match strike/box by D & H

[admin]

Hi All,
This 3 inch tall round box is stamped "Sterling" and with an undated Dominick & Haff trademark, I'd date it c. 1900. Top is hinged, bottom section swivels open on a pin. I'm sure the top section was meant to hold matches, the bottom part has a striking surface for them, but I'm wondering what the bottom section was meant to hold.
Thanks, Tom

ps. about 2 inches in diameter.

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[JLDoggett]

I would guess the top was cigarettes, the bottom for matches. However of the top was matches. If the top was matches, maybe the bottom was for ash, since with matches one would not need tinder.
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[admin]

Hi JLD,
The top is too short for cigarettes, only 1 3/4 inches (not counting the center peak). Perhaps for loose tobacco, but the bottom does not really seem suited for loose matches, I can see them flying all over the place when it is popped open.
Regards, Tom
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[byron mac donald]

The already used matches if you were in a building and did not want to throw them on the floor; upsetting the host and hostess?
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[admin]

Hi Byron,
Think you're on to something there, it may well be a combined match safe and ash receiver. After reading your post I took a trip to Google Patent search and found a lot of patents for such devices. None took the same form as this one, but here are a couple that reflect the concept.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=rfM_AAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1
http://www.google.com/patents?id=-C5nAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1

Thanks, Tom
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[dognose]

Hi Tom, Jim and Byron,

My thoughts are this a combined container for pipe tobacco and matches, with raised top for use as a tamper to compress the tobacco into the bowl of the pipe, as for spilling the matches, well maybe, but like anything personal you would soon master exactly how much pressure you would need to apply to open it in a controlled and comfortable fashion.

Regards Trev.
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