Cordite was a new smokeless propellant developed in the U.K. in the late 19^th c. and replaced black powder which had been in use for centuries. Cordite quickly came to be used in weapons of all sizes from rifles up to the large guns on battleships.

When cordite was required it was transported from a magazine to the gun using a cordite bucket, or “Clarkson Case”. These canisters were reusable so when the cordite was used to fire the shell from a gun the bucket would return to the magazine to pick up a new load.

Lot 489 this week is a canister from 1917. The “N” on the front signifies that this particular bucket was used by the Royal Navy, the RCD1917 on the strap meaning Royal Chatham Docks, and the broad arrow, the historic symbol of British Government property, flanked by RL standing for Royal Laboratories at the Royal Arsenal Woolwich.

Many of these buckets have subsequently been used as umbrella stands or waste paper bins, and very often had a coat of arms added at a later date, as indeed this example does.