Antique Matchboxes

[Thuer]

Who do collect antique matchboxes like I do?
The oldest if from 1906, the most around 1920 and there is a brand new one.
The majority is made in Birmingham. You can see that true the anchor mark.

I love them. I do buy every year one or two.

The black one is a rare one and made of tin. It is American made and normal you trow them away after use.

The watchwith chain is in use at westernweekends. You can simply do not use a modern watch.

I am curious let see your antique matchbox and what can you tell about them.

 

[wbraswell]

Very nice collection, Thuer. I don't know anything about them, but those look like quality pieces. I think on this side of the Atlantic, they are often called match safes.

 

[Alpo]

I was at a 4-day cowboy match, one year, and was having trouble getting the pilot lit on the rental RV's water heater. A friend came to assist, and reached in his vest and pulled out a matchsafe. I thought that was just the neatest thing ever. I had not known they existed. At a vendor at that match I picked one up.

Never used it, though. As you might can tell (from the kinda out-of-focus 3rd picture) the "striking surface", while probably fine for the strike-anywhere matches they made when I was a kid (with the GREAT BIG white tip), is just too deep and too narrow to work with the worthless strike-anywheres they make today.

It has no maker's mark or hallmark, or anything of that nature that I can discern. Appears to be made of folded tin.

 

[Cooter Brown]

Pretty cool! The closest thing I've got is an old Boy Scout waterproof match case. I carry it in my emergency kit in my bird hunting vest.

 

[Thuer]

Nice Match safe Alpo. I do use my Match safe at westernweekends.
It is filled with strike anywhere matches and I do litt my stoof with it.

I sure like them and want to buy more.

 

[shouldazagged]

Handsome collection, Thuer.

 

[therevjay]

The last time I went to a antique show I saw a really nice silver one. But I had no idea what it was for, the seller didn't know either. Front was hinged and opened like a cigarette case and had a hinged bar inside to hold something in place. (again like a cigarette case but way too small.)

Oh well, you can learn something every day.

 

[DeathGrip]

I haven't seen one of those in years.

Looks like some quality stuff.

 

[Thuer]

They are for sure well made. Later I trye to make some detail pictures.

 

[Thuer]

This is the oldest one. I tought first that it was made in 1922-23. But the x mark was some different. I looked closer and saw it was made in 1897-98.

I cant make anything of the initials. It started with an H and then????

Anyhow it is beautiful, the oakleaves are very detaild.

 

[pawncop]

Thuer,

I love it when I learn something new. Had no idea of these devices.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Thuer]

They are still out there. I do have several American made.
Price is around 50 dollar more or less.

 

[Alpo]

This would be so cool. Hercules Powder match safe.

Miscellaneous Mining Items/Hercules Match Safe Front

 

[BigBill]

I collect not match boxes where you store matches, but dinky toys that I grew up playing with in the 50's. This was before the matchbox toys.

 

[Thuer]

Yes I do know. The tiny toy cars famous brand was Matchbox.
I did sell my collection and bought a very nice Smith and Wesson revolver for it.

In the Netherlands we call Match safe a Matchbox.

Thanks Alpo for the link. Next weekend I attend a westernweekend at Horst. Overthere is a dealer who has normaly some Match case on stock.
I hope that I can find a good one.

 

[Thuer]

Just looked at e-bay. Boy, the prices are rising.

 

[BigBill]

I will look for "match boxes" in my travels while on vacations we visit different flea markets and antique shops. Just one more thing to collect.

 

[Thuer]

They are better known under the name Vesta case.
Some are truly works of art.

 

[Thuer]

WoW.
Vesta Case | eBay

 

[maxheadroom]

I was at a 4-day cowboy match, one year, and was having trouble getting the pilot lit on the rental RV's water heater. A friend came to assist, and reached in his vest and pulled out a matchsafe. I thought that was just the neatest thing ever. I had not known they existed. At a vendor at that match I picked one up.

Never used it, though. As you might can tell (from the kinda out-of-focus 3rd picture) the "striking surface", while probably fine for the strike-anywhere matches they made when I was a kid (with the GREAT BIG white tip), is just too deep and too narrow to work with the worthless strike-anywheres they make today.

It has no maker's mark or hallmark, or anything of that nature that I can discern. Appears to be made of folded tin.

I just picked one up like this at a swap meet for 4 bucks. Thing is it looked like a match safe to me and its exactly like yours. Made the same exact way. But mine has a slot insert in the top. So I was wondering if it was a blade safe for razor blades? Any ideas on this one? Thanks.