Description:

RELIC OF THE BOMBING OF THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
A stone ashtray 5 in. diameter x 1.25 in. tall, octagonal shape with four indents for cigarettes, crafted from the rubble recovered after the May 10, 1941 air raid on London. The bottom of the ashtray bears a debossed metal plaque reading: ‘This Stone Came from the Houses of Parliament', with an image of the building within. A note penned on the bottom reads: ‘Made of stone from the Houses of Parliament, London, after the raid by the Luftwaffe of May 10th, 1941, during the Blitz. Sold in aid of war charities', and beneath it a stamped notation: ‘Registered under War Charities Act of 1944…'. Ex: Estate of Vincent Baddeley, K.C.B. Vincent Wilberforce Baddeley, Knight of the Bath (1874-1951) who was a British civil servant in the Admiralty. A copy of the letter of provenance is included, reading: ‘Sir Vincent Baddeley to whom the material recovered from the damaged House of Commons following the air-raid on London in 1941 has been supplied by H. M. Ministry of Works and Buildings to be disposed of for charitable purposes…'. Between 1940 and 1941, both Houses of Parliament were housed at the Church House in Westminster due to fears that the Chambers may be bombed during their sessions. Indeed, on May 10, 1941, Buckingham Palace was hit during the biggest raid, when the Germans dropped 711 tons of explosive and 2,393 incendiaries. The areas with the most damage were the House of Commons and Westminster Hall, with the Commons being entirely destroyed by fire. Fine condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

*SEE ADITTIONAL SHIPPING ABOVE* -Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

November 30, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000