This brass vase seems unassuming and a bit 70's, that is, until you pick it up. The weight of over 10lbs is your first clue that it is more than it seems. Turning it over you discover the truth: it has been shaped from an artillery shell, specifically a 105mm from a M101 howitzer, used by the United States during the second World War.
Shells have been transformed and decorated by soldiers and civilians for over a century. What I like is the obvious dichotomy between the original and ultimate purpose of the vessel : stick a daisy down a gun barrel and call it peace.
Shells have been transformed and decorated by soldiers and civilians for over a century. What I like is the obvious dichotomy between the original and ultimate purpose of the vessel : stick a daisy down a gun barrel and call it peace.
Below are a few more examples of artillery shell artwork, taken from Trench Art : An Illustrated History by Jane Kimball.
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