Princess Mary Chistmas 1914 named Tin box.

[ELamontagne]

The one on left is the one I had for severall years, the one to the right is the one I had found yesterday morning in a local antique shop. Its the first time I saw one named like that. Any opinions on it ? My opinion on the box is the person had it engrave to his name after receiving it. Once again in almost 15 years of canadian/british militaria collecting I never saw one named before!!!

I was told by someone on another forum that there was two guy named J.J. Cocks who served. One Northumberland Fusiliers and the other Grenadier Guards.

Edited October 9, 2010 by ELamontagne

[Brian Wolfe]

Since I first started seriously collecting back in the 1970s (where did the time go?) I've seen many of these. I let my only one go as part of a trade a couple of years back and regretted it ever since but there is a replacement somewhere in the mail and I hope arriving next week. When you get older you tend to drift off topic, sorry.

Back on track.

I am confident in saying that this is most likely an engraving made after issue. I've never seen one named, officially or otherwise, and the style of engraving, albeit excellent, looks like it was done by a jeweller, or more than likely a trophy engraver.

Nice piece, it certainly "beats" the unnamed specimens for interest.

Thanks for posting it.

Regards

Brian

[Tony]

My money's on John J Cocks of the Grenadier Guards, later RE. He landed in France on 6.10.14 so was entitled to the 14 Star trio and clasp. He lived in Camden Town during the 20s, did you buy the tin in that area?

The other man (James J Cocks) was only entitled to the BWM and therefore didn't see service in a theatre of war.

I have around 11 tins, all with various contents but only a few are complete. I've only ever seen them with a name scratched into the tin, usually inside the lid, but never properly engraved.

A very nice find indeed, all you have to do now is find his medals and some contents for the tin.

Tony

[ELamontagne]

The tin is empty, just like the other one I got for years. I had found it in a antique shop in Quebec city, Canada, about 30 min walk from where I lived!

Brian : I wish you to find one back one day. Those thing happen for different reason, sometime you had a piece you don't care at the moment and let it go, sometime you need the money to pay bills, sometime you deserve something else more then you trade it... theres always a good reason to let thing go away and regret it later!!!

For now I'll keep the named one, then I'm gonna sell the unnamed.

My money's on John J Cocks of the Grenadier Guards, later RE. He landed in France on 6.10.14 so was entitled to the 14 Star trio and clasp. He lived in Camden Town during the 20s, did you buy the tin in that area?

The other man (James J Cocks) was only entitled to the BWM and therefore didn't see service in a theatre of war.

I have around 11 tins, all with various contents but only a few are complete. I've only ever seen them with a name scratched into the tin, usually inside the lid, but never properly engraved.

A very nice find indeed, all you have to do now is find his medals and some contents for the tin.

Tony

[Mervyn Mitton]

With time 'marching-on' these tins are becoming harder to find - even the pencils can fetch stg 40 each ($60). I often see the tins with the man's medals - it kept everything together. Having a history from the engraving makes it a very collectable piece.

[IrishGunner]

I have always wondered what exactly were the contents of these tins?

A pencil for 40 quid! :speechless:

[QSAMIKE]

One of the members of our society has done a very very extensive research project and has identified over a dozen official contents for these tins...... Candy, Tobacco, Biscuit, Writing Materials, Sewing Kit and Spices...... He even owns one officially issued that is made out of silver which was given the Maharaja's of the Indian Princely States...... It is going to be published sometime in the near future......

Mike

[Tony]

I have always wondered what exactly were the contents of these tins?

A pencil for 40 quid!

That's the cheap end of the scale. The ones with sterling stamped on the tip go for more but if you search and search and search and search you can sometimes get them a little cheaper. Although I haven't bought anything like that for ages, you need to be in England to find the good bargains I think.

That's very interesting Mike. I know of the biscuit, boiled sweets and spices but only ever come across the standard 1914 cigarettes or New Year 1915 pencil set.

Please keep us posted regarding them being published.

Tony

[ELamontagne]

Just a little interrogation about those boxes. Are they given to all soldiers or only to the units serving at the front/ outside their country ?

[QSAMIKE]

Just a little interrogation about those boxes. Are they given to all soldiers or only to the units serving at the front/ outside their country ?

All serving soldiers, wounded and there was a special tin I understand for POW's (the Germans were kinder then).......

Mike

[Tony]

Just found this regarding who was given what and the numbers involved http://greatwarforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=britcommonwealth&action=display&thread=653

18018 writing cases were purchased, I've only ever seen two.

Tony

[Mervyn Mitton]

Tony - thankyou for posting that information. I have never seen a distribution and numbers list before - very interesting.