Lot 518

518

BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION (1910-1913)
A PINE PANEL FROM A COLMAN'S FLOUR PACKING CASE

IMPERIAL TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION (1914-1917) - DR. ALEXANDER HEPBURNE MACKLIN OBE, MC, TD (1889-1967)
TWELVE STONES FROM ELEPHANT ISLAND

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Property from the Collection of David Gainsborough Roberts

BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION (1910-1913) A PINE PANEL FROM A COLMAN'S FLOUR PACKING CASE

EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Details

BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION (1910-1913)
A PINE PANEL FROM A COLMAN'S FLOUR PACKING CASE
EARLY 20TH CENTURY
The pine board stencilled 'No. 1852/ B.A.E/SHORE/ PARTY' and 'COLMAN'S FLOUR', the reverse with later paper label, later frame
10 in. (25.5 cm.) high; 22 in. (56 cm.) wide

Provenance

Christie's, London, 10 April 1997, lot 108.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Lot Essay

A later note on the verso explains that, having served its original purpose, this short plank formed part of Henry Robertson 'Bertie' Bowers' annex to the Cape Evans hut. Bowers was the storekeeper for the expedition and his shore list (in the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge) records 5 tons of Colman's wholemeal and plain flour amongst the food supplies for the Terra Nova Expedition store party. Packing cases were used both for the construction of furniture in the hut and formed Bowers' annex: 'On the south wall of the hut, Bowers, who was responsible for all stores, built an annex. This comprised a wall of cases extending around to the porch, each of which could be opened from the inside and filled with gravel when emptied.' (D.L. Harrowfield, Sledging into History, Auckland, 1981, p. 45).

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