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https://www.thehoarde.com/dealers/greencore-designA rare and evocative Second World War commemorative vase, fashioned from dolomitic limestone salvaged from the bomb-damaged Houses of Parliament and fitted with a cast lead roundel plaque inscribed: “This Stone Came From The Houses of Parliament”.
This small historic vase is understood to have been made from stone recovered from the ruins of the House of Commons Chamber, destroyed during the German Luftwaffe raids on London on the night of 10th/11th May 1941. The lead plaque was also cast from material salvaged from the damaged roof, giving the object a direct connection to the wartime history of the Palace of Westminster.
During the final major night of the Blitz, the Houses of Parliament suffered severe damage and the House of Commons Chamber was completely destroyed. Stonework and melted roof lead were later turned into souvenir pieces sold to mark the attack and help raise funds for wartime relief.
The London Stonecraft Company, also recorded as London Stonecraft Ltd., was granted permission to process the salvaged material into objects for public sale. Their work included vases, letter racks, inkwells, bookends, ashtrays and other small souvenirs, often mounted with lead or metal plaques to authenticate their origin. Proceeds supported HRH The Duke of Gloucester’s Red Cross and St. John Fund.
Compact in scale but rich in historical resonance, this vase is both a decorative object and a tangible relic of wartime London. The natural stone surface and simple cast lead roundel give it a quietly powerful presence for collectors of architectural salvage, Second World War memorabilia and British parliamentary history.
A remarkable 1940s historical souvenir, preserving a fragment of the Palace of Westminster with understated dignity.
Overall size: H13cm x W13cm.
Origin and period: English, circa 1941. Dolomitic limestone with cast lead roundel plaque, made from stone and lead salvaged from the bomb-damaged Houses of Parliament.