STUNNING TRENCH ART WW1 SOPWITH CAMEL NOSECONE with VICKERS GUNS. R. F. C. 1918

Any ordnance used in its construction is both mutilated and inert. Trench Art' is the evocative but misleading term applied to a vast and dazzling array of objects made by soldiers, prisoners of war and civilians from the waste of war and a host of other materials.

Most objects were made in the safer rear areas by blacksmiths, the Royal Engineers and service personnel'. The term'Trench Art' is therefore misleading because the vast majority of it was never near a trench. It may also be fair to say that the greater the detail in the trench art, the greater the chance it was made by actual soldiers rather than civilians since the soldiers would have been extremely familiar with the object they were recreating.

It was mostly made with what we would call'crude' tools but they were the only tools the craftsmen of that period had and they knew how to use them with great skill. They also had mobile workshops with lathes, forges etc which enabled them to make more elaborate and sophisticated trench art.

I confess I'm no expert on'Trench Art' but it surely only requires a bit of common-sense and a little study to see what I mean. Genuine collectors will understand entirely.

Please look at my pictures closely. This gun would need no more than a few basic tools to make. There might be bits scavenged from old machinery, ordnance or equipment but there was a vast abundance of scrap brass to choose from. It is certainly not made to scale so the actual skill is putting all the small pieces together and then soldering them. Not a great feat for skilled engineers, carpenters or other gifted men from the Victorian era who joined up in their tens of thousands.

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER GUNS FOR SALE! WW1 SOPWITH CAMEL NOSECONE KEY TRAY.

Extremely unusual and eye-catching brass model on a hardwood base. All brass engine cone with removable twin Vickers' machine guns in the famous'hump' housing. Superbly modeled wooden propeller with brass fittings which turns freely. Twin wheels, which can be removed, have large general list buttons as hubs. Artistically designed plaque incorporating an R.

Cap badge which reads; ROYAL FLYING CORPS, PER ARDUA AD ASTRA, ST-OMER, FRANCE, 1918. The key or pin tray is fixed to the base.

The base is polished mahogany with four shell casing feet. Overall dimensions are approximately; 9ins high x 8 1/2ins front to back x 6ins wide. The propeller is 9ins wide. CONDITION: This model has had some very sympathetic restoration and cleaning. Close inspection reveals some barely noticeable marks and several unseen areas of the brass are dark and uncleaned. These age-related marks do not detract from the model in any way. I would assess the condition overall as superb. PICTURES: The pictures are an important part of my description and I have tried very hard to take good ones. However, my photography has never been great and I always feel that I never quite capture how good the model is. Nearly all my buyers report back that the models are even better in reality.

I only charge the actual amount I pay at the Post Office counter and don't charge for packing or materials. Please do not blame me for exorbitant postal rates, especially to international destinations. My dad, Bill Stephenson served under Montgomery of El Alamein fame and in some of my auctions youll see I've added a photograph of the famous general (later Field Marshall), inspecting an RHA guard-of-honour. My dad is second-right with Monty looking right at him.

Dad loved all things military and started collecting trench art in the 1940s when it was not a recognized or popular pastime. He was very keen on anything with a regimental badge attached and also anything to do with guns. Some pieces are amazing and some, in my opinion, just bizarre but all are, of course, unique. Since then, for some strange reason, Ive started to develop a greater appreciation of trench art and have even displayed some pieces in my own home.

Dad would have really liked that description. The item "STUNNING TRENCH ART WW1 SOPWITH CAMEL NOSECONE with VICKERS GUNS. 1918" is in sale since Saturday, March 11, 2017.

This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\World War I (1914-1918)\Trench Art". The seller is "itajim" and is located in Newtownards. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Type: Trench Art
Era: 1914-1945
Conflict: World War I (1914-1918)
Service: Air Force
Country/ Organization: Great Britain