WWI Remembrance – Camp de Beverloo

This World War I-era commemorative inkstand is not “trench art” made by hand in the field. It is a manufactured commercial commemorative item. Inkstands like this were sold in the post-WWI era (likely the early 1920s) as high-end souvenirs for soldiers, officers, or veterans who trained at or were stationed near the famous Belgian base during or immediately after the Great War.

1. Description of the Inkstand

• The Base: The inkstand features a rectangular, cast-metal base with architectural, stepped feet. The front and sides are decorated with stylized geometric rays and scrolling wave-like patterns reminiscent of the 1920s Art Deco aesthetic.
• The Main Sculpture: A dynamic and detailed figure of a military courier or cavalryman in full uniform, leaning forward on a galloping horse.
• The Inkwell: On the right side, the inkwell repository is concealed beneath a hinged lid cast in the shape of a French/Belgian Adrian helmet (Casque Adrian), complete with its distinctive central crest and frontal insignia. Raising the helmet lid reveals the circular well.
• Material: The piece is cast from spelter (known in French as régule), a zinc-based alloy frequently used during the late 19th and early 20th centuries for decorative desk sets, clocks, and commercial art bronzes. It is finished with a silvered/pewter-toned patination.

2. Markings & Inscriptions

• The Presentation Plaque: Attached to the center-front is a small, ornate rococo-style scroll cartouche that reads: CAMP de BEVERLOO.
• The Signature: The top surface near the horse’s rear hooves is signed A. Oudet in a stylized, flowing cursive script.
• Underside Stampings: The hollow underside features the cast-in factory markings: 2906 (the manufacturer’s mold or catalog item number) and MADE IN FRANCE.

3. About the Artist: A. Oudet
4. Oudet (sometimes referred to as Adolphe Oudet) was a French sculptor and modeler active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rather than a monumental gallery artist, Oudet specialized in high-quality commercial decorative arts. He designed a variety of desk accessories, clocks, figural inkwells (including Orientalist scenes and military/patriotic subjects), and allegorical statues that were mass-cast in spelter or bronze by French foundries for the retail market.
5. Historical Context & Manufacturer

Camp de Beverloo

Located in Leopoldsburg, Belgium, Camp de Beverloo was established in the 1830s as a massive military base and training camp for the Belgian Army. During World War I, the German army occupied the camp and utilized it heavily for training troops bound for the Western Front. Following the armistice, it returned to Belgian control and remained a key tactical training hub.

Who Manufactured It?

While the exact foundry name isn’t stamped, the piece was produced by a French commercial art foundry that specialized in exporting souvenir and commemorative metalwork.