Wednesday 25 July 2012

SHELL CASINGS OF THE WEEK: REPOUSSE PUNCHED AND CHASED WORK (UPDATED)


TRUE PAIR WWI FRENCH REPOUSSE CHASED PUNCHED TRENCH ART BRASS SHELL CASINGS 1916


Here, for those interested, is the second in the series of 'Shell Casing of the Week', where, by means of utilising shell casings that I have, I will attempt to explain the language used in describing the types of decoration used in the manufacture of 'Trench Art Shell Casings'.




Chased Work:

When the image has been transferred to the shell casing for working, it would be outlined with a hammer and an other tool such as screwdrivers of differing sizes. This delineated the image to be worked, and on some of the simpler decorated casings, would comprise the whole image. Chasing, as can be seen from the image above, would also be used to add detailing, as on the ivy leaves.

Repousse Work:

The idea is to create raised designs on the surface of the work. This was achieved by hammering the surface from the back, or in this case, inside. Repousse is not often used in shell casings as a specially designed apparatus would have to hold the shell in place, while a hammer on a leaver would pound the casing internally. The reason that I believe that the stem on the design above is repousse rather than embossed (see below), is that it appears to raise above what would have been the actual width of the casing.

Embossed Work:

The ivy leaves on the casing would appear to be repousse work, however, this is achieved by the area around them being reduced in width through the chasing and punching. The interior of the casing would have to be filled with wax, wood, pitch or lead, to enable the work to be done, and support the surface being worked. This gives the impression of the surface being raised (as in repousse work) however the embossed surface is at the same level as it was originally, and the background has indented.

Punched Work:

Utilising a hammer and various punches, the background surface of the shell casing would be 'textured' and indented, to give the impression of the image being raised above the surface (see above). This technique could also be used (as it is on the grapes in the image above) to create specific aspects within a given image. The punch could be as simple as nails of varying sizes, to 'shop bought' decorative metal workers punches. The grapes above could have been created by a circular punch or a piece of pipe or similar which was close to hand and easily available.










IN THIS AUCTION
WE HAVE ON OFFER
A FANTASTIC
TRUE PAIR
FRENCH
WWI
REPOUSSE
PUNCH WORKED
SHELL CASINGS
WITH
GRAPE AND VINE DESIGN
DATED 1916


THESE GORGEOUS TRENCH ART SHELL CASINGS WERE BOUGHT ON MY RECENT TRIP TO FRANCE FROM A DEALER IN PARIS


THE REPOUSSE CHASED AND PUNCH WORKED DESIGN TO THE FRONT IS OF
MIRROR IMAGED GRAPES VINE AND LEAVES
AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS
THE WORK IS OF HIGH QUALITY
THESE HAVE BEEN POLISHED TO A HIGH DEGREE AS THEY WERE FIRST INTENDED
THE IMAGE REMAINS CRISP WITH NO SIGN OF WEAR
THERE ARE TWO DINGS TO THE RIM OF ONE HOWEVER THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED AFTER ALMOST 100 YEARS AND DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE OVER ALL AESTHETIC
BOTH SHELL CASINGS ARE OTHERWISE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH NO CRACKS SPLITS OR DINGS
THE BASES BEAR THE LEGENDS:
(LEFT)
37-85 (I BELIEVE RELATES THE CALIBRE AND 1885 BEING THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS DESIGN BEING USED)
6 (I BELIEVE TO BE THE LOT NUMBER)
PDPs (WOULD DENOTE THE MANUFACTURER AS:
PARC de ARTILLERIE de PARIS)
2.16 (I BELIEVE TO BE THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE)

(RIGHT)
37-85 (I BELIEVE RELATES THE CALIBRE AND 1885 BEING THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS DESIGN BEING USED)

218 (I BELIEVE TO BE THE LOT NUMBER)

PDPs (WOULD DENOTE THE MANUFACTURER AS:

PARC de ARTILLERIE de PARIS)

2.16 (I BELIEVE TO BE THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE)


SOURCE: TRENCH ART AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, JANE A. KIMBALL, PUB; SILVERPENNY PRESS DAVIS, CALIFORNIA


For more photographs check out the above link
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