Pair of WW2 Trench Art Tankards from British Shell Casings, c.1943
Pair of WW2 Trench Art Tankards from British Shell Casings, c.1943
Evocative pair of Second World War trench‑art tankards, ingeniously made from genuine British shell casings and later finished in electro‑plated metal.
Each tankard has a central plug stamped **“MADE IN E.P.S. BRITAIN”**, set into the original wartime shell base with clear ordnance markings, including a 1943 date, lot numbers, inspection stamp and the War Department broad arrow. The handles are fashioned from sections of the casing, with a primer cap reused as a thumb‑rest.
A handwritten period label accompanies the pair:
“WW2 1942 ‘Trench Art’ made from shell casings from the de Havilland Mosquito. The larger shell from its bombs and the smaller shell from its air to air 20mm guns.”
The label is likely later than the war, and the inscriptions on the bases appear to be from larger artillery or AA shells rather than 20mm cannon, so the exact identification (bomb vs 20mm) is probably not correct.
While the exact aircraft and munitions can’t be proved, the casings are unquestionably WW2 British ordnance and the Mosquito association makes a wonderful talking point for RAF and aviation enthusiasts.
These tankards are substantial, full‑bodied pieces with real presence – ideal for a home bar, study or man‑cave, or as a gift for a military history collector.
Condition: Good, sound vintage condition with age and use consistent with genuine wartime material. Surface wear, light scratches and plate losses, particularly to the larger tankard, giving an attractive, honest patina. Interiors aged and darkened. No major dents, splits or loose joints. Supplied lightly cleaned but not re‑plated, to preserve character.
Origin: UK
Time Period: 1942-1943
Historical Context
Historical Context
“Trench art” is the collectors’ term for objects made from spent munitions and battlefield debris. In WW2, armourers and ground crew often reworked used shell cases into lighters, vases and tankards, sold as souvenirs or made as off‑duty projects.
These tankards fit that tradition: genuine wartime shell bases that have later been turned – probably in a small British workshop – into usable, plated tankards. Many such items were made during or just after the war for service canteens, messes and the domestic market.
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