A beautiful hand-carved RFC wooden presentation box lined in purple velvet. 27 x 11 x 9 cms. With a fully stamped and stippled copper lid rather than badge carved into or attached to wood providing scarcity value. The purple velvet lining strongly suggests high-end purchase or deluxe presentation piece as this colour was almost always reserved for high-status, royal or institutional presentation pieces.

Initials 'BM' & 'SM' are likely the initials of a pilot or station or could mean Base Mechanics Motor Section ('BMMS'). We would expect that if those initials can be traced to a specific location or pilot then the buyer will be rewarded handsomely in value. Perhaps a look through RFC or other national archives?

The Base Mechanics Section and Motor Sections supporting RFC operations contained highly skilled craftsmen who were woodworkers, carpenters and metallurgists, all focused on the production and maintenance of wooden airframes, propellers and servicing engine metals. In their downtime they turned their hands to producing these sorts of items. The material for this box is likely to be mahogany or walnut, taken from spare wood used for aircraft.

A cracking original piece worthy of any RFC or aviation collection.