General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

BRASS/ SILVER/ CARDBOARD PANEL INSIDE

Dimensions

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

Length

6.3 cm

Width

4.5 cm

Height

1.3 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

GOERTZ

Country

United States of America

State/Province

New Jersey

City

Newark

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

1907+

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 ITEM COMMEMORATES NATIVE CANADIAN (MOHAWK) DR. ORONHYATEKHA (1841-1907), BORN ON SIX NATIONS RESERVE NEAR BRANTFORD, ON. IN 1866 HE WAS FIRST NATIVE CANADIAN TO GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO WITH MEDICAL DEGREE. HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF GRAND COUNCIL OF CANADIAN CHIEFS IN 1874. IN 1881 HE BECAME CHIEF RANGER OF INDEPENDENT ORDER OF FORESTERS (REF. 4).

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

INEXPENSIVE BOX OF NICKEL-PLATED BRASS MAY HAVE BEEN SPECIAL ORDER: IT HAS BEEN EMBELLISHED BY PLATE OF SILVER ATTACHED TO LID, WITH ENAMELLED U.S. & BRITISH FLAGS, AS WELL AS EMBOSSED INSIGNIA & DESIGNS. EACH END HAS STRIKER FOR FRICTION MATCHES & INSIDE LID IS PIECE OF SAFETY MATCH STRIKER. IT IS HINGED LONGITUDINALLY. AUGUST GOERTZ OF NEWARD, NJ WAS MAKER OF NOVELTIES & FILED PATENT FOR STAMP & MATCH BOX IN 1892. THIS BOX WAS MADE TO 1904 PATENT FILED BY BENNO VON EIGEN FOR GOERTZ (REF. 2)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

RAISED LETTERING ON FRONT READS "ORONHYATEKHA"/ RAISED LETTERING ON BACK READS "TEMPLE BUILDING, TORONTO"/ INCISED LETTERING INSIDE READS "PAT. JAN.12.1904"

Missing

COMPLETE

Finish

NICKEL PLATED/ GOLD COLOURED WREATH/ RED, WHITE & BLUE PAINTED BRITISH & U.S. FLAGS

Decoration

RAISED MEDALLION IN CENTRE ON FRONT, CONTAINING BUST OF MAN & ENCIRCLED BY WREATH/ CREST, CROSSED & OTHER DESIGNS ON FRONT/ RAISED DEPICTION OF BUILDING ON BACK