Bidspirit auction | Trench Art Paperweight — Soviet

Trench Art Paperweight — Soviet F1 Fragmentation Grenade (”Limonka”) Deactivated, on Vintage Tiered Wooden Base - A paperweight or desk ornament (Trench Art), presenting an original, fully inert and deactivated Soviet F1 hand grenade. The F1 grenade (known by its Russian nickname ”Limonka” — ”little lemon” — on account of its segmented body, reminiscent of a lemon or pineapple) was developed in the Soviet Union and served as the principal defensive fragmentation grenade of the Red Army during World War II, and subsequently in Arab armies and on numerous fronts throughout the 20th century. The upper body of the grenade is a heavy, massive, original iron casting with prominent segmented texture consistent with the original Soviet format. The grenade is firmly and vertically fixed at the center of a round, lathe-turned, tiered vintage wooden base, lending it a distinguished and impressive appearance suited to office display. The piece is fully deactivated, emptied of explosive material and inert (Inert / Deactivated), serving solely as a decorative and collectible element, entirely safe for ownership, display in a collection, and shipping. Total height: 12 cm. 627 g. General good vintage exterior condition: the iron casting of the grenade displays a dark, deep, and authentic patina of old metal, with light oxidation marks and a rough texture attesting to its age. The wooden base is intact, retaining its original lacquer finish and presenting light, natural age-related wear (minor lacquer peeling at the front), which adds to the authentic character of the piece.