Trench Art

'Trench Art' is the evocative but misleading name given to a dazzling array of objects made from the waste of war. Best known from the Great War of 1914-18 and following inter-war years, such items include engraved artillery shellcases, bullet-crucifixes, letter-openers and cigarette lighters made from shrapnel and cartridges. It also includes miniature aeroplanes and tanks, talismanic jewellery, embroideries and objects carved from stone, bone and wood. Every piece of Trench Art tells a story of the momentous experience of its maker - whether front-line soldier, prisoner-of-war or civilian refugee. Objects resonate with the alternating terror and boredom of war and symbolize the struggle for survival in POW camps. Many items were poignant souvenirs bought by battlefield pilgrims between 1919 and 1939 and kept brightly polished on mantelpieces, often for a lifetime. Dr Saunders reveals the lost worlds of Trench Art. He investigates its origins and how items were made, exploring their personal meaning and cultural significance. He also offers an important categorization of types and an assessment of the current market, which is increasingly attracting the attention of collectors.