The Cigar Case of Two Kings of England

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A large crocodile (crocodylus porosus) and silver mounted cigar case owned by King Edward VII when Prince of Wales, and later given to his grandson Edward VIII, The Duke of Windsor.

The crocodile skin with a rich colour, the centre of the case mounted with a silver crowned garter badge (the symbol of the Prince of Wales), hallmarked for Frederick & Louis Marks, London, 1894, indistinct gilt mark to inside of case, later marked with inventory number ‘W/SM/24’.

Provenance:
The Prince of Wales later King Edward VII (1841-1910)
King Edward VIII abdicated and later The Duke of Windsor (1894-1972)
The Duchess of Windsor, Bois de Boulogne, Paris
Estate of the late Duchess of Windsor, Kerry Taylor Auctions 29th November 2011

SKU: MJWOA0040 Category: Works of Art

Dimensions: 18cm high, 10cm wide, 2.8cm deep; internal dimensions: 14.5cm up to 23cm approx. high, 8.3cm wide, 2cm deep to take four cigars.

Footnote

Inventory number ‘W/SM/24’ refers to the ‘Blue Book’ Archive of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s personal belongings, one copy with the V&A Museum, one copy with Sotheby’s.

Reference

Sotheby’s ‘The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, The Public Collections’, September 11-19, 1997, pages 164 and 227, images of the cigar case (not included in the sale). A photograph of a table in the Duke of Windsor’s study, in Government House, Nassau, Bahamas, taken in February 1941, shows the cigar case displayed prominently, amongst personal photographs of the Duke and Duchess and a selection of tobacco pipes. An additional photograph shows the cigar case on the Duke of Windsor’s desk, alongside reading glasses, a telephone and tobacco pipes.

Frederick & Louis Marks were trading as Dressing & Travelling leather bag makers in Lower James Street, Golden Square, London between 1891 and 1898.