£115
Stunning gold gilt and blue enamel cigarette and match box case given to First class passengers as a gift when aboard cruse ship T.SS California. (leather case inscription to lid). SS California was a British 16,792 GRT steam turbine ocean liner built in Glasgow in 1923 for the Anchor Line. In 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser from 1942 she was a troopship. She was attacked by three Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 40 from Merignac near Bordeaux. Accurate high-altitude bombing left California in flames. The attack cost the lives of 46 servicemen and crew, and she was abandoned. It was feared the flames from the troopship would attract U-boats, so in the early hours of 12 July 1943 she was sunk by Royal Navy torpedoes West of Vila de Conde Portugal.
Fees apply to the hammer price:
Room and Absentee Bids:
18% inc VAT*
Online and Autobids:
21.6% inc VAT*
