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WW1 French Bertrand Gas Grenade


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Here's a hard to find WW1 French Bertrand gas grenade. Tiny little thing just bigger than a golf ball. As I understand it it contained a glass orb inside it that was filled with gas that was prone to breaking before it was thrown so it wasn't popular with troops.Bought it a few months ago in relic condition & since then It's spent most of its time in white vinegar which is shifting the rust slowly but surely. Seeing some nice grey pig iron as the rust dissolves & I'm changing the vinegar every week or so because it turns black & murky & not so nice. I'm hoping another month will see it back to clean grey pig iron all over. Then its just a case of re wrapping it in some authentic looking wire and job done.

 

Watch this space.

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Very nice 1915 Bertrand! I have one as well, and yes they were not popular with the troops at all. The grenade itself had no safety mechanism, all it took was a good bump and the glass orb inside would break, gassing its user instead of the enemy. Most of these were issued, and when no one was looking the soldiers threw them away or buried them. These contained tear gas, and weighed about 200 grams. Be mindful there are reproductions of these being made as well. 

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Nice clean edges on your Bertrand. I knew you'd have one. Spotting repros maskerading as the real deal is par the course in this game for sure.I'm happy my Bertrand is legit though even the most dedicated counterfeiters couldn't produce that much rust !

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True on the reproductions, original Bertrand's also had a circular lead tag attached to wires that held the grenade together. I have yet to see one with this tag in person. I also have the incendiare/fumigene 1916 model as well which I will post soon. 

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Yep I've seen the tag in photo's. Not familiar with the incendiare/fumigate 1916 model so that'll be interesting to see.

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