An Edwardian sterling silver novelty cigarette case, London 1905 by James Dixon & Sons

Of curved rectangular form with rounded corners, the exterior modelled after a book with riveted claps with pointed terminals, otherwise with a planished surface. Gilt interior. Engraved to the interior with a presentation inscription reading ‘For the dear skipper from C.E-S and E.E-S souvenir R.M.S.P “Asturias” 1908”, the front of case engraved JDS in gothic script cypher. Fully marked to one side, lion passant to the other.

Length – 12 cm / 4.75 inches

Weight – 223 gams / 7.17 ozt

RMS Asturias was a Royal Mail Steam Packet company ocean liner that was built in Ireland in 1908 and scrapped in Japan in 1933. She was a Royal Mail Ship until 1914, when on the eve of the First World War the British Admiralty requisitioned her as a hospital ship.

In 1917 a German U-boat torpedoed Asturias but her crew managed to beach her. She was raised and towed into port and spent the next two years as an ammunition hulk. In 1922–23 RMSP had her repaired and re-fitted as the cruise ship Arcadian. She was laid up in 1930 and sold for scrap in 1933.