Patriotic ring : Austria-Hungary

Aluminium Finger ring with a small square insert in the front of the ring. The insert is divided diagonally into two halves: the top half is black and the bottom half yellow.

Patriotic ring, possibly handcrafted from aluminium. The colours, black over yellow were the colours of the Austrian flag (1867 - 1918). A cottage industry developed in the trenches during the war, making souvenir aluminium rings. Aluminium rings were made by allied soldiers from melted down fuses from shells, or from melted down aluminium mess kits and canteens. It is likely German and Austrian troops also made similar rings. Collecting the fuses from unexploded ‘duds’ could often be dangerous and many men were wounded attempting to salvage this material. The aluminium would be melted, then roughly cast and filed down, and either be engraved, or have an item, such as the front of a button, attached to the face. This ring belonged to an Austrian family who emigrated to Australia after the First World War.