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WWI AMERICAN SOLDIER’S TRENCH ART, MADE FROM A 75mm ARTILLERY SHELL IN THE RHINELAND DURING U.S. OCCUPATION, 1918-1919 |
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Dimensions (inches): |
12.25" tall x 3" diameter |
Description: |
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WWI trench art, made by an American soldier as a gift for his parents between 1818 and 1819. The brass 75mm artillery shell casing was worked into a vase through extreme heat and the creation of 7 deep valleys in the lower half, toward the flat base, which is stamped with the following markings from the manufacturer: “75 DEG. MAM 3 46L 18 C”.
Imagery etched into the casing includes a large, waving American flag and a large rose. These are accompanied by text that reads: “On the ‘Rhine’; To Mother And Father; 18-19.” Works like this were produced during long the hours spent manning posts. This is the largest and most profoundly repurposed shell that I have encountered in a trench art object.
The occupation of the Rhineland took place following the Armistice that brought the war to a close on November 11th, 1918. The occupying armies consisted of American, Belgian, British and French forces. The terms of the treaty called for the immediate evacuation of German troops from Belgium, France, and Luxembourg as well as Alsace-Lorraine, a region formerly taken by the German Empire during the Franco-Prussian War and now returned to France. U.S. forces originally provided around 240,000 men in nine veteran divisions, nearly a third of the total occupying force. French forces continued to occupy German territory in the Rhineland until 1930. |
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Primary Color: |
gold, brass |
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Earliest Date: |
1919 |
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Latest Date: |
1919 |
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For Sale Status: |
Sold |
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Price |
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E-mail: |
info@jeffbridgman.com |
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