Matt Dixon Posted 17 February , 2011 Share Posted 17 February , 2011 Sorry I don't have a picture to hand, but I have two German shell cases which have the following marks on the bottom. Both are 23cms tall, and are 7.5cms diameter at the top and 9cms(approx) at the base. Shell 1: St FN 34 MARZ 1917 HL 27 Shell 2: St GFSP 159 APRL 1915 SP4 I get the month and years, but can anyone help me: 1) Identify the type of shell 2) What guns would have fired them? 3) What the other letters and numbers stand for? Thanks if you can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 17 February , 2011 Share Posted 17 February , 2011 They are both 77 x 230R cases for the German Field Gun (Feld Kanone 96 n/A) The first one is made by Friedrich Niemeyer (FN) with brass from the Haniel Luege works (HL) It is a strengthened case (St = Stark) Other numbers are Lot and inspection numbers. The second is similar but made at the GeschossFabrik Spandau (GFSp) Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph0ebus Posted 17 February , 2011 Share Posted 17 February , 2011 They are both 77 x 230R cases for the German Field Gun (Feld Kanone 96 n/A) The first one is made by Friedrich Niemeyer (FN) with brass from the Haniel Luege works (HL) It is a strengthened case (St = Stark) Other numbers are Lot and inspection numbers. The second is similar but made at the GeschossFabrik Spandau (GFSp) Regards TonyE What would one of those go for, in terms of a ballpark estimate, in average condition? -Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 17 February , 2011 Share Posted 17 February , 2011 Others will have to answer that as I do not collect artillery cases, but they seem relatively common here in the UK. Perhaps Matt can say. Regards Tonye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 18 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2011 That's awesome, thanks very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dmusher Posted 25 August , 2014 Share Posted 25 August , 2014 I have two shells 1. Markings on the bottom....st. Hl40 marz 1917 hl6 2. St 153 polte nov 1915 Magdeburg sp252 Anyone know anything about them My wife's mother said they were found on a farm near llanelli in South Wales ???? Thanks david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud1416 Posted 5 January , 2017 Share Posted 5 January , 2017 Hi, I have a shell with the following markings : 4 polte okt 1915 magdeburg was wondering if anyone could tell me what it's from and how rare it is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 6 January , 2017 Share Posted 6 January , 2017 Well, it is more or less all there! What you have is the cartridge case for a shell, not the shell, and the markings indicate that it was made by the Polte concern in Magdeburg in October 1915. For a similar example see: https://www.delcampe.net/de/sammlerobjekte/militaria/sammlerwaffen/douille-obus-canon-allemand-77-polte-magdeburg-1915-197808807.html (NO connection to the seller). They are not especially rare. Without a photograph and dimensions I for one would not like to hazard a guess as to what gun it was used with. Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud1416 Posted 7 January , 2017 Share Posted 7 January , 2017 On 06/01/2017 at 07:16, trajan said: Well, it is more or less all there! What you have is the cartridge case for a shell, not the shell, and the markings indicate that it was made by the Polte concern in Magdeburg in October 1915. For a similar example see: https://www.delcampe.net/de/sammlerobjekte/militaria/sammlerwaffen/douille-obus-canon-allemand-77-polte-magdeburg-1915-197808807.html (NO connection to the seller). They are not especially rare. Without a photograph and dimensions I for one would not like to hazard a guess as to what gun it was used with. Trajan It measures roughly 45cm high and 32cm in diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie Posted 14 January , 2017 Share Posted 14 January , 2017 Hi Cloud1416, if the diameter across the bottom is 340 mm you've got a case that was used for the 30,5 cm "schwere Küstenmörser Beta-09 L/16" (2 pieces made), the 30,5 cm "schwere Küstenmörser L/17 in Radlafette" (1 piece made) and the 30,5 cm 'schwere Kartaune L/30 in Radlafette" (3 pieces made). The "schwere Küstenmörser" (heavy coastal mortar) were part of the "schwerste Steilfeuer", the heavy German siege artillery, as were the famous 42 cm Big Bertha's. These artillery pieces fired at the big forts in Belgium, France and Poland during the opening months of the war. The name "Küstenmörser" was used to hide the fact that these weapons were designed to shoot at forts. You're lucky to find such a case, these are (very) rare. Regards Arjen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 14 January , 2017 Share Posted 14 January , 2017 On 1/6/2017 at 09:16, trajan said: ... They are not especially rare. Without a photograph and dimensions I for one would not like to hazard a guess as to what gun it was used with. 12 minutes ago, arie said: ... if the diameter across the bottom is 340 mm you've got a case that was used for the 30,5 cm "schwere Küstenmörser Beta-09 L/16" (2 pieces made), the 30,5 cm "schwere Küstenmörser L/17 in Radlafette" (1 piece made) and the 30,5 cm 'schwere Kartaune L/30 in Radlafette" (3 pieces made). ... You're lucky to find such a case, these are (very) rare. Well, knowing the dimensions certainly changes things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud1416 Posted 24 January , 2017 Share Posted 24 January , 2017 Hi guys, Got another one for you, it's my grandad's, he was really interested in the history of the last one so wants to know more about the one he owns. It's roughly 42cm in height, 33cm across. Thank you !