These ‘trench art’ ashtrays are relatively common in junk shops and antique shops.

This is to a degree because most of them are modern made, and vary enormously between the very convincing, and the dubious rubbish. This represents the pre-war de Havilland DH 88 Comet racer, reasonably convincingly though the casting as usual lacks credibility in the vertical dimension, being compromised for ease of production, and thus making the profile rather crude.The plan view, is, however, reasonably accurate.

Genuine trench art may be crude, but it usually features wartime subjects, proximate to the maker, rather than a 1934 design. Genuine desk models from 1934 are always much better crafted and more accurate.

However all three types, the original trench art, the period desk models and the modern pastiches are made for the same purpose – sale or gift as a memento.

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.

Image by author from Kongwak, Vic, market.