General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

ALUMINUM

Dimensions

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

Length

7.4 cm

Width

3.5 cm

Height

1.4 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

Western Aluminum

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Illinois

City

Chicago

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Nova Scotia

Period

20TH C.

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.).ARTICLES ON SUBJECT. THIS EXAMPLE ADVERTISED CANADIAN FOOTWEAR VENDOR G.A. MELONEY OF NORTH SYDNEY, NS, WHO OPERATED FROM 1910 INTO 1970'S (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 EXAMPLE, OF TYPE CARRIED IN POCKET FOR PERSONAL USE, ADVERTISED FOOTWEAR VENDOR.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF AMERICAN MADE NOVELTY PIECE OF ALUMINUM, A RARE COMBINATION. SIMILAR PIECE WAS ADVERTISED IN CATALOGUE OF WESTERN ALUMINUM CO. C. 1900. CORRUGATED HEEL IS HINGED FOR ACCESS TO MATCHES & SERVES AS STRIKER AS WELL (REF. 2).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

RAISED LETTERING ON SOLE READS "G.A. MELONEY/ EVERYTHING IN/ FOOT WEAR/ NORTH SYDNEY"

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE

Finish

METALLIC

Decoration

UPPER PARTS PRESSED INTO FORM OF SHOE