Crested ware service dress cap

[Jerry B]

I picked up another today, a Jack Johnson shell for Totnes.

A 'Jack Johnson' was the British nickname used to describe the impact of a heavy, black German 15-cm artillery shell. Jack Johnson (1878-1946) was the name of the popular U.S. (born in Texas) world heavyweight boxing champion who held the title from 1908-15. A not very pc nickname as Johnson was black, but that was then considered acceptable.

[jwp]

That's another great one Jerry !, I don't have one of these but do have two of the smaller artillery shells. A great reference book is shown in attached pic, long out of print (Publisher: Milestone Publications 16 Oct 1981) but you can still find copies, packed full of info on makers and models, the price guide not much use nowadays !!,
cheers,
John.

[Jerry B]

Sounds good John, I might have to do a search for it.

The place where I bought the shell had quite a lot of crested ware from another seller -it was an antiques center- though not military items (about a dozen pieces for £10), but the same seller as I bought the shell from had other WWI china pieces, about 3 or 4 mugs with end of war flags and dates 1914-1919, though all were in a poor condition, crazed and with hairline cracks. They also had a teapot from the start of the war, 1914 dated, with the motto united we stand and with the flags of the original 4 allies, Russia, France, Belgium and of course Great Britain. It is on my way home from work and after speaking to her indoors I will pop into tomorrow and pick up the rest of them, assuming they are still there.