Please Help, What is this?! All Information / Id Greatly Appreciated! (Nose Shell?!)

[ChrisN]

Hello there, How are you all.

For year's and years, this Nose shell as it appears has been passed down, however nobody has ever really bothered nor tried to identify what it is, where it's come from, who it is?
Until i stumbled across this lovely figure, i really have no idea what it is, hence the reason i'm here. It really is quite a cool piece, and has sat on a shelf for so long. So I've decided to try and figure out the history behind it, many people have asked and unfortunately nobody has had the answer.

I've done some infamous googling, but it's like drawing blood from a stone when you don't even know what it's called, where it's from, what time scale i'm looking at, and haven't even found any images to push the boat out.

I have attached some images of the item, if anybody has any idea on any information about it, i'd be very very happy!
i don't care how little or large your post is i will definitely appreciate any information.

I'd like to thank you all in advance, and wish you a good day.




* Side-Note, How can i clean and polish this up to its true self without damaging it? or shall i leave it as it is?
& if this is in the wrong area could a moderator kindly move it for me

[douglas2496]

My guess would be a time delay fuze from a British WW1 18 pounder shrapnel shell. I have several similar examples but mine are all brass, so I cant be certain. Its marked 3/07 which could well be the date of manufacture. It is certainly from Britain or The Commonwealth due to the arrow marking on the base.

[m3bobby]

Its the early No. 80 fuse for the 18lb Shrapnel shell. Later examples were all brass. From what I understand the No.80 is a licence built copy of a German Krupp design from before WW1. After the war, the government (Or possibly the manufacturers) had to pay royalties to Krupp for every fuse No.80 produced. Begs belief really!

[meyle77]

here is the shell to with it

[ChrisN]

Hooraah! Starting to shed some light lol!, Thank's guys, gives me some grounds to research upon now too
From what you've told me has lead me to this: File:18pdr HE Fixed Round.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I must confess it does look very similar , Just a shame the image is so small.

[Steve T]

Try here.......

Passion & Compassion 1914-1918 : WW1 militaria and technical documentation - artillery fuses

[KradSpam]

Its the early No. 80 fuse for the 18lb Shrapnel shell. Later examples were all brass. From what I understand the No.80 is a licence built copy of a German Krupp design from before WW1. After the war, the government (Or possibly the manufacturers) had to pay royalties to Krupp for every fuse No.80 produced. Begs belief really!

So for every one of this type of fuse produced in Britain and fired at the Germans during the war, Krupp was entitled to a fee?There must have been a chuckle in die boardraum when that little caveat was realised. I bet they figured it out in 1914 and just thought they had better sit on it until a few million more rounds had burst.