Cigarette Box thumbnail 1
Not on display

Cigarette Box

1950-1959 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Cigarette box of brown Bakelite, with hinged lid and a compartment for a matchbox. Moulded inscription on underside of the lid reads 'A.E.G.'

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Compression-moulded phenol-formaldehyde ('Bakelite')
Brief description
Cigarette box, Bakelite, marked 'AEG' on underside of lid, Germany, probably 1950s
Physical description
Cigarette box of brown Bakelite, with hinged lid and a compartment for a matchbox. Moulded inscription on underside of the lid reads 'A.E.G.'
Dimensions
  • Length: 12.7cm
  • Width: 12.1cm
  • Height: 6.4cm
Measurements taken from paper records - not checked on object.
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'AEG'
  • 'BAKELITE / RENTARÌA'
Object history
Fred Bulmer, a collector based in Leeds, Yorkshire, offered his collection of ‘plastic antiques’ to the V&A in late 1982. The Museum chose to purchase 59 objects from Bulmer the following year (for acquisition papers see MA/1/B3395). The objects were divided among the Museum’s collections according to object type: Furniture and Woodwork taking 26 objects (W.50 to 75-1983), Metalwork 18 objects (M.49 to 66-1984) and Ceramics and Glass 14 objects (C.41 to 54-1984).
Historical context
This box was probably distributed as a promotional business gift by A.E.G. (Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG / trans. 'German Electric Company').
Production
Carries trade name 'Rentería'
Association
Collection
Accession number
W.58-1983

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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