General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

PORCELAIN

Dimensions

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

Length

10.4 cm

Width

5.5 cm

Height

4.3 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

France

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

EARLY 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. RETAILER HENRY MORGAN & CO WAS FOUNDED IN 1846 IN MONTREAL BY SCOTTISH IMMIGRANT HENRY MORGAN. IN 1870S & 1880S MORGAN'S BECAME FIRST RETAIL OPERATION IN CANADA TO ADOPT DEPARTMENT STORE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION. SOMETIME AROUND 1891 MORGAN'S LAUNCHED MAIL-ORDER BUSINESS, ISSUING TWO CATALOGUES PER YEAR. IT REMAINED FAMILY RUN BUSINESS UNTIL 1960 WHEN IT WAS SOLD TO HUDSON'S BAY CO. WHICH OPERATED MONTREAL AREA STORES UNDER MORGAN NAME UNTIL 1972 (REFS. 4-5).

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 CERAMIC MATCH HOLDER OF OVAL CASKET TYPE WITH STRIKER ON UNDERSIDE OF LID. MATCH HOLDERS WITH LIDS WERE LESS COMMON THAN THOSE WITH OPEN TOPS & ARE PROBABLY CARRY-OVER FROM EARLY PROTECTIVE HOLDERS; LIDS ALSO HELPED TO DISGUISE PURPOSE OF OBJECT (REF. 2).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

MARKS CONSISTING OF ORANGE WREATH ENCIRCLING LETTERING READING "GDA/ LIMOGES", GREEN "GDA/ FRANCE" & ORANGE LETTERING READING "HENRY MORGAN/ COLONIAL HOUSE/ MONTREAL"

Missing

COMPLETE

Finish

GLAZED WHITE WITH PINK, YELLOW & GREEN ELEMENTS

Decoration

GREEN, PINK & YELLOW VICTORIAN ROSES DESIGN ON SIDES & LID