General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

WOOD/ PAPER PHOTOGRAPH & SANDPAPER STRIKER

Dimensions

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

Length

N/A

Width

4.2 cm

Height

8.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Lighting Technology

Category

Miscellaneous

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

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 PHOTOGRAPH OF CANADIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS ON SIDE; IT WAS PROBABLY IMPORTED & PHOTOGRAPH APPLIED IN CANADA (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 SET ON DESK, TABLE, SHELF ETC. FOR PERSONAL OR HOUSEHOLD USE.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF EUROPEAN MADE CYLINDRICAL WOOD MATCH HOLDER. PRODUCTION METHODS USING WOOD WERE MORE LABOUR INTENSIVE & SO MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WOOD COULD NOT BE CAST OR STAMPED OUT LIKE METAL. WOOD MATCH HOLDERS WERE MORE COMMON PRIOR TO 1860 BUT STILL CONTINUED TO BE MADE LATER. THIS EXAMPLE WAS MADE IN STYLE OF WILLIAM & ANDREW SMITH OF MAUCHLINE, SCOTLAND, BUT WAS MADE BY COMPETITOR, PROBABLY IN FRANCE (REF. 2).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

LETTERING ON PHOTOGRAPH READS "PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS - MAIN BLOCK - OTTAWA"

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE

Finish

STAINED LIGHT BROWN & COATED

Decoration

SEPIA PHOTOGRAPH OF CANADIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS; RAISED RIDGE AROUND CYLINDER NEAR BASE