Miscellaneous

Lot 1801    SESSION 7 (11.30AM TUESDAY 31ST AUGUST)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $150
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $100

RUSSIA, c1940s (see note), cigarette case made from white metal with the hinged lid decorated with two factory scenes, one outdoor work scene and an indoor scene featuring a star on the wall above a prayer table with menorah and in the background are forest trees, a sailing boat and local animals, at the top left in Russian is inscribed (translated as), 'To the Lamina of Arkhangelsk', the reverse inscribed in script with various signatures, many appear to be Jewish names, presumably of the forced labour factory workers, the case is full of tobacco. Very fine.

Note: The German Army invaded parts of Russia on 30 July 1941 and forced labour was introduced on all Jews, including some transported from Poland, until the areas were liberated by the Red Army on 14 March 1944.

Arkhangelsk province (also the city name which is the administrative centre) is situated along the northern coast of European Russia from the Gulf of Onega to the Yugorsky Peninsula. It encompasses the Nenets in the east and a number of islands and the Artic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. Timber working dominates the economy as well as fishing and reindeer herding. In 1918 and 1919 Arkhangelsk became one of the most active battlegrounds of the Civil War in Russia and on 2 August 1918 it was occupied by British and American troops. The allied forces were driven out and on 20 February 1920 the Red Army entered Arkhangelsk. The factory depicted on the above case is probably involved in cellulose and paper industry as 'Lamina' means the laminating of paper and cardboard-to-cardboard processing.