JOHN PECK & SON MANUFACTURERS TO HM STATy. OFFICE, NELSON SQUARE SOUTHWARK SE1.
A Black Morocco Leather Despatch Box c1930 the top embellished with George V's insignia and Stanley Baldwin's initials. There are two handles, one mounted on the lid, the other at the rear. The lid opens on a full width hinge and is held open at 90° degrees with a pair of quadrant hinges.The Bramah Patent lock has been restored with a replacement hand made key.
Measurements
41 x 28 x 15 cm
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC, PC (Can), JP, FRS (3 August 1867 – 14 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister for three terms, from May 1923 to January 1924, from November 1924 to June 1929, and from June 1935 to May 1937.
PROVENANCE
From the estate of Edward Baldwin, grandson of Stanley Baldwin , and the 4th Earl of Bewdley.
Stanley Baldwin came from an extraordinary family; Rudyard Kipling was his first cousin, Edward Burne-Jones and Edward Pointer were both uncles, his mother, Louisa, was a novelist, and her siblings included the famous Macdonald Sisters. Edward Baldwin was committed to rehabilitating his grandfather's reputation and being an only child, spent much of his life as sole custodian of his personal effects.
The Rudyard Kipling Connection. Rudyard Kipling was Stanley Baldwin's first cousin, and the box carries three labels bearing Rudyard Kipling's initials as well as a blue luggage label with his name handwritten. It is safe, therefore to assume that SB passed the box on to RK.