General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

BRASS

Dimensions

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

Length

2.6 cm

Width

2.3 cm

Height

6.8 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

Marble

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Michigan

City

Gladstone

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

FIRST HALF OF 2OTH CENTURY+

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.).

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 DESIGN WAS WATERPROOF TO PROTECT MATCHES INSIDE FROM MOISTURE FOR OUTDOOR USE BY FISHERMEN, HUNTERS ETC.

Technical

MARBLE'S WATERPROOF MATCH HOLDER WAS FIRST MADE IN 1900 & WAS STILL IN PRODUCTION UNTIL 1930S; IT IS MADE TODAY IN HONG KONG.. IT WAS PATENTED IN 1900 BY WEBSTER L. MARBLE OF GLADSTONE, MI, WHOSE COMPANY SPECIALIZED IN AXES, KNIVES & OTHER ITEMS FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS (REF. 2).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

INCISED LETTERING ON UNDERSIDE READS "MARBLE'S/ GLADSTONE/ MICH., U.S.A."

Missing

COMPLETE

Finish

NICKEL PLATED

Decoration

N/A