A SOPHISTICATED SMOKING COMPANION
This elegant Russian-style cigarette case combines a rock-crystal cigarette compartment with an ingenious integrated lighting mechanism. To operate it, the hinged inner cover of the lid is opened and a small flint is removed from the concealed compartment within.The flint is then struck across the specially prepared surface covering the cigarette compartment, producing sparks that ignite the tinder cord running through the case.Once alight, the smouldering cord may be used to light a cigarette before being extinguished and drawn back into position. The tinder cord is adjusted by means of a gold ball suspended from a chain and hook, allowing it to be pulled through the case as required.Unlike many contemporary examples, this specially commissioned case was designed to reflect the taste of its patron rather than current fashions. The blue and red enamel bands reproduce the racing colours of King George V’s stables, continuing a tradition established by King Edward VII, who also owned Fabergé objects incorporating his racing livery.An identical example preserved in the Cartier collection is engraved with the initials “J.C.”, thought to refer to the King’s jockey, Joe Child, suggesting that the present piece may likewise have been conceived as a royal gift.