Length overall: 9.5cm (3.75in)
Silver. Russian style silver combination vesta and cigarette case, the cigarette compartment with hinged lid engraved with the Heir Apparent’s coronet, Garter encircled York rose and anchor badge used by George V when Duke of Cornwall and York (22 January 1901- 9 November 1901), gilt interior named to ‘Major C. Clarke, MVO / The Royal Marines’; integral vesta compartment and match strike at one end, the other fitted with tinder cord. Maker’s mark of Alfred Clark, 20 Old Bond Street, London. Cased.
Colonel Charles Childs Clarke, RM (1861-1934) was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1879 and served in the Egyptian Expedition of 1882. He was promoted to Captain in 1889 and Major 1897. He commanded the Marine Detachment aboard HMS Ophir during the 1901 Royal Tour of the Empire by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (afterwards George V and Queen Mary), for which he was created an Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO). He was placed on half-pay in 1902 and was appointed the Barrack Master at Royal Marines depot at Deal (OBE, 1919).
Cf. ‘The Royal Tour 1901, or the Cruise of HMS Ophir’, Petty Officer Harry Price.