Three Italian WWI Grenade Lot: BPD, Besozzi, and a Stick Grenade

Includes a BPD grenade, an Italian/French WWI Besozzi grenade

Italian WWI BPD Grenade, inert, excavated or recovered example.  Introduced in late 1915 / early 1916, the Bombrini-Parodi-Delfino has a thick cast iron unsegmented cylindrical body with large threaded iron cap, fitted with a percussion activated time fuze.  Dark oxidized patina with pitting, some material loss on the thin metal portion of the cap, and it has an old collection identification label written on the side in white lettering, which should be removable with a solvent if you choose, though that may leave a discolored area.

Italian / French WWI Besozzi Grenade, inert.  This is a pre-war Italian grenade that was imported by France at the beginning of the war, then manufactured in France under license after the Italy joined the party in May 1915.  Externally segmented body has threaded plug hole in the base and a hole in the top on the side through which a red phosphorous tipped time match fuze extended.  That has been filed with wax and solder for some reason, fuze is no longer present.

Stick Grenade is 39cm (15-1/4") long, with a 38.5mm (1-33/64") diameter wood shaft and a 43.1mm (1-45/64") x 14cm (5-1/2") segmented iron warhead mounted by nails to the top.  The top of this is threaded for a cap which is no longer present.  Retains traces of original olive finish on the warhead, and a fair amount on the stick.  Our consignor had this labeled as Italian.  I have not been able to confirm that in my references, though I could easily be overlooking it.  The light olive finish is very suggestive of Italian equipment.

$200 - $300