Article about: Hello everybody! As a new member without militaria to show,I've just remember that I own a witness of a very sad moment of WW1. My great-great mother,a kind of rich and liberated women (sufr
Hello everybody!
As a new member without militaria to show,I've just remember that I own a witness of a very sad moment of WW1.
My great-great mother,a kind of rich and liberated women (sufragette as they were named in England?) traveled to the Usa aboard RMS Lusitania circa 1910.She bought this item on the Ship,a beautiful Huntley and Palmer's biscuit tin box.
As she was intelligent too,she kept the box.
WW2 arrives..In 1940,Rouen has seen some fightings and bombings.Our family house located downtown close to the Cathedrale(just where is Habitat store now,for the ones who know Rouen) was blasted.Only few things remain from the disater,but,incredibly,the tin box was safe...Now ,I use to think that my family had rather prefered the opposite:box destroyed,but house safe...
So after ww2,the family had to built a new life without money and house...As millions of people.
The box became a witness of the "past splendour" and found a good place in my parent's house.
Time passes and now it's in my hand.
I had many many hours on the net looking for an other example(Huntley and Palmer museum,Lusitania foundation,Ebay,etc...)
found nothing.I even showed it to Greg Bemmis,Lusitania's wreck owner,and he was really amazed!This box travelled round the world thanks to internet!
The one thing I really love,is that on the top,you see her crossing statue of LIberty in NY harbour,prefiguring US Army troops some years later,after the sinking.And surely,dining sallons were a "pleasant place to stay"...For ever for many of the passengers.
If anyone of you has infos on this box,I'll take them with pleasure.
Hope not been boring.Have a good day!
thanks Allerberger!Even if Christie's(and it's not a fake)estimated it inbeetween 400-500 pounds,it could be difficult for me to sell the box.I would feel myself as a traitesse...
I agree with you.Last year,Iwas so down with the money,that I made my best to propose it to museums,private collections,ebay etc.Greg Bemmis proposed me 100(one hundred!) bucks for the box,arguing that he was unable to buy every Lusitania artefact...I can tell you that after months of net researchs,I have NEVER seen a Lusitania item for sale;At the same time Mr Charles Miller estimated the box(a real gentleman,so british).Then after unsucessful tries,I decided to stop and keep the box.So it's my pleasure to show it today.
Sometime's,money's not all.
Hello Seb,
Just seen your pictures of the tin. Please keep it to pass on to your family, it's history is as valuable as the tin itself.
When I moved to Bristol many years ago we had here a restaurant.called Mauritania, it was decorated with, (we were told), relics from that sister ship of the Lusitania.
By the way......'Sallon' should read Saloon, excuse my French,
Best regards, au revoir,
navyman.
of course,dear!Saloons and not sallons.These Frenchs will never respect anything...On the net ,I've found incredible pictures of the mauretania,never seen such a quality!Lost the site but if you google the name of the ship ,and picture ,you cannot miss a pic of the steamer's stair,that astound me:you cannot see the water in the wreck because it's cristal-clear!You really have to try.
The Mauretania was turn to a troop transport,so,many of her luxuous artifacts were removed before.It's credible that the ones in restaurant were real ones.Au revoir ,dear Navyman!
Haaarg!!!Terrible mistake!!!The Mauretania was scrapped!!!Not sunk!!!I have to come back to school!!Can't remember the name of this damned boat.Help welcomed!!!
rare family item from RMS LUSITANIA
.
It`s a great looking item ,
Bookmarks