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French Perhaps ???

M

MartinH

Member
Was given this a while back by a relative, i assume its French and from the WW1.

Can anyone tell me what it is please?

Writing on top is:

MAI 1917

HL 25

G 104

On bottom is says " POLTE "

Thanks for looking!
 

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Hi Dano,

The dimensions are :

diameter 90mm and height is 110mm

what about the writing on it, looks French ??

Cheers
 
Polte

I tried to translate POLTE, and what I came up with on translator was "to crash about"? Anybody good with German? Dano
 
Hi dano,

I tried as well but couldn't really see anything.

It like a percussion cap in the centre of it oat both ends, similar to a shotgun cartridge, not sure if you can see in the picture.

Would it be some kind of detonator perhaps?

Cheers
 
Hi Martin,
I would hazord a guess that it is a storage pot for pipe or other tobacco i have seen a few of these over the years and this seems to be the general concesus.
Best regards Weasel.
 
Its called Trench art and is a biscuit barrel .The two parts pull apart, but maybe very tight.
 
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Hi Fuzeman, yep biscuits would work as well anything you wanted to keep from going stale and out of the sun really.
Best Weasel.
 
Hi weasil I think that that kind of trench art was probably the most popular, ive had about 20 over the years in my early days most antique shops had them ! , followed by paper knives and Coal scuttles ,but ive never had a trench art peak cap ,
regards
Steve
 
store case

Hi,
Polte was a big ammunition factory situated near the town of Magdebourg in north Germany , in activity during the two conflicts , and at the origin of a great quantity of experiments
 
Hi Martin,
So to sort of sum up for you, this is a piece of trenchart made from two "and this is a guess without any measurments" WW1 German 77mm brass cartridges both have been cut down in length one more so than the other and one has been sleeved to enable it to fit inside the other while remaining the same outside diameter.
As Fuzeman has said you used to see alot of these for sale in antique shops years ago, the two percussion caps one on each case are just that.
Best regards Weasel.
 
Guys, thanks for the info, its been in my family for donkeys years !!

Are you very very sure about this??

There a join in it about 2 thirds of the way down it, and it feels very solid and not hollow

It wont explode if i try and take it apart will it !!!!!!!! i will to get it in a vice !

Cheers !!
 
By the way guys, i am dissapointed now !!!

I thought my Great Uncle may have brought it back from the front on leave, he was in the Royal Field Artillary, was killed at the battle of Passchendaele in 1917,aged 19 years.

Thanks for your help
 
Hi MartinH
I can assure you that pulling the two parts apart it will not explode !
Regards
 
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