Vasco Da Gama
Well-Known Member
I fell for this piece of trench art because of the date and likely connection with the Second Boer War. The Pom Pom case has been turned into a bell by creating a clanger from a rifle bullet attached by wire to a second rifle round fitted through the removed primer. The rifle round is interesting as I think it is a 7.65mm Argentinian Mauser, 7.65x53mm, probably made in Karlsruhe in 1896. My understanding is the headstamp FyA is Fusils y Ametralladores (rifle and mitrailleurs). This would appear to be a round manufactured for sale in South America which ended up in South Africa. Pictured alongside a better made example which uses a Spanish Mauser 7x57mm cartridge case to form a cross. Just posted for interest, history is all around us and things still turn up with a story to tell.
