December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 89:
Description
This is a rare and highly evocative World War I-era cased photograph presented in a distinctive metal frame, likely dating from the 1917Ð1919 period. The outer frame is constructed of patinated or chemically treated copper or brass, giving it a dark, iridescent finish with exposed copper highlights around the edges and lettering. The design is explicitly military, featuring the letters U and S cut into the frame on either side of the portrait, and a raised exploding bomb or flaming grenade device centered at the top, which is the traditional insignia of the US Army Ordnance Corps or Artillery. The photograph housed within the oval cutout depicts a young, serious-looking American soldier in a full-length uniform portrait, including a high-collared tunic characteristic of the period. The combination of the soldier s uniform and the artillery insignia on the frame suggests he was a member of a US Army field artillery or heavy artillery unit serving during the Great War. This piece is a unique, period-specific commemorative item that soldiers would have sent home or displayed, making it a valuable piece of WWI militaria.
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