Sandwich box

Selected as a nostalgic object redolent of summer picnics in celebration of the month of May.

Sandwich box
Case number - PHSL : 95
A rectangular sandwich box with two compartments and a slightly domed lid which has metal security clips and riveted handle.
View more images on the MoDiP site
Designerunknown - Wanted
ManufacturerBrookes & Adams
Manufactured forCoracle
CountryUK
Date1930-50 circa - Wanted
Dimensionswidth 150 mm, depth 85 mm, length 230 mm
Materialsplastic, UF, urea formaldehyde, Bandalasta
Methodcompression moulded
Colourgreen
Inscription"Bandalasta Regd. 'Coracle' 602 Made in England, Sandwich Box"
href=" http://www.10most.org.uk/artefact/sandwich-box"

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Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
07/05/14

Sandwich box PHSL : 95 Many people have spent happy May Days eating sandwiches from boxes like this one. Somewhat of a classic design, we want to find out who designed it and when. Please, can you help us find out? See the investigation here: www.10most.org.uk/artefact/sandwich-box.

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
09/05/14

Your sandwich box may well be part of a Coracle picnic set. This Coracle wicker hamper set was made about 1950. See - http://www.applecroft.co.uk/bandalasta/picnic.htm

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
09/05/14

Or from the smaller version -

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
09/05/14

G. W. Scott and Sons were founded in 1661 and ceased trading in 1967. In 1851 this company ‘invented’ the picnic basket and showed it at the Great Exhibition. In 1922/29/47 they exhibited at the British Industries Fair as ‘Manufacturers of "Coracle" Fitted Luncheon and Tea Baskets’, ‘Motor Luncheon Cases’ and ‘Fitted Luncheon Baskets for the River and Moor’. Using Brooks and Adams products they produced the ‘Bandalasta’ picnic sets. The advert below from 1949. See - http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/G._W._Scott_and_Sons

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
12/05/14

The bandalasta site is, in my opinion, not correct. Coracle is a trade name, not a manufacturer. The manufacturer is G.W.Scott & Sons. They made the wicker baskets and presumably bought in the plastic elements of the picnic sets from Brooks & Adams. They may have based the design of the sandwich box on an earlier metal version which they produced in the mid 1920s. Image from - http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-c1925-scott-sons-coracle-275411431

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
24/05/14

Let's give this one last push. Brookes & Adams as a company is still in existence. Will someone write to them and see if they have company records that could then be investigated, please?

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
27/05/14

Photo of a Coracle picnic set from Anrea DiNoto’s book Art Plastic published by Abbeville Press in 1984, page 133. The caption reads ‘The forks are marked Sheffield Plate & Cutlery Co. Ltd. Made in England, Coracle (NS) Nickle Silver. The knives are marked G.W.Scott & Sons Ltd. England, indicating that the set was assembled from various sources by the manufacturer, Coracle, whose label is affixed to the inside of the lid.’

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
27/05/14

Lovely image, Ian. That label is interesting - I can't quire make out the words underneath Coracle. Do they say 'Made in England'? I thought though we had agreed that Coracle was not a manufacturer but rather a trade name - here it seems that they made Nickel Silver.... I am completely confused. Can you elucidate any further?

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
27/05/14

Andrea is wrong - wrong choice of words. This set was purchased in America and she just read the logo, (it says Made In England). Normally she is bang on. Coracle is definitely the trade name. G.W.Scott & Sons are definitely the manufacturers.

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Case notes

Susan Lambert's picture

Sandwich box: Case PHSL : 95

Submitted by Susan Lambert on Mon, 28/04/2014 - 20:54.

Many people have spent happy May Days eating sandwiches from boxes like this one. Somewhat of a classic design, we want to find out who designed it and when. Please, can you help us find out?

Established firm G.W.Scott and Sons incorporated ware of this kind in their picnic baskets

9/05/2014

Indefatigable Chief Agent Holdsworth is on this case. He has provided this image:

and tells us that G. W. Scott and Sons were founded in 1661 and ceased trading in 1967. In 1851 this company ‘invented’ the picnic basket and showed it at the Great Exhibition. In 1922/29/47 they exhibited at the British Industries Fair as ‘Manufacturers of "Coracle" Fitted Luncheon and Tea Baskets’, ‘Motor Luncheon Cases’ and ‘Fitted Luncheon Baskets for the River and Moor’. Using Brookes and Adams products they produced the ‘Bandalasta’ picnic sets. The advert below from 1949. See -http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/G._W._Scott_and_Sons

Chief Agent Holdsworth has also sent these illuminating images. The top one was sold in Harrods.
 
 

Made about 1950 by Coracle?

9/05/2014

Further Chief Agent Holdsworth has helped with the date by leading us to this website: http://www.applecroft.co.uk/bandalasta/picnic.htm. However this has also introduced confusion. The site says the box was made by Coracle. 

What was the relationship between Coracle and Brookes & Adams ? And in spite of all this valuable context we are no closer to finding out who designed the plastic components of the sets.

MoDiP's documentation corrected

12/05/2014

Agent Holdsworth confirms that Coracle is a trade name given to this range of plastic picnic ware and that, therefore, it was not made for Coracle but for G.W.Scott and Sons. We also know that it dates from about 1950.  We still, however, do not know who designed it.

Still searching for the identity of the designer

Result of investigation

23/05/2014

Wanted designer: not found.

Wanted date: circa 1950

Correction: Coracle is the name of the picnic ware not the company for whom it was made. It was made for G.W.Scott and Sons, the invenotr of the picnic basket.

Can anyone add anything more? If not, this case will very soon be 'cold'.