This is a Russian 76.2mm brass shell case, dated 1916, fired from a Zis-3 anti-tank gun. A rare feature of this piece is that it still has a portion of a wooden tree trunk attached to the top, a remnant from its recovery in the woods. The shell case is complete but shows some damage around the middle from being fired. While it no longer retains its original shiny brass finish, having discoloured and suffered damage from burial, it still bears some stamps and markings on the base, including the date 1916, though these are somewhat faded.
This is an excellent example of a battlefield-recovered shell case, especially rare with the wood still attached. It has been carefully cleaned and is ideal for display or any collection. The item comes with 2 laminated A5 information cards.
Provenance:
The case was recovered from the woods near the Psel River, south of Kursk on the Voronezh Front. This region was fiercely defended against the German 2nd SS Panzer Corps during the Battle of Kursk, part of Operation Citadel, the German offensive in July-August 1943 on the Eastern Front.
This is a Russian 76.2mm brass shell case, dated 1916, fired from a Zis-3 anti-tank gun. A rare feature of this piece is that it still has a portion of a wooden tree trunk attached to the top, a remnant from its recovery in the woods. The shell case is complete but shows some damage around the middle from being fired. While it no longer retains its original shiny brass finish, having discoloured and suffered damage from burial, it still bears some stamps and markings on the base, including the date 1916, though these are somewhat faded.
This is an excellent example of a battlefield-recovered shell case, especially rare with the wood still attached. It has been carefully cleaned and is ideal for display or any collection. The item comes with 2 laminated A5 information cards.
Provenance:
The case was recovered from the woods near the Psel River, south of Kursk on the Voronezh Front. This region was fiercely defended against the German 2nd SS Panzer Corps during the Battle of Kursk, part of Operation Citadel, the German offensive in July-August 1943 on the Eastern Front.
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