A Boer War Cadbury's Queen Victoria Christmas/New Years' Gift Tin

Tin, magnetic, gilt with red and blue paint on the lid, gilt body, obverse illustrating the embossed left-facing bust of Queen Victoria, flanked by the crowned Royal cypher at the left, inscribed "SOUTH AFRICA 1900" to the right, the message and the signature (I wish you a happy New Year Victoria R) level in design, the medallion butting the blue border, distinguishing the box as the Cadbury version versus the Fry and Rowntree versions in which the medallion did not butt the borders and their containers were wider and shorter in design, 82 mm x 158 mm x 26 mm, hinged lid, red paint on the lid remains intact, scattered wear in the raised blue painted edge and gilt medallion on the lid, gilt loss evident on the sides but the bottom retains most of its gilt, slight indentation on the right side of the lid, fine.

Footnote: This commemorative tin originally contained chocolate. It was given to the troops serving in the Boer War as a New Years' gift from Queen Victoria. The three major British chocolate manufacturers, Fry, Cadbury and Rowntree, all Quaker owned companies, produced the chocolate tins. Initially they were reluctant to support the war effort because of the Quaker pacifist ethic, but were persuaded to change their minds. The three companies' tins vary slightly in appearance. This Cadbury's tin was manufactured by Hudson Scott, while the Fry's tin was manufactured by Barclay and Fry and the Rowntree's tin was manufactured by Barringer, Wallis and Manners.