The subject if WWI trench art is not too well known. After the war's end, there were large numbers of Americans (and no doubt some from other countries) who wanted to tour the famous French battlefields. And of course, where there are tourists there is a market for souvenirs. As a result, there were many small factories that sprang up to make souvenirs from all the battlefield scrap metal laying around to sell to the tourists. Many items were made from fired cartridge and artillery cases. I have several decorative and engraved vases which were made from French 75 artillery cases. They were probably the most common. So were ash trays, knick-knacks, and various kitchen items. There are stories that soldiers in the trenches wiled away their time making items from picked-up battlefield debris, and that may have been true to some extent. But most of the "Trench Art" seen here today likely was factory-made and was brought back by battlefield tourists during the 1920s. At one time it was not unusual to see many trench art items for sale at gun shows.
