Spoon made as souvenier of the Shire of Ballarat, for gifts or purchase.Gold Plated spoon with Ballarat Shire Crest on end of Handle.Shire of Ballarat. MCCCLX111.souvenier spoon.

This piece of functional Trench Art was made by Stewart Noble during World War 2 (circa 1940) while serving on a Mine Sweeper among the Pacific Islands. It is believed that the bullet spoon was chrome plated after the war, while he worked at the Government Aircraft Factory. Trench art is described as any decorative item made by soldiers, prisoners of war, or civilians where the manufacture is directly linked to a war. The making of trench art was a popular past time during leisure hours at the front, where skilled military personnel created the items. Common examples of trench art are decorated shell and bullet casings, and items carved from wood and bone. Trench art has been in existence since the Napoleonic wars however it was most common during World War 1, and to a lesser extent during World War 2. This bullet spoon has historic significance because it is an example of the type of functional or artistic small items, that were made from war scrap during spare time by soldiers or other personnel associated with a war. This particular item indicates that a reasonably high degree of skill was required to make the bullet spoon.Chrome plated teaspoon with a discharged .303 bullet for the handle.trench art, bullet spoon, .303 bullet, stewart noble, war souvenier, chrome teaspoon