Let's See Some Trench Art

[IUHoosier429]

Anyone else collect this stuff? I don't have a lot, but do dig the pieces I've picked up either intentionally or by luck over the years.

I'll kick it off with a Yugoslav Wars-era M70 lower handguard featuring some, ahem, morale boosting stickers:

(mods, there is no nudity on these ... hard to tell due to their poor condition but the private bits are assuredly covered)

Those Balkan fighters sure loved their stickers. I've seen everything from babes to "ALF" adorning Yugo AK furniture. "90210" was another popular motif.

Let's see some of your guys' favorite trench art examples!

 

[IUHoosier429]

Here's a buttstock that came with a Romanian-marked kit but features a carved emblem of the Croatian Defence Council (Hrvatsko Vijeće Obrane/"HVO"), the military wing of the short-lived and unrecognized Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia (1991-1996):

 

[IUHoosier429]

And I already posted this in another thread, but here it is again - a Russian bakelite 5.45x39 mag with "ДМБ" or DMB scratched into it. From what I gathered, ДМБ roughly translates to dedovshchina, Russian slang celebrating a conscript's completed military service (which I assume was in 1984):

I have a few other items I need to dig out and post here, but look forward to seeing some other stuff from you folks as well.

 

[Gator]

@LizardKing

 

[Slacker]

I've got a k98 bring back bayonet with a swastika hand scratched into the handle..
Kinda cool.

 

[pinkbunny]

Traditionally, it seems it's rare to see trench art on military weapons in professional armies. Generally only see it in ersatz armies, like the irregular ones that came up after the fall of Yugoslavia, or in Afghanistan.

 

[IUHoosier429]

Another AK buttstock without a rifle. This one features the Romanian city of Tulcea carved prominently into the right side. Perhaps its soldier's hometown?

On the left is what I believe to be the word ANA dotted on top of a previous five-pointed star. It's hard to make out in this photo, but there is also a yin and yang scratched into the wood here, just to the left of ANA:

 

[drumsarereallycool]

Here are a couple, I love this kind of stuff! Have some more hand guards with trench art, but they're still in a box tucked away. Will share when I get a chance.

 

[turboM70]

I collect Serbian trenchart, here are some highlights of my collection:

 

[GoWolfpack]

Hey, I have something that's not an AK part







It's from my grandfather and I don't really know much about it but it says "SOUVENIR D'UN FRERE' "


It's obviously an artillery shell, but I don't even know what language is engraved on it.

 

[drumsarereallycool]

I collect Serbian trenchart, here are some highlights of my collection:

HOLY MOTHER OF !!! Thank you for sharing!

 

[turboM70]

HOLY MOTHER OF !!! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks! My pleasure. I can give some details on what carvings mean if anyone is interested.

 

[Catfish]

Someone carved their initials in this Westinghouse M91 does that count?

 

[GoWolfpack]

I don't even know what language is engraved on it.

Uncultured heathen that I am, after thinking about it for two minutes I decided it's probably french.

 

[Get Off My Lawn]

I saw this on line

 

[Nick Leduc]

I don't know if it is considered "trench" art. I have an Arisaka training rifle that J. Gifford stamped a bunch of locations into. I have no history of the rifle. I don't know if it was done post service time, or done on a ship while in each location.

 

[drumsarereallycool]

Thanks! My pleasure. I can give some details on what carvings mean if anyone is interested.

Please do! I'm very much interested in knowing more.

 

[Drftman]

This good enough? M72 original barrel kit.

 

[Drftman]

One more for now