What do you know about Naval Trench Art?

[Grant Fan]

Ok so i am not sure this is the right place for this but if I am wrong by all means please move this to where it belongs. Today I was looking at vintage jewelry particularly bracelets, and I stumbled upon a WW2 bracelet that I loved and wanted. It held so much interest for me because it have Naval wings on it and my boyfriend is a naval aviator. Well then I saw it was called naval trench art I had never heard of this and began to do a bit of research. Does any one know anything about it? And if so what can you tell me?

 

[Gene]

Hi there! Just wanted to share with you a little bit about my understanding of "sweetheart" items from the WWII period. I call it "sweetheart" because it isn't really trench art, that's more in the vein of someone turning some .30 06 bullets into an ashtray or something similar of that nature. There were many sweetheart items in WWII, so perhaps a naval aviator sent home a set of wings and his girl made a bracelet out of them. I have seen it done with Army Air Force pilot wings and paratrooper jump wings.

While I'm guessing bracelets of that sort is technically "trench art," I'm sure it's just the modern terminology that collectors have placed on it. More than likely the sailor's lady just had them modified so she could keep a remembrance of her man overseas.

Hope that helps!

Gene

PS thank your boyfriend for me for his service! Much respect for an aviator as I am way beyond an "enthusiast" and more like an "aviation fanatic."

 

[rmrdaddy]

Grant Fan,
Gene is in the right vein. Trench art is a general term used for items made by service men (and women perhaps) out of everyday items (often pertaining to their particular branch) as mementos, especially to while away spare time. Such examples often consist of spent shell casings of various sizes (30.06 rifle up to naval artillary shells), storage crates, etc... fashioned into decorative items. I've personally seen drink shakers, bracelets, rings, salt and pepper shakers, statuettes, and vases made this way.

But, I'd love to see photos of the actual item that you are considering. What kind of object is it?

 

[Story]

GF,
Naval versions of trench art include whittled objet d'art (often model ships) and scrimshaw
http://www.johnrinaldinautical.com/
http://landandseacollection.com/id176.html

The Machinist Mates on board many of the larger ships (or the support vessels) had their own shops and machine tools. I've seen some pretty nice souvenirs attributed to unofficial Navy sources.

This antidote to the monotony while at sea was universal. Go here and scroll down to
www.germaniainternational.com/navy6.html

Minesweeper Box and Ring (Item KRIEG 6-13)
DESCRIPTION: Here is a little handmade aluminum box that belonged to a Kriegsmarine sailor who saw service with a German minesweeper in WWII. His name on the top of the box reads “Teddi-Wienke,” and his birth date is 25 10 1919. This indicates it was probably a birthday present to him from another crewmember who fashioned it by hand during long periods of sea voyages. It was presented evidently on Sept 24, 1944, at Hamburg. The front where his name is engraved has besides a flower design, a neat little brass-colored eagle with swastika in the Kriegsmarine fashion. The engraved anchor design on the back is the symbol for a member of engine maintenance (machinist’s mate). Also with the box is a little ring with the hand-engraved exploding mine with swastika in the water--the insignia for the minesweeper section of the German Navy. The ring is in about a size 8 or 9. The box may be for the storage and carry of little Turkish cigars favored by the swabbies of the Kriegsmarine. All in all, this is a small but great pair of relics of the 1940s sea war.

 

[Grant Fan]

Thank you all your information has been very helpful. rmrdaddy you asked to see the item that started this sudden interest well here it is. Hopefully this helps a bit