11/28/18 - This is an original 1918 dated "Potato Masher" German grenade. The grenade is inert. The original paint is faint but still in tact and in nice shape overall. There's some honest aging on the metal parts but not excessive wear. The wood has no cracks or chips and markings are all still visible (as shown in photos). There's no pull string, but otherwise all original configuration. The original purchase notes with this piece indicate that Lieut. Winthrop W. Locke from Massachusetts and his 805th Pioneer Infantry found this in the Argonne Forest (France) sometime after Nov. 21, 1918. This was found in the vicinity of the original graves of the "Lost Battalion". We don't have the documentation to support this, only a story passed down. Guaranteed original and authentic - an iconic piece of history.
