{"product_id":"imperial-japanese-presentation-silver-cigarette-case-1905","title":"Imperial Japanese Presentation Silver Cigarette case, 1905","description":"\u003cp\u003eOverall: 16cm (6.2) x 11cm (4.4in)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilver. Russian style cigarette case, the hinged lid bearing the Arisugawa Miya crest of Prince Arisugawa Takehito, the reverse inscribed ‘Presented to \/ Lt-Col CEH Symons CVA. Consul for Japan \/ Colombo 23 April 1905.’ Fitted with integral compartment and match striker at the upper end, and tinder cord retainer chain; the cigarette and vesta compartments with gilt interiors. Unmarked. Silver case 10cm (4in) x 7cm (2.7in). Contained in its original gilt tooled maroon Morocco presentation case of the Imperial silversmith D. Kobayashi of Tokyo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003eRead more \u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e~section 2~\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0511\/7008\/3014\/files\/H.I.H._Prince_Arisugawa_Takehito_1905_480x480.jpg?v=1777976313\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe present box was presented to the Honorary Japanese Consul at Colombo, Ceylon, Lieutenant-Colonel C.E.H. Symons, VD, by Prince Arisugawa Takehito (1862-1913). The prince belonged to the Arisugawa-no-miya which was one of the shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which, until 1947, were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne. The son of Prince Arisugawa Takahito and a concubine, he was destined for the Buddhist priesthood but was sent to the Japanese Naval Academy at the Meiji Restoration (1871). He visited Britain as as a military attaché in 1879 and served in the Channel Squadron for a year before returning to Japan as an ensign. In 1880, shortly after his wedding, Arisugawa was again sent to England, this time as a cadet at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. In 1891, he was escorting the future Tsar Nicholas II on a tour of Japan, when the latter was wounded in an assassination attempt. During the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), Arisugawa commanded the cruisers \u003ci\u003eMatsushima\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHashidate\u003c\/i\u003e in action. In 1896, he represented the Emperor Meiji at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria. Promoted to full admiral and decorated in 1905, for his service during the Russo-Japanese War, he visited Europe once again, and it was probably on this occasion when en route via Colombo that he presented the present cigarette case to Colonel Symons. The purpose of this final European visit was to represented the Emperor at the wedding of the Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1882–1951) to Duchess Cecile of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLieutenant-Colonel Charles Edward Hood Symons RA (b1879) is recognized as the first commanding officer and the ‘Father of the Regiment’ of the Sri Lanka’s artillery arm. He served as Honorary Consul to Japan at Colombo from about 1900 until 1909. His grave at Borella was last commemorated by the Sri Lankan Regiment of Artillery in 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Armoury St James","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57128725578101,"sku":null,"price":2800.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0511\/7008\/3014\/files\/L1690052.jpg?v=1777976336","url":"https:\/\/armoury.co.uk\/products\/imperial-japanese-presentation-silver-cigarette-case-1905","provider":"The Armoury St James's","version":"1.0","type":"link"}