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Durango Posted 8 April , 2018 Share Posted 8 April , 2018 I have a Big Bertha 42cm Shell, approximately 42 cm high, with no standard month and date stamp. All the other shells of this caliber I have seen have the month spelled out and year written out, (1914). This has neither, and also has other number stamps and markings I have never seen on others. Can you tell me anything about it? Also, would polishing it decrease its value, like refinishing an antique? Or can I polish it without degrading its value? Lastly, any idea of its value and rarity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14276265 Posted 8 April , 2018 Share Posted 8 April , 2018 See above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Durango Posted 8 April , 2018 Share Posted 8 April , 2018 That was my original post. It doesn’t explain the unusual markings on mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 5 May , 2018 Share Posted 5 May , 2018 I just did a quick search on Googe.de and found only two examples of these cases, both early war and, yes, usual Month markings in words not in Roman numerals. My only thought, for what it is worth, is that it was to distinguish clearly between a June and July made case, perhaps for re-use purposes... Yes, I know, weak... but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristiaan Posted 14 January , 2020 Share Posted 14 January , 2020 Hello,the VI stands for the month, only use by the Kaiserliche Marine, land army; spelled the month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristiaan Posted 14 January , 2020 Share Posted 14 January , 2020 For prove the KM stamp can be seen too on your pic, above the Polte marking between the L and the T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 14 January , 2020 Share Posted 14 January , 2020 2 hours ago, kristiaan said: Hello,the VI stands for the month, only use by the Kaiserliche Marine, land army; spelled the month. 2 hours ago, kristiaan said: For prove the KM stamp can be seen too on your pic, above the Polte marking between the L and the T. Thank you for that Kristiaan! We all learn a little something new everyday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristiaan Posted 15 January , 2020 Share Posted 15 January , 2020 My pleasure. Only knew it myself since yesterday, when I got those two in... Picture ain't great, as it was dark when I got home. And they aren't easy to handle to take better one's up to now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristiaan Posted 17 January , 2020 Share Posted 17 January , 2020 here is a better pic; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 17 January , 2020 Share Posted 17 January , 2020 On 08/04/2018 at 21:41, Dave Durango said: I have a Big Bertha 42cm Shell, approximately 42 cm high, with no standard month and date stamp. All the other shells of this caliber I have seen have the month spelled out and year written out, (1914). This has neither, and also has other number stamps and markings I have never seen on others. Can you tell me anything about it? Also, would polishing it decrease its value, like refinishing an antique? Or can I polish it without degrading its value? Lastly, any idea of its value and rarity? Primer looks way off centre in the pics. If that's not some photgraphic/optical distortion, how was the case oriented to make the strike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 17 January , 2020 Share Posted 17 January , 2020 Well spotted! But beats me why it is like that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 22 January , 2020 Share Posted 22 January , 2020 These two Polte Magdeburg shells were from the father-in-law of a friend in England. At some point they were made into a pot. I should have measured the bases before they went to our local museum. These are my questions -- The first one made into a lid is dated Aug. 1898. And the question is "No. 11" stands for? The bottom is stamped April 1917. And two questions "ST 276" and "SP404." I did find listings for "SP" which were inspection marks plus the manufacture sites, but not this one. Thanks for your time. . . . Not sure if this should be in a separate topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 21 May , 2020 Share Posted 21 May , 2020 Have brass shell casing ... markings are FN 1916 40 DEZ HL27, and it was definitely fired as the primer strike has firing pin mark... I’d include a photo, but I couldn’t figure it out.... curious as to what Gun etc., etc.... I appreciate your help.!! grandfather brought it back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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