Établissements Gallé - Lot 330

Établissements Gallé Fruitwood marquetry serving tray decorated with British soldiers on the march during the Battle of the Somme in WWI. Circa 1916 3.5 x 70 x 43 cm Our tray is one of only 3 known models of infantrymen in action. Here, the flattened round shape of the helmets corresponds to the Brodie helmet introduced in the British army after the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and in the American contingent when it arrived in 1917. The signature is fully inlaid, not engraved. The high quality of the marquetry on this tray should be emphasized, as its date is known, demonstrating the maintenance of very careful production during the war. Bibliography: Samuel Provost. La Marqueterie, un art de guerre des Établissements Gallé. Le Pays Lorrain, 2016 pages 139 to 148