“Trench Art” was a form of folk art practiced by soldiers (or, sometimes, sailors) during World Wars I & II. Men on the front line would sometimes have long stretches of boredom, punctuated by sudden bursts of excruciating action. The artistically-inclined amongst them might spend their quiet hours crafting items (such as the vase, above) out of the materials at hand—brass mortar shells! Back home, Art Deco, Art Nouveau and the Arts & Crafts Movement were (recently) en vogue, and so such decorative elements were often incorporated into their pieces. Sometimes the objects were crafted with a special person in mind or would specifically reference a particular regiment, battle, or theatre of war. For World War I, armistice was declared on the 11th hour or the 11th day of the 11th month—11 November 1918—and is celebrated in Europe to this day. In America, the day has evolved into Veteran’s Day.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
Follow us on Instagram: "leodesignhandsomegifts"
Follow us on Facebook: "LEO Design - Handsome Gifts"