General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

STERLING SILVER

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

6.5 cm

Width

4.0 cm

Height

1.2 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Environment control

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

C. 1905+

Canada

ITEM FROM COLLECTION OF DENIS B. ALSFORD (1929-2004). BORN IN BRITAIN, MR. ALSFORD WORKED AT BRITISH MUSEUM UNTIL EMIGRATING TO CANADA IN 1968, BECOMING WELL KNOWN FIGURE IN CANADIAN MUSEUM COMMUNITY. HE WAS CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS FOR ETHNOLOGY DIVISION OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MAN IN OTTAWA FOR TWENTY YEARS, PLANNED ARTIFACT STORAGE FACILITY IN NEW MUSEUM OF CIVILISATION IN GATINEAU WHICH OPENED IN 1989, & WAS FELLOW OF CANADIAN MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION. HIS COLLECTION OF MATCH HOLDERS NUMBERED OVER ONE THOUSAND; HE WAS ACTIVE MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL MATCH SAFE ASSOCIATION & AUTHORED SEVERAL BOOKS & ARTICLES ON SUBJECT (SEE BIOGRAPHY IN 2004.0024 SUPP. INFO.). THIS EXAMPLE HAS DOMINION COAT OF ARMS ON ONE SIDE AS WELL AS MAPLE LEAF DESIGNS, & LID IN FORM OF BEAVER, ALL CANADIAN SYMBOLS, & WAS PROBABLY CANADIAN MADE (REF. 2).

Function

CONTAINER FOR MATCHES WHICH COULD BE USED TO LIGHT CANDLES & LAMPS, START FIRES IN STOVES & FIREPLACES FOR HEATING & COOKING, FOR MELTING SEALING WAX FOR LETTERS, & FOR LIGHTING CIGARETTES, PIPES ETC. THIS TYPE WOULD BE CARRIED IN POCKET FOR PERSONAL USE.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF SILVER MATCH HOLDER OF IRREGULAR SHAPE, WITH UNDULATING SIDES & LID MADE IN SHAPE OF BEAVER. THIS TYPE APPEARED IN HENRY BIRKS CATALOGUE OF 1908 & T. EATON CO. CATALOGUES FROM 1906 TO 1908 (REF. 2).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

NONE

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE

Finish

SILVER COLOURED

Decoration

LID IS CAST INFORM OF BEAVER/ RAISED MAPLE LEAF DESIGNS OVER FRONT & BACK/ DOMINION COAT OF ARMS CAST ON FRONT/ SHIELD ON BACK HAS INCISED SUPERIMPOSED "WY"