Belle Maison Store
The Poppy Pom-Pom Shell
Description
WWI Trench Art Brass Pom-Pom Shell Vase – “The Poppy Pom-Pom Shell”
France, c. 1914–1918
Height: 9.5 cm
Socket Diameter: 4 cm
Weight: approx. 138 g
An authentic World War I trench art pom-pom shell, crafted from a small brass artillery casing and later transformed into a decorative object. Due to their compact size, shells from rapid-firing “pom-pom” guns were especially well-suited for artistic reuse.
The surface is hand-engraved with floral motifs, reflecting a common theme in trench art—symbols of remembrance, life, and beauty created in stark contrast to the realities of war.
Objects like this were often made by soldiers during quiet periods or by civilians using battlefield remnants. Their small scale made them ideal as keepsakes, desk pieces, or personal souvenirs sent home to loved ones.
Preserved in original condition, this piece bears signs of age and use consistent with its history.