Trench art?

[Ralph A]

Maybe...

What do you think? Looks like an artillery shell rotating cuff. Marked "Rheims 1915". Interested, myself, but am going to let it pass. Maybe someone else here sees the value.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2173351779

[Vadim K]

wrong link?

[Ralph A]

Fixed it.

Thanks!

[Vadim K]

These pop up on Ebay every once in a while, some are better quality, obviously jeweler-made, some are simpler, like this one. I dont think these are trench art per se, what with the oakleaves and the enameled cross and the fastener with a little chain, looks a bit too sophisticated. If this is indeed a rotator cuff, it could be that the soldiers were bringing these home and were having them made into "sweetheart" pieces by a jeweler. Whatever the story might be, nice pieces of history. Maybe I'll buy one too someday...

[Tom Y]

Just a word of warning. The seller isn't in Florida, but Germany, and seems to know diddly about militaria. I bought a small lot from him a while back that was crap.

[Ralph A]

It's a "her".

I think you're right. She's friendly, though, but absolutely no knowledge of the items she auctions. I stick to the patriotic stuff from her; rings, bracelets, baubles; it's an online flea market!

I picked up some ribbon bars that look good, but I am not attracted to the medal bars she posts from time-to-time. As she is no expert (and neither am I) that would be a real minefield.