Silver, no hallmarks, London about 1946, made by Margret Craver Withers

A flat oblong silver cigarette case with rounded sides and corners. The case is "landscape" rather than "portrait" in shape, and is hinged down the left side. On the right side near the bottom corner are three small rectangles cut into the silver with oxidised interiors. Inside the case, a flexible silver bar which is hinged at the left end and hooked under a catch at the right end, holds the cigarettes in place. The finish was largely executed by hand polishing.

Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Margaret Craver

Margaret Craver Gift through the American and International Friends of the V&A.
Margret Craver, one of the senior figures in the development of American craft education since the Second World War made this case at a conference organised by the Goldsmiths' Company and held at the Central School of Arts and Crafts during the summer of 1946. She was taught silversmithing by Baron Erik Fleming of the Atelier Borgila in Stockholm in 1938 and during the war she initiated a series of occupational therapy workshops for disabled veterans which started in the factory of Handy & Harman, the silver refiners in New York and spread to a number of hospitals. The 1946 course at the Central School bore fruit in both Great Britain and the United States. In Britain the Goldsmiths' Company became involved with occupational therapy in hospitals and in the United States, Margaret Craver began a series of influential workshops for art teachers.

Margaret Craver was one of the senior figures in the development of American craft education after the Second World War. She made this case during the summer of 1946 at a conference that was organised by the Goldsmiths’ Company and held at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. Craver was taught silversmithing by Baron Erik Fleming of the Atelier Borgila in Stockholm in 1938. During the war she initiated a series of occupational therapy workshops for disabled veterans. These started in the New York factory of the silver refiners Handy & Harma and spread to a number of hospitals.

The course at the Central School in 1946 bore fruit in both Great Britain and the United States. In Britain, the Goldsmiths’ Company became involved with occupational therapy in hospitals. In the United States, Margaret Craver began a series of influential workshops for art teachers.

M.53-1996