Odd '30's cigarette 'box'...

[Mike1973]

Picked this curiosity up a while ago at our local car boot.

I liked it as soon as I saw it, but left it there as I was on my pushbike at the time and it was too large and heavy. I described it to my other half when I got home and she made me go back in the car and get it! It now takes pride of place on our windowsill, we love it to bits even though we're non smokers. Our two little boys have been really good about it not being a toy as well, although I occasionaly find cars in the 'garage'...

You have to lift the roof up and feed the cigarettes in through the top. Everytime you lift the roof up and down a cigarette is cleverly placed where the ridge tiles would be! And there is a draw either side, copper lined. I guess for tobacco or cigars? The divider between the two roofs is a match striker, and the little outbuilding on the side holds matches, dispenced the same way as the cigarettes.

I've no idea if it is a commercial peice or home made? The amount of detail is stunning, although there are several design flaws in the building, the main being it is half semi, half detatched.

Anyone else seen anything like it? I'll post more pics if there is any interest.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

What a wonderful find!

Off topic: I haven't heard the term "pushbike" since my father passed away 25 years ago. He was from Southampton as well, and he would have turned 100 this past June.

 

[Mike1973]

What a wonderful find!

Off topic: I haven't heard the term "pushbike" since my father passed away 25 years ago. He was from Southampton as well, and he would have turned 100 this past June.

I either call them bikes or pushbikes, but when you say pushbike there is no confusion with motorbikes! My wifes 'bike' is a 1939 BSA M20 500cc, my 'bike' is a 1946 Hobbs of Barbican Raceweight
I'd say 'pushbike' is still in fairly common usage here in the UK, I'd not really thought about it before.

I wonder how much your father would recognise of Southampton now? It's changed so much in the 12 short years I've been here...

 

[scotrace]

A LOT more

There is more interest! LOVE to see more photos, if you have time, please!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

That is definitely a very cool find! It's so intricate in its detail, and before I read your description, I just assumed it was a pretty dollhouse.
Have you found any more information about it on the internet? I can't imagine something like this being mass produced. It is too clever. I have this picture of an inventor in my head, a man with kids, waiting for his big break and hoping it would come with this "smokers house". Kind of like the dad in "Gremlins".
It is quite lovely, a very cool piece of nostalgia.

 

[Rosie]

Wow! That is lovely. If you get a chance, I'd love to see more. Good find! :eusa_clap

 

[Mike1973]

As soon as I get a chance I'll take a few more shots for you all!
I'll try and scab some fags from the smokers here at work, and show it 'working'.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I wonder how much your father would recognise of Southampton now? It's changed so much in the 12 short years I've been here...

Well, he left in 1952. I haven't been there yet, but I must go when I get a chance. I wonder if I can find where the Supermarine plant in Woolston was?

 

[Mike1973]

Well, he left in 1952. I haven't been there yet, but I must go when I get a chance. I wonder if I can find where the Supermarine plant in Woolston was?

Got Google Earth? Type in 'the itchen bridge so19'. I go over the Itchen Bridge every day on my way to work. (I live in Itchen, it's the parish next to Woolston, and only a short walk away.) That rectangular plot of the land right on the river edge that the bridge goes through the middle of is the site of the Supermarine Works. There is nothing left now exept the foundations and slipway. I've got a good aerial photo of it at home, just before it was bombed, I'll dig it out for you...

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Thank you! My Dad worked at Supermarine from the time of the Schneider Trophy racers to the Spitfire, to the first jets, the Attacker, the 508 and the Swift. Somewhere in my boxes of stuff I still have (I hope) a letter of reference for him signed by R.J. Mitchell.

 

[DiabolicalAngel]

Hi Mike what an interesting find ! The green window frames look exactly like a house I did up recently when stripping the old paint off ! Must have been the fashionable colour of that time !

Tell me does the ciggie box take normal king size tabs or the the filterless variety ie Captan full strength coffin nails??

By the looks of it, I bet that is actually a scaled down replica of someones house either made by the owner or for the owner !

Great find !

 

[Mike1973]

Sorry, forgot to scrounge some fags :eusa_doh: Here's the match dispenser in action anyway

Maybe it's some sort of self build? A model kit maybe?? Or maybe an apprentice piece? Or a one off presented to someone on their retirement? Too much work is involved for it to be mass produced item. But the roof seems to be made of a plastic or resin material? Not something you could knock up in the shed easily...
I like the way it's been 'pebble dashed' with sand, nice '30's touch!



Tony, I can't even imagine some of the fantastic sites your father would have seen working for Supermarine at that time. What an incredible part of history to be involved in

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Perhaps the roofing material came from a supplier to model railroad hobbyists? I haven't checked a model railroad catalog in a long time, no room for one at present and too many other things going on, but I remember they did have stuff like roofing and siding for hobbyists.

 

[Rosie]

Thanks Mike for taking the time to post more pictures. That really is spectacular, such a great find. My sister builds model houses and she finds all kinds of things maybe the roof was like Tony suggests, from a hobbyists type place. Really cool.