Boer War Page 91q

Bobs: Below, a tray for Lord Roberts, also in fabulous shape. There is more memorabilia on Lord Roberts available than any other Boer War figure. Still a tray - especially in this shape - is a rare item to find.

The Globe Toronto & Bobs: An ultra rare discovery is another "Made in Canada" pin tray, produced as an advertising memento of the war, by "The Globe, Toronto, Canada's National Newspaper." It features a "bust" of Lord Roberts looming over the old Globe newspaper building in Toronto, Ontario.

This tray is made of much heavier tinware than the other items because it may have been meant as a small ash tray. Unlike the other pin trays, this shows signs of heavy usage, including evidence that cigarette stubs were once "butted out" on the General.

Lord Roberts - The Army: The tiny ceramic pin tray left, featured a common Foley pattern, used to celebrate "The Army" with Lord Roberts at the centre, protected by a colonial infantryman and a volunteer, two major groups who came to defend the Royal Lion on top. In their honour it is labelled: "Colonies - Supporters of the Empire - Volunteers,"

Some soldiers, like Fred Living (right) - who was killed at Paardeberg - wrote back as special correspondents to fill in their readers with all the happenings on the battlefield.

This pin tray is in a bowl shape, being a full inch deep and wonderfully scalloped. It is just over 3" wide.

In spite of its tiny size, it gets the full Foley treatment on the back, and the label "England," introduced by British china manufacturers like Wedgewood after 1891, until regulations enforced the "Made in England" designation in 1921.

The registration mark can be looked up in an antique reference book and tells us that this piece was made in 1900. It is not a modern repro.

The Soldier's Monument: Another rare "Canada specific" item, featuring the "Soldier's Monument, London, Canada, In Memory of the South African Heroes" was probably meant as a pin tray too, since it is very shallow, and is only a tiny 5" across. It could have no other use, though it's amazing mint condition - without a scratch - makes one wonder. But then perhaps maybe it was bought by a husband for his beloved, hoping she would get the hint - about his socks, that is. Apparently this proved not a fruitful exercise. Even in those days, some women just refused to sew... But it left us an immaculate Canadian Heritage item. And another version, below.

World War I: Only a dozen years after the Boer War ended, World War I began, and new pin trays were trotted out, featuring Lord Jellicoe, head of the British Navy, and General French, head of the Army, flanking Lord Kitchener who was Minister for War. The latter two were Boer War generals.

Coronation - 1902: Queen Victoria died in January 1901; her son, who had been Prince of Wales for about 60 years came to the throne as Edward VII with the beautiful and popular Queen Alexandra. The ceramic pin tray (below) celebrates their coronation in 1902.

Two days before the coronation Edward was stricken with perityphlitis, and needed a serious operation. When he recovered, he was finally crowned on Aug. 9, 1902. Since then almost all the memorabilia has the wrong date.

The rare item, in this case, is the one with the right date.

Below, the shame of a pin tray, one of the most beautiful faces in the world scratched by pins, like her heart was stabbed by Bertie.

Coronation 1911: Bertie died in 1910 and was followed by his son, whose coronation was celebrated with another ceramic pin tray below left.

Below, we have finally left the realm of pin trays. This is as shallow as the coronation tray above, but is extra long.

We are probably looking at a card tray featuring a very common "Dominion of Canada" pattern, showing 7 provinces, and manufactured in 1897, in commemoration of the Queen of Canada's Diamond Jubilee, to which Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier went.

The trip paid off; he came back as "Sir" Wilfrid Laurier, knighted by the Queen of Canada.