Antique & Militaria

**ORIGINAL**COMPLETE**Early WW1 Christmas 1914 Princess Mary's Brass Gift Fund Box With Original Contents & 2 Associated Period Postcards. Sn 23174:23 - 23174:23

It was Princess Mary's express wish that 'every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front' should have the present. The gifts were devised in October 1914 and intended for distribution to all who were serving overseas or at sea, in time for Christmas 1914; afterwards, with the fund in surplus and many feeling they had been ‘left out’, distribution was extended more widely – to all who were serving, whether at home or abroad, and to prisoners of war and the next of kin of 1914 casualties. The contents of the gift fund tins varied, some with tobacco and cigarettes and others with pencils, notepads & chocolate. This is an original complete early WW1 Christmas 1914 Princess Mary's Brass Gift Fund Box Containing all original contents which consist of: an opened but full 1914 Dated Packet Of cigarettes containing original Mary monogramed cigarettes: an unopened packet of tobacco dated 1914: correct Princess Mary Monogramed Christmas Greeting Card in its original envelope, Princess Mary black & white portrait photograph and correct Mary monogramed brass cased ‘bullet pencil’ with silver bullet. Found with the tin are the 2 associated period postcards,which are included, one a sepia group portrait of British soldiers in uniform, the rear with hand written message ‘Fondest love for my darling wife, Arthur’ above ‘France May 29th’. The top left rear of the postcard has faint hand written ‘Loyal North Lancs’ (Regiment). The other postcard titled ‘Soldiers of the King’ is also illustrated in the images. There is no message on the rear of this post card. The price for this piece of WW1 memorabilia includes UK delivery. Sn 23174:23 (Misc draw office)

£395.00