Had to pick this up today, its one that didn't turn into trench art.
Its about 15" long and about 4-41/2" in diameter. (didn't measure it)
(http://imageshack.us/a/img607/3127/3ssn.jpg)
(http://imageshack.us/a/img832/4743/2rzc.jpg)
A large shell casing for artillery. When the 105MM was in the later tanks, one got tired lifting and loading these. Nice chunk of brass, will polish up well. I see its build date is WWII, so it is definitely a collectible.
that is a great find, did you find it at a swap meet ? i seen one of them with dirt and flowers growing out of the shell, I tried to buy it but it was not for sale i tried to explain its not a flower pot and it was to be ruined with dirt and water in side it but that is how it goes again great find congrats.
LEACH
Got it at an estate sale for $17. I out bid a lady who out bid me on a tool box full of old tools, she won I believe but 2nd prize isn't to bad.
You just know the part of that that isn't there anymore just ruined somebody's day ....
I have seen the lady's buying them at the flea to put flowers in also, I dunno what it is about flowers, but that's where most of them seem to end up....
Perhaps it goes with the painted handsaws...
Our pennies were made from spent shell casings from 1944-1946 too.
1943's were steel, war effort stuff.
After WWII India made EVERYTHING out of shell casings.
RE: 1965 Ft. Knox, Ky.-saw many of those cut down in lathe-polished to high heaven with Brasso and engraved with officer's name & rank as a desk ashtray-as most people smoked!
At Ft.. Knox in 1971 they were used full size, to hold the flag and standards behind commanding officers desks, and polished weekly, and not by the officers either.