December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 126:
Description
VERY rare battle struck French bugle. The shrapnel went through
both sides of the bell and was expertly repaired by the French Army. It is
inscribed with the information of the Signal Corps Major who brought it back to
the United States. This is a rare and highly evocative World War I French Clairon bugle, documented to have been carried by a U.S. officer during the American Expeditionary Forces AEF campaign. The bugle is constructed of brass with a heavy, unpolished patina consistent with its age and field use. It features its original military accessories, including a dark fabric or leather hand wrap and a braided rope cord and tassel in military colors. The instrument was manufactured by the prestigious French firm F. Vve & SCHAEFFER in Paris, marked with its address 18 & 20 PASSAGE DU GRAND CERF . Crucially, the bell of the bugle contains unique, contemporary handwritten inscription reading FRENCH CLAIRON D ORDONNANCE 1918 MAJOR O. O. BURLINGHAM U.S.S.I. / M. M. Corps A.E.F. Balloon [Balloon, Army Signal Corps], which firmly attributes the bugle to Major O. O. Burlingham of the U.S. Signal Corps Balloon Corps in 1918. The bugle exhibits evidence of being battle damaged, with a substantial patch visible on the bell, suggesting it sustained shrapnel or bullet damage during combat before being repaired and kept as a souvenir. This confluence of French manufacture, U.S. WWI officer provenance, and documented battle damage makes this a premium piece of AEF and Signal Corps history.
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