveneirs? Looks like a 50 cal shell dated 1942 with a lighter put it. The 'bullet' is aluminum and blue, probably blue to indicate inert.

[Doughboy1918]

I just had one of those given to me recently. The "bullet" on mine is red though.

[Charlie Flick]

Not sure if this is trenchart or if these were produced for souveneirs?

 

Hi Brig:

 

I think it is really a form of trench art. Note that the primer has been struck so this is an expended cartridge case. It was made at Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, located in Minneapolis, Minn. This plant was operated under contract to Federal Cartridge Co from Feb 1942 to August 1945.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

[Brig]

thanks Charlie

[bigredone]

I believe that at least some trench art items were produced in large number. If not outright mass produced, many examples were made production-line style. The stuff made by war plant workers as well as the stuff made overseas. There's a thesis in there somewhere. All those servicemen looking for souvenirs, many of them trained in maintenance, production and repair. Tons of interesting junk not discarded or left on the battlefield. I couldn't imagine any serviceman not looking for some souvenir to take home.

[Klorvin Borno]

Can you ID the lighter itself? If you can place the manufacturer of lighter figuring out how they ended up together might be easier to figure out.

[Mag]

Hi Folks

Picture is of a .50 calibre trenchart lighter i obtained this year from a seller in the U.S,the headstamp is DM 43 (Des Moines ordnance plant 1943).

Its decorated with palm trees and two pyramids and the lighter section inside has no markings whatever on it and is of pressed/stamped steel construction and the 'bullet' is of sheet steel construction,the base is made from plexiglass (i think?)....going by the embossed decoration i'm inclined to think North Africa is where it was made,however,without provenance,it is purely guesswork...but still one of the nicer trench art lighters i have in my collection.

 

[jayhawkhenry]

Mag I agree with you that your lighter was most likely a souvenir of North Africa. The work was most likely done by an enterprising local artisan or group of artisans much like WWI souvenir pieces were done. A form of cottage industry. That is not to say a GI did not do it. It is possible one did.

I think the lighter inserts were commercially produced by someone. The lighters are very standardized and plentiful. They were made in 50cal and 20mm size. I have seen bases of Plexiglas, wood, brass, aluminum and marble.

 

Yous is the most interesting, if not the best example I have seen.

 

Cheers,

Henry