Trench Art: Stories Carved From Conflict


May 2026

Among the more evocative objects in our forthcoming Militaria, Medals & Sporting Guns auction is a varied group of trench art, created from shell cases and other military materials. These pieces occupy a fascinating place in collecting, sitting somewhere between folk art, military history and personal remembrance.

Trench art is often associated with the First World War, but the term covers a much broader range of objects made during and after conflict. Some pieces were fashioned by soldiers in moments of quiet between action, others by prisoners of war, local civilians or skilled metalworkers using battlefield salvage. What unites them is their transformation of the debris of war into objects of display, commemoration or domestic use.

The examples in this sale reflect that breadth, from engraved shell cases and decorative vases to miniature coal buckets, jardinières and patriotic imagery.

Shell Cases Transformed

Perhaps the most recognisable form of trench art is the decorated shell case. Brass shell casings offered a durable and workable material, capable of being engraved, punched, hammered or shaped into vases, lamps and presentation pieces.

Lot 3130 includes a pair of Second World War M14 shell cases, each relief-decorated and engraved with a portrait of General Charles de Gaulle. As leader of the Free French forces during the Second World War, de Gaulle became a powerful symbol of resistance, liberation and national identity. His appearance on these shell cases gives the pair a strong commemorative quality, linking military material with political memory. They are accompanied by another pair decorated with lions, along with two further examples, the largest standing an impressive 36cm high. 

Together, the group demonstrates how shell cases could be adapted into objects of patriotic display, their original purpose recast into something more reflective and symbolic.

From Battlefield Material to Domestic Object

Trench art was not always purely commemorative. Many pieces were made for practical or decorative use within the home, turning military remnants into objects of everyday life.

One such example is included in Lot 3109, a trench art shell case jardinière, with pierced rim and paw feet. The form is particularly interesting, as it takes the hard, cylindrical shape of a shell case and reimagines it as a decorative vessel, suitable for display in a domestic interior. Its pierced rim and feet suggest a maker interested not only in re-use, but in finish and presentation. Also included in the lot is a jug marked “The British General Hospital January 1918 April 1919”, a poignant inscription that places the piece firmly within the closing months of the First World War and its immediate aftermath. Such inscriptions can add significant interest, offering a direct connection to military medical history and the human experience of wartime care.

This group also contains seven miniature coal buckets and a sword, showing the variety of forms trench art could take. Miniature objects like these are often especially appealing to collectors, combining technical ingenuity with charm and strong display value.

Regiment, Empire and Personal Remembrance

Lot 3216  shows the full range of military associations that can be found within trench art. Among the highlights is a vase with scalloped rim, applied with a helmet plate to the 45th Regiment, mounted on a canted rectangular walnut plinth. The addition of a regimental device gives the piece a stronger military identity, linking decorative metalwork with service, affiliation and remembrance.

The group also includes an ashtray with central matchbox holder, a pair of Boer War vases and other associated pieces. Boer War trench art and campaign-related metalwork is particularly interesting, as it predates the First World War material most commonly associated with the term. These pieces remind us that the transformation of military objects into keepsakes and souvenirs was already well established before 1914.

Together, the collection reflects a long tradition of military souvenir making, where personal experience, regimental pride and the material remains of conflict were preserved through craft.

Collecting Trench Art Today

For collectors, trench art offers more than decorative appeal. Each piece carries a layered history. There is the object’s original military purpose, the story of its transformation, and the later life it has had as a keepsake, heirloom or collector’s item.

Condition, inscriptions, regimental connections, dates and unusual subject matter can all influence interest. Pieces linked to named places, military hospitals, political figures or specific campaigns often have added resonance. At the same time, purely decorative examples can appeal for their craftsmanship and sculptural quality. The trench art offered in this sale provides a compelling snapshot of the category, ranging from patriotic Second World War shell cases to First World War hospital-related material and earlier Boer War pieces. Together, they show how objects born from conflict could be reshaped into memory, utility and art.

The Militaria, Medals & Sporting Guns Sale offers collectors the opportunity to acquire pieces that speak not only to military history, but to resilience, creativity and remembrance. Browse the catalogue and place your bids today, the online only auction ends Thursday 28 May at 11AM.
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