Officer's Campaign Vanity Box M J D Cockle Border Regiment Provenance
- This antique campaign vanity box has some interesting provenance. Believed to be owned by Maurice James Draffen Cockle (1869–1945), a well-known military historian and bibliographer. Who served as an officer in the 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment.
The cap badge seems to confirms this, The interesting part is the boot hook and the handwritten note which states “This button hook belonged to Colonel Sir Maurice O'Connell and was carried by him all through the Spanish War (1835) after fighting for Queen Isabella II' Spain. He gave it to my mother.”
The box which is in good condition still has some of its accessories, for example there are three lovely glass containers 2 with unmarked silver metal lids the other a glass stopper, a bone handled “straight razor” and the original wooden framed silvered mirror tucked away behind a flap in the lid.
Also within the box are a lovely pair of tortoise shell & brass Lorgnette Glasses (one lens missing), plus an officers cap badge from the Border Regiment, it has a King's Crown atop the design, which features battle honours like "PENINSULA," "ALBUHERA," "VITTORIA," "NIVE," and "LUCKNOW," and the name "BORDER REGt" at the bottom, this badge is believed to have been awarded to Maurice James Draffen Cockle (1869–1945) when he was made a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, the Border Regiment, dated 6th August, 1887
The lock still works
Dimensions: 25.5cm (w) x 19cm (d) x 11.5cm (h)
