General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

TIN EXTERIOR/ BRASS INNER TRAY/ LEATHER COVERING

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

3.9 cm

Height

1.2 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

Unknown

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

New Brunswick

Period

C. 1900+

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.). POCKET MATCH HOLDER THAT ADVERTISED WELL KNOW CANADIAN PRODUCT RED ROSE TEA. FORMER BOOKKEEPER THEODORE H. ESTABROOKS STARTED TEA IMPORTING & BLENDING BUSINESS IN 1898; HE DEVELOPED RED ROSE TEA IN 1899 & IT IS STILL BEING PRODUCED TODAY (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 CARRIED IN POCKET FOR PERSONAL USE.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF METAL MATCH HOLDER MADE TO LOOK LIKE BOOK. MATCH COMPARTMENT IS IN FORM OF TRAY THAT IS PIVOTED AT ONE CORNER BY RIVET & SWINGS OUT WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO RAISED DIMPLE ON OUTER CORNER (REF. 2).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

GOLD LETTERING ON FRONT READS "WITH/ COMPLIMENTS OF/ T.H. ESTABROOKS,/ TEA IMPORTER/ AND BLENDER/ ST. JOHN, N.B./ RED ROSE TEA'"

Missing

COMPLETE

Finish

DARK RED COVER WITH GOLD SIDES (PAGES)

Decoration

N/A