Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. The Trojan Powder Company was an American manufacturer of explosives founded in 1904 that made nitro-starch powder. The company thrived during World War I (1914–18), continued research and development in the interwar-period, and during World War II operated a large facility in Sandusky, Ohio, under contract to the army. This is an outstanding souvenir made from a very early Mk. II Grenade with a scarce “Cutback” fuze, on a base which is embossed:

U.S. HAND GRENADE
SOUVENIR OF WORLD WAR 1914-’18
FROM
TROJAN POWDER CO.

Unloaded or dummy grenades, artillery shell casings, and similar devices, which are cut or drilled in an BATF-approved manner so that they cannot be used as ammunition components for destructive devices, are NOT considered NFA weapons. This example is in total compliance and is totally inert. NOT AVAILABLE FOR EXPORT.

The Mk II was standardized in 1920 replacing the Mk I of 1917. It was phased out gradually, the U.S. Navy being the last users, and on 2 April 1945 the Mk II and Mk IIA1 were re-designated the Mk 2 and Mk 2A1. Early MKII Grenades features a “cutback” style fuze, and a more taped body which was tapped for a screw on the end.

This example appears to have been chromed for this souvenir display. The scarce “Cutback” style fuze is oxidized but is marked with P&FC in a rectangle near the top of the spoon.

The Mk II was commonly known as a pineapple grenade, because of its shape and structure. Grooves were cast into the cast iron shell, which was believed at the time to aid in fragmentation and had the side benefit of aiding in gripping the grenade: this provision gave it the appearance of a pineapple fruit. The Mk II was identified with an all yellow body prior to 1943. They were then painted olive drab for camouflage purposes with a narrow yellow band below the fuse. There are numerous variations in the fragment and groove details that can be found, which seems to depend on the particular manufacturer.

This example still unscrews from the base but looks fantastic displayed on this base which denotes it as a genuine World War I or immediate Post-War example. 

One of the best Mk. II Grenades we have ever offered! This will certainly become a centerpiece of your grenade/ordnance collection. Comes ready to display!

During World War I (1914–18) the Trojan Chemical Company expanded the plant in Allentown to manufacture explosives and load them into grenades and mortar shells. The company prospered during the war. Trojan was one of a small number of explosives companies at the time, and obtained large orders from the British, French and Italians. Demand increased when the United States entered the war in 1917.

The haberdasher Thomas Koch (died 1915) was a member of the board of Pennsylvania Trojan Powder Company. In 1917 William E. Hall was president of the Trojan Powder Company, the Trojan Chemical Company and the Stackpole Carbon Company. Walter O. Snelling (1880–1965), a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey (1907–10) and the Bureau of Mines (1910–12) joined the Trojan Powder Company in 1917 after a period of self-employment.

The Ordnance Department of the U.S. Army wanted to find an explosive that would be nearly as good as TNT for grenades. Tests summarized in a report of 3 December 1917 showed that the Trojan Explosive was in several ways superior to TNT. Trojan won the contract to make all the powder used in U.S. hand-grenades, and to load the powder into the grenades. The Pennsylvania Trojan Powder Company stepped up expansion of their plants in California and Pennsylvania to create the required capacity. By the time the Armistice was signed in November 1918 the company had the capacity to make over 50,000,000 pounds (23,000,000 kg) per year of Trojan Grenade Powder and Trojan Mortar Shell Explosive. Trojan also supplied powder for "airplane drop-bombs".