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Item: Hipflask/Cigarette Case Description: Combination piece with Bud Flanagan (King Rat) interest Hallmark: Birmingham 1933 by Swaine & Adeney Dimensions: 135mm high x 85mm wide; 260g weight. Comments: This is an extremely rare silver hip flask combined with a cigarette case (the first we have ever encountered). Added to this, is a fantastic engraved provenance of being given by one famous music hall entertainer to another. The hip flask is accessed via the usual type of bayonet fitting with corked lid. A catch to the side opens up the cigarette case section with gilt interior (could equally be used to hold business cards). The condition is excellent (small dent to one corner) with a polished finish and the whole piece has a lovely solid feel in the hand and truly exudes high quality.
Bud Flanagan (1896-1968) was one of the most famous English music hall and vaudeville acts. He is fondly remembered for his double act with Chesney Allen - "Flanagan & Allen" - aka The Crazy Gang. This double act were comedians and singers and were especially popular during World War II. Their most famous song was "Underneath The Arches".
Leslie Strange was a popular character impersonator of the period who appeared at similar music hall venues to Flanagan.
King Rat is nominated as the chief of the Grand Order of Water Rats for one year. The GOWR is a show business charity organisation. Each year a new King Rat is appointed and Bud Flanagan was the King Rat in 1945. He was also re-instated in to the position in 1946 when Teddy Brown died during his year of office. Other past King Rats include Tommy Trinder, Charlie Chester, George Martin, Henry Cooper etc.
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