Germany - Artillery - Military accessories - 1917

Authentic pair of 77 mm German Army artillery breeches from World War I. The bodies are engraved with a pair of historical figures and at the bottom the inscription 14 - 19. Under a breech lies the place of manufacture: POLTE MAGDEBURG and dated MAY 1917 (Photo). There are also other factory markings: Sp406 - SL 291... and others partially legible. The Polte Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik factory (known as Polte-Werke) in Magdeburg was one of the largest industrial producers of ammunition and shells for the German army during World War I. The year and month inscribed on the base of the shell casing (1917) show that it was produced in the heart of the Great War 1914 - 1918. This marking is commonly found on German cannon shell casings. These shells were recovered after battles to be transformed by soldiers or civilians into artisanal objects (vases, pots...), a practice known as the Trench Art. History confirms the use of these shells at Dixmude during the Yser battle in 1917, some of these casings can be found in various museums in Belgium and France. The height of these casings is 23 cm. The base diameter is 9 cm. The weight of the two casings is about 1.670 kg. They are in their “house” condition with the patina of time elapsed. Certainly a historic collectible pair, but could be used as vases. Also with 109 years of existence, true antiques. Origin: from the estate of a former collector. Sale without reserve price. Shipment at the best price via Catawiki Smart Delivery. No shipping outside the European Union. Happy bidding to all.