Trench Art - a shame

[fribblecollectables]

Didn't realize it would fall foul of the Firearms and Accessories policy:

Someone has reshaped what I guess was an old shell or something and made it into a small beaker - about the size to take a good slug or rum or whisky.

He has engraved it with the date of 1917 and scratched his initials on the other side.

It has now been pulled from auction by eBay with a suggestion I read the Firearms policy. It is a shame when you think of the situation this chap might have been in at the time.

I presume as it was once a casing, it cannot be listed.

Yes, there are many listings for empty shells, vases made from shells and ashtrays made from shells. It happens, mine was reported, theirs haven't been. I will not be reporting them.

It just seems quite a strick blanket ban on something that so obviously cannot be made into a weapon of destruction and certainly is not a weapon - it's a copper beaker!

Just thought I would mention it so others can read this in case they are in the same situation.

As for the beaker - I will keep it on the shelf above me and think of the chap that created it.

Moan over! eBaying is fun!

[fatbobfan]

Posting for the mods katie@ebay  

Understand fire arms/replica rebuilds etc etc but as Op states such an important part of world history, seems a shame

Hope ebay addresses

[katie@ebay]

Hi @fribblecollectables,

Thank you for sharing your experience here on the community. @fatbobfan appreciate you mentioning me here.

This item does sound very interesting, and I understand that you listed this item in good faith with only the intention of selling a historic piece. In this situation, it is most likely it was removed as being seen as something that could be used to create a harmful item. This item is not something that can be relisted.  Due to the nature of a policy like the Ammunition Policy, it must be incredibly strict. This is because eBay never handles the item at any time and if they are anyway on the fence they lean on the side of caution. 

I know this is not the answer you would have wanted, but I hope I have been able to provide some more context about what has happened here.

Thanks,

Katie 

[fribblecollectables]

No worries.

I only started the thread mainly so others could avoid this error.

I have attached a picture of the offending little brass beaker for reference.

[ett1954]

katie@ebay  "it was removed as being seen as something that could be used to create a harmful item. This item is not something that can be relisted."!

This is no more something that could be used to create a harmful item than a brass cased clock or compass.  It wasn't even part of the projectile it was part of a shell casing that held the propellant.  A broom handle can be used to create a "harmful item" if you sharpen one end!

@fribblecollectables  I would suggest you take it to a proper auction house or antiques dealer; there is a solid market  for trench art, especially WW1.

[fatbobfan]

When you stop and think these pieces, they are a bit special.

Cool photo, 

[indigo-island]

What a cool little thing.  I use an old shell casing for a lot of my photos (or a candle - but that's not nearly so exciting).  But mine is rather more recent.

Hope you find someone who will love it.

[aquaecraft]

I wonder if ebay are going to ban 3D printers as they have been shown for over a decade being capable of making functional firearms.  The files of this design have been open source since 2013, and there is one in the victoria & albert museum in london if you would like to see. Now with the rise of metal filaments the AR15 platform can be printed but hey a bit of scrap from 107 years ago presents more of a problem for ebay I guess?

Ammo casing is usually brass but I guess ebay knows something the rest of the world doesnt?

Reminds me of the time I tried to list a horse brass in the shape of a beer barrel and it was removed because of the gun policy.

[philipjfranklin]

Just look at the piece - there is no way that could be considered a harmful item, and after examination by ebay if a seller complains then re-listing should be allowed.  This is where a policy is mistaken and needs amendment. I've seen brass beakers more harmful than this! 

[theelench]

It could very easily give someone a very nasty bruise if it was thrown at them hard enough.  

So ebay has to err on the side of caution.

Sometimes so far on the side that they entirely loose sight of the item.

When I see something like that I wonder what the conditions were like for the maker.  Mud, craters full of stinking water?   Was he keeping his mind off the fact that every second could be his last or how much he had already gone through to have got as far as 1917?