‘Sentry’ cigar box by Richard Simkin, circa 1890

Richard Simkin (English, 1850-1926)

An extremely imposing and very tall oak cigar box, realistically modelled as a Guardsman’s sentry box, the sides and ‘roof’ of slatted construction, with a mellow-aged patina to the oak, with a monogram set to the front. On the door front is a fine watercolour painting of a guard wearing the uniform of the Household Cavalry painted by the renowned military artist Richard Simkin, set behind an arched bevelled glass panel. The door, with key, unlocks to reveal an interior fitted with four deep drawers for cigars, each one with a recessed polished brass ‘military’ handle, of the utmost quality. English, circa 1890.

Height: 20 inches (51 cm)
Width: 9 inches (23 cm)
Depth: 9½ inches (24 cm)

Richard Simkin was a prolific British watercolourist, who was employed by the War Office to design recruiting posters for the military, and was also reported to have served as a volunteer in the Artist’s Rifles. During his 50 year career, Simkin produced a large number of paintings of uniformed soldiers and scenes of Army life, used in publications such as The Boys Own Magazine and The Army and Navy Gazette, many of the original works being retained by regimental museums and public collections. Simkin’s paintings have featured on a small number of sentry box pieces such as this one, but seldom to this scale, and presence.

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