Miscellaneous

Lot 775    SESSION 3 (2.30PM TUESDAY 31ST MARCH)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $2,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,200

CIGARETTE CASE, in 9ct gold (78x88cm; 115g), by 'H/W&C/Ld' (Horace Woodward & Co Ltd), plain case with hinged lid, in one corner of this lid is inscribed diagonally, 'F.O.F.' and on the underside is inscribed, 'F.O.F./from S./Brae to Blairville./1918'. Normal handling marks, otherwise very fine.

Note accompanying the case reads, 'This gold case was given to F.O.Furner (my father) by Lord Somers, Governor of Victoria about 1927. F.O.F. served under Somers in the Royal Tank Corps in WWI. Somers called him "Muggins" and always enjoyed seeing him when Somers became Governor of Victoria. The inscription obviously refers to his service with Somers. (J.O.F)'.

The meaning of Brae to Blairville on the case inscription presumably refers to coming from Brae in Scotland all the way to Blairville in the region of Arras in France where major battles were fought during WWI. Major Somers (later a Lord) was F.O.Furner's commanding officer during the Battle of Arras.

Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers (1887-1944) was the godson of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. In 1918 he commanded the 6th Battalion of the Tank Corps and was highly decorated in WWI. He was appointed governor of Victoria (28Jun1926-23Jun1931) and was acting governor-general of the Commonwealth (03Oct1930 to 22Jan1931). He was also very prominent in the scouting movement being appointed Chief Scout for Great Britain in 1941 and then for the rest of the British Commonwealth.