Rare Historical Bakelite Elo Ware 1936 Cigarette Box with Grecian Soldier

Technically, this is a Birkbys Elo Ware urea formaldehyde box and cover. It is in excellent condition.

ELO was a trademark of Birkbys, a plastics manufacturer, founded at Liversedge, West Yorkshire in 1867. In the early years of the 20th century Birkby brothers, Arnold and Freddie heavily researched a new material, Bakelite, recently invented by Dr Leo Baeckeland.

They developed their own processes for moulding under the trade name ELO (dev ELO ped) and produced components for the fast-growing car industry.

The creamy-white compression molded Plaskon (urea formaldehyde) lid bears a spectacular carving in high-relief depicting a mounted Assyrian solider lancing a lunging lion. The detail is absolutely breathtaking.

Luxurious dark bakelite makes up the body of the box as well as the removable cigarette tray within. This is VERY rare to find this box with the original insert.

The images include the lion, the palm trees and the horse’s head and were taken quite literally from Assyrian reliefs. The horse's body is reminiscent of the images in Parthenon marbles. ,

The box remains in fantastic condition, exhibiting only the slightest amount of wear. Elo Ware pieces are incredibly collectible in addition to being an exemplary representation of the Art Deco aesthetic.

The ELO WARE Made in England molded imprint is shown on the bottom.

Highly collectible, especially in this condition with the original insert, this piece will be a fabulous addition to any lover of the era.

Measurements: Height: 2 ¼” Length: 6 5/8” Width: 3 3/8” Insert: 6 3/8” long, 3” wide, 5/8” tall Weight: 15 oz. (425 grams)

Item ID: 1136