Description
Vintage Soviet cigarette case with cosmos theme
MADE IN USSR!
About This Cigarette Case
A gold-tone Soviet souvenir cigarette case from the Sputnik era. The lid carries a high relief of a rocket bearing the hammer and sickle, lifting off from a globe marked CCCP, with two Sputnik satellites tracing their orbits across a starry sky and a plaque reading «Советские спутники Земли» (Soviet Earth Satellites). The inside of the lid repeats the rocket and satellite scene, the back has a fine engine-turned pattern, and a sprung bar holds the cigarettes in place.
The Satellites It Celebrates
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, from Baikonur. Sputnik 2 followed on November 3, 1957, and the large scientific Sputnik 3 on May 15, 1958.
- Sputnik 1: A 58 cm polished metal sphere with four long antennas, whose radio signal could be picked up by amateur listeners around the world.
- Sputnik 2: The first spacecraft to carry a living animal into orbit, the dog Laika.
- Significance: The launches opened the Space Race and led directly to the creation of NASA in 1958.
Read more on Wikipedia – Sputnik 1
Condition Report
Very good pre-owned condition. The hinge and clasp work, and the case closes securely. The gold-tone finish is bright, with small wear through to the silver-tone base metal at the corners and edges and light scratches on the rocket. The interior is clean.
Ships from 🇺🇦 Ukraine with tracking number
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