Matchbox

Object Name:

Matchbox

Object ID:

1967.047.18

Date:

circa 1862

Description:

Matchbox, cast iron and steel. Flat, rectangular box with flared front, left, and right sides. Back surface flat with decorative vertical scalloped top edge. Two holes in top edge for fasteners. Lid has dog in vegetated scene. Dog body pointed right, head turned to left. Two rear legs and left front leg on ground, right front leg up in air as if dog is stepping forward. Short tail is slightly pointed above horizontal. Beaded border around edge of scene. Edges beyond that are chamfered down and outward slightly. Cast-in-place bas relief letters along front edge, all caps: "PAT[.] JAN 21[,] 1862". Small, semi-circular finger tab on center, front edge of lid. At rear, left, and right corners are cast blocks with decorative lines on top surfaces. Small hinge plate attached to decorative block that looks to be sheet steel. Plates have holes in them and ride on small, short pivot shafts cast into top edge of main body. Lower portion of box has narrow, plain band around top edge on left, front, and right sides. Below it is slightly rounded, chamfered surface that has slightly abstract, decorative, repeated plant designs. Slight bead on bottom edge of sides. Bottom surface has diamond texture in it with small pattern. Approximately 20 lines/inch in diamond pattern measured on diagonal. Inside surface of cover undulates to follow modeling of figure on top surface.

Material:

Metal
Iron
Steel

Dimensions:

H-1.8 W-4 D-2.7 inches

Provenance:

From the Rock-Millen family of Lebanon, NH.

Credit Line:

Gift of Ethel Rock Millen

Subjects:

Dogs, Matches