Lot 245, Auction 4/20/2026: Pair of WWI Trench Art Shell Vases w/ Openwork (1918)

$195.00

In stock

Western Europe, France, World War I, ca. 1918 CE. Forged in war and reshaped in quiet moments, this matched pair of WWI trench art vases transforms artillery shells from instruments of destruction into objects of symmetry and design. Dated 1918, the final year of the Great War, they stand as powerful relics of conflict reimagined through human hands. Each vase is fashioned from a spent brass artillery shell casing, the cylindrical bodies rising from rolled bases that still bear impressed headstamps and military markings. The surfaces have been carefully worked and polished, revealing warm golden tones softened by age and oxidation. Midway up the bodies, repoussé panels form elongated oval cartouches, while lower sections are ornamented with punched dot patterns arranged in intersecting arcs. Size: 4″ Diameter x 11.5″ H (10.2 cm x 29.2 cm)

At the upper register, the metal has been cut and folded into alternating diamond and triangular apertures, creating an openwork band that allows light to pass through. Above this, the rims are scalloped into flame-like points, the edges curled and shaped with deliberate precision. The geometric repetition and careful balance between solid and void lend the pair a striking architectural presence.

Trench art emerged across Europe during World War I, produced by soldiers at the front, prisoners of war, and civilians alike. Using readily available shell casings and battlefield debris, makers transformed remnants of mechanized warfare into decorative and commemorative objects. Some pieces were crafted in the trenches during periods of waiting; others were completed behind the lines or after the war ended. The 1918 date anchors these vases firmly in the final chapter of a conflict that reshaped the modern world. As a pair, these vases reflect both shared experience and individual labor. Each bears subtle variations in hammering and patina, testifying to the hand that worked the metal. Today, they stand not only as examples of trench art craftsmanship but also as tangible witnesses to a moment in history when creativity persisted amid devastation.

Condition: Weathering with some nicks and abrasions to surfaces as shown. Otherwise, both are intact and excellent with light patina in areas. One is stamped “1918” on the underside of the base.

Provenance: private Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA collection

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