A complete and impressive German World War I 10.5 cm field howitzer shell (leFH 16), comprising its original brass cartridge case and steel projectile. The base of the case is crisply headstamped “POLTE / MAGDEBURG / JULI 1917 / 373 KARTH.” with additional acceptance code “Sp406”, confirming production by Polte Armaturen- und Maschinenfabrik A.G., Magdeburg, in July 1917, Lot 373, and inspection or acceptance under Gewehrfabrik Spandau.
Fitted with its correct SchlgZ. 11/14 (Schlagzünder Model 1911/14) percussion primer, the standard type adopted for fixed field-gun ammunition after 1914. The brass case measures 50.3 cm in height with a 12.8 cm base diameter and retains its warm, unpolished patina. The separate steel projectile measures 48 cm in height and 9 cm in base diameter, solid and inert, retaining traces of original black paint — the ordnance colour code for Sprenggranate (high-explosive shell). Faint remains of the impressed “17” date are visible near the shoulder. Total assembled height: 91.5 cm.
Historical Note: The 10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 16 (leFH 16) was the Imperial German Army’s principal light field howitzer of the Great War, introduced in 1916 as an improvement on the earlier 10.5 cm leFH 98/09. It fired a 15 kg high-explosive shell to over 9,000 metres and was used extensively on both the Western and Eastern Fronts.
Polte of Magdeburg was among Germany’s foremost cartridge case manufacturers, supplying enormous quantities of brass cases, fuzes, and small-arms ammunition throughout WWI. Each case was lathe-turned, precision stamped, and inspected by government arsenals such as Spandau, which applied its “Sp” code and lot number. The primer type “SchlgZ. 11/14” identifies the standard percussion igniter used in this family of fixed artillery cartridges.
*Condition* Inert and demilitarised to legal standard. The projectile is solid with no explosive content, and the brass case is empty and unpolished, showing stable patina and clearly legible markings. Interior corrosion consistent with age. A fine and complete display example of a WWI German 10.5 cm field howitzer shell, dated 1917 and retaining full factory and arsenal provenance. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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