Vintage WWI Christmas Tin
The Princess Mary Christmas gift box was a brass tin containing a number of gifts intended to be distributed to all members of the armed forces of the British Empire on Christmas day 1914, during World War 1.
The standard gift (referred to as the smokers gift in some post war publications) consisted of the box itself, twenty cigarettes in a yellow monogrammed wrapper, an ounce of pipe tobacco, a pipe, a Christmas card and a photograph of Princess Mary. It was meant to also include a tinder lighter, but a shortage of these meant that in the case of the army they were often substituted with other gifts and those in the navy received a bullet pencil. The bullet pencil consisted of a silver tipped pencil (either Stirling silver of nickel silver) in a case made from a spent .303 cartridge recovered from UK firing ranges and marked with an M.
A non-smokers gift was also produced at a ratio of 1 for every 28 smokers gifts It consisted of the box, Christmas card and photograph of Princess Mary, but also, instead of smoking related materials it contained a packet of "acid tablets" (a type of sour lemon flavoured sweet) and a khaki writing case with pencil, paper and envelopes.
The bullet pencil included with some gifts
Three further gift types were produced for Indian troops. Most Indian troops received the box itself, cigarettes, a tin box of spices, a packet of sugar candy and a Christmas or New Year card. Sikhs got the same without the cigarettes and a third gift for "followers" consisted of a tin box of spices and a Christmas or New Year card.
A version was also produced for nurses. It consisted of, again, the box itself, a packet of chocolate and the usual Christmas or New Years card.
With the aim of every man at the front and every man on Royal Navy ships getting a gift having been met by 5 January 1915, attention was turned to the remaining forces ultimately under British command (classified as class B and C by the committee). For these, it was decided that the gift would consist of the box, a New Year card and a pencil.
Condition: Extremely Fine
MB
The Princess Mary Christmas gift box was a brass tin containing a number of gifts intended to be distributed to all members of the armed forces of the British Empire on Christmas day 1914, during World War 1.
The standard gift (referred to as the smokers gift in some post war publications) consisted of the box itself, twenty cigarettes in a yellow monogrammed wrapper, an ounce of pipe tobacco, a pipe, a Christmas card and a photograph of Princess Mary. It was meant to also include a tinder lighter, but a shortage of these meant that in the case of the army they were often substituted with other gifts and those in the navy received a bullet pencil. The bullet pencil consisted of a silver tipped pencil (either Stirling silver of nickel silver) in a case made from a spent .303 cartridge recovered from UK firing ranges and marked with an M.
A non-smokers gift was also produced at a ratio of 1 for every 28 smokers gifts It consisted of the box, Christmas card and photograph of Princess Mary, but also, instead of smoking related materials it contained a packet of "acid tablets" (a type of sour lemon flavoured sweet) and a khaki writing case with pencil, paper and envelopes.
The bullet pencil included with some gifts
Three further gift types were produced for Indian troops. Most Indian troops received the box itself, cigarettes, a tin box of spices, a packet of sugar candy and a Christmas or New Year card. Sikhs got the same without the cigarettes and a third gift for "followers" consisted of a tin box of spices and a Christmas or New Year card.
A version was also produced for nurses. It consisted of, again, the box itself, a packet of chocolate and the usual Christmas or New Years card.
With the aim of every man at the front and every man on Royal Navy ships getting a gift having been met by 5 January 1915, attention was turned to the remaining forces ultimately under British command (classified as class B and C by the committee). For these, it was decided that the gift would consist of the box, a New Year card and a pencil.
Condition: Extremely Fine
MB
The Princess Mary Christmas gift box was a brass tin containing a number of gifts intended to be distributed to all members of the armed forces of the British Empire on Christmas day 1914, during World War 1.
The standard gift (referred to as the smokers gift in some post war publications) consisted of the box itself, twenty cigarettes in a yellow monogrammed wrapper, an ounce of pipe tobacco, a pipe, a Christmas card and a photograph of Princess Mary. It was meant to also include a tinder lighter, but a shortage of these meant that in the case of the army they were often substituted with other gifts and those in the navy received a bullet pencil. The bullet pencil consisted of a silver tipped pencil (either Stirling silver of nickel silver) in a case made from a spent .303 cartridge recovered from UK firing ranges and marked with an M.
A non-smokers gift was also produced at a ratio of 1 for every 28 smokers gifts It consisted of the box, Christmas card and photograph of Princess Mary, but also, instead of smoking related materials it contained a packet of "acid tablets" (a type of sour lemon flavoured sweet) and a khaki writing case with pencil, paper and envelopes.
The bullet pencil included with some gifts
Three further gift types were produced for Indian troops. Most Indian troops received the box itself, cigarettes, a tin box of spices, a packet of sugar candy and a Christmas or New Year card. Sikhs got the same without the cigarettes and a third gift for "followers" consisted of a tin box of spices and a Christmas or New Year card.
A version was also produced for nurses. It consisted of, again, the box itself, a packet of chocolate and the usual Christmas or New Years card.
With the aim of every man at the front and every man on Royal Navy ships getting a gift having been met by 5 January 1915, attention was turned to the remaining forces ultimately under British command (classified as class B and C by the committee). For these, it was decided that the gift would consist of the box, a New Year card and a pencil.
Condition: Extremely Fine
MB