The Rose of 1918

An authentic World War I trench art vase made from a German 75mm artillery shell casing dated 1918, the final year of the war. As hostilities came to an end, vast quantities of spent shells were reclaimed and transformed into decorative and commemorative objects.

This piece features a raised rose design with surrounding foliage, worked in relief against a textured ground. The scalloped rim and softly flared base reflect the refined handwork often seen in late-war and post-war trench art.

The original 1918 headstamp is intact on the base, offering direct historical documentation of the shell’s manufacture. Objects like this allowed artists—soldiers and civilians alike—to turn instruments of destruction into lasting symbols of memory and survival.

A poignant artifact marking the war’s closing chapter.