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Abstract Sunburst Reserve with Tear Drop Border Matchsafe, ca. 1886 (CH 18495393)
Summary
Rectangular, rounded corners, reverse slightly concave, with polychrome enamel and etched decoration, the square central reserve features open circle with monogram, the border of which is punctuated by alternating light blue and red square sections with perforations in center of each, on dark blue enamel ground an etched zig-zag design resembling sunrays radiates outwards from circle, square central reserve bordered on top and bottom by pink-beige strips with etched curly lines at each end, the center of each featuring light blue and yellow semi-circles with sawtoothed etched borders, outermost border comprised of alternating light and dark blue bands punctuated by tear drop motifs in yellow and red enamel, each of which has single perforation at their center; sides and reverse have gold wash on surface. Lid hinged on upper left side. Striker in recessed groove on bottom.
Pocket match safes, called pocket vestas in England, were designed to safely hold early friction matches, which were known to ignite unexpectedly when carried loosely in the pocket or purse. Although these handy containers are rarely seen today, from 1850 to 1915 match safes were extremely popular. Since the match safe cut across every segment of society, from nobility on down to the ordinary workingman, it is no surprise that these convenient cases ranged from the fabulous and elegant to the absurdly cheap and vulgar. These forgotten pieces of history can be found in a wide variety of materials – from inexpensive tin and brass to platinum, gold and silver, even exotic materials like ivory, tortoise shell, and mother of pearl. Today, as was true in their heyday, the most coveted match safes are those created by brilliant designers like Tiffany, Gorham, and Fabergé. From advertisements and souvenirs to highly collectible enamels to multi-function match safes to those embellished with jewels and designed by the finest craftsman, The Knohl Collection, with approximately 21,000 pieces, currently has the largest known accumulation of match safes in the world.
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