#21 • Elaborate Trench Art Windmill from Dadizele War Museum in Belgium

Part of TRENCH ART & WWI Memorabilia (live auction by Bannerman Auctions)

High bid $750.00

Status: Sold

Category: Belgium

Elaborate Trench Art Windmill from Dadizele War Museum Belgium. One of the most interesting pieces of trench art that I have seen in quite some time!  The mix of materials leads me to believe that it is most likely a high-end piece made for the Western Front tourism market in the 1950's and 1960's, but it is 'trench art' all the same.  Base is a German 21.5cm heavy mortar shell with 1916 dated headstamp, decorated with a large 7cm wide segment of fired copper driving band, with 'door' and 'windows out of smaller pieces, and featuring a British "Argyle and Sutherland" regimental badge, with the top (base of the shell) drilled for eight additional decorations, filled at the moment with .50 caliber projectiles, one missing.  Center section shell measures 12cm at the top, and 46cm tall, with numerous applied windows and arcs made from driving bands and brass arms which support a circular balcony railing of copper wire and tubing with 1960's dated FN rifle cartridges, one of which has been resoldered on.  Also has inverted Coldstream Guards regimental badge applied near the top.  Crown portion is formed from a shell casing that fits down inside the middle casing, with a portion of the nose and fuse of a large caliber WWI shell sitting on the top with a copper fired driving band as a border.  A German WWI shell fuse serves as the hub for four windmill blades, 56cm across from edge to edge formed of 5cm wide fired driving bands with copper wire leading edges.  This piece measures 102cm tall including the windmill blades, 87cm tall if those are not included in the measurement.  Width of the body is 24cm; width of the blades is 56cm.  One of the most attractive pieces of trench art that I have seen - this piece would be a centerpiece in even the best trench art collection.  Estimate: $1000 - $1500