ARTISTS AT WAR, PART I
by Marie Brown

     An often overlooked, military collectible is wartime artwork, from paintings to sculptures to drawings. Many people do not associate artwork with war; it often seems hard to believe that a very well done painting could have possibly been created while surrounded by turmoil. There are several forms of art that can be classified as war related art and these items can be found in many forms. War related art does not necessarily mean that a particular piece had to be done by someone serving in the military, there are several examples that have been done by civilians as well. From comic illustrations and war bond posters to trench art and commissioned military portraits, the possibilities are endless.
    Trench art, a form of art almost always, if not always, will be done by a soldier, and any serious collector of trench art will want the piece to be GI done. I have not heard of any reproduction trench art on the market but I am not saying it is impossible. Trench art is a term that military collectors/dealers have given to pieces that soldiers have made into a variety of objects from shell casings. These items can be anything from salt & pepper shakers to large vases, bookends and cordial sets to mention a few.
    WWI has had the greatest influence on trench art due, in large, to the fact a good majority of the fighting took place in the trenches. Trench art became a way the soldiers could keep themselves occupied while being stuck in the trenches, sometimes for days at a time. Empty shell casings were in great supply and so some soldiers recycled these casings into works of art that we know call trench art. Not all trench art was done in the trenches however some could have been done aboard ship or at barracks but it still classifies as trench art. Probably the most common forms of trench art are the bullet key chains; it really didn’t take a lot of talent to hollow out a whole bullet and attach some form of ring that would hold a key. The less common are matched items with ornate work such as vases and cordial sets.
     Trench art is unique because although pieces may look similar, most items are a one of a kind. Some pieces of trench art can be bought very reasonable in a price bracket most people can afford, while other pieces can run hundreds of dollars and usually sell to an advanced collector. Trench art is a category still up and coming; more people are starting to collect trench art due to the fact it is still in most cases a reasonably priced item with a great variety to choose from.