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Unusual antiquefour-way tabletop match holder / gentleman's smoking accessory, beautifully constructed in dark-finished wood with brass and other non-magnetic metal fittings.
This remarkably clever little piece was designed for use fromall four sides of a table. Each side has its own pull-out drawer for loose matches together with an adjacent striking surface, allowing someone seated on any side to take and strike a match without turning the holder.
The design is especially handsome. The square dark-wood body has molded upper and lower edges, four metal-faced drawers with round pulls, and four domed brass feet. The top features an unusual geometric arrangement of slender metal rods and domed fittings surrounding a central circular mount and ball finial. The rod motif is repeated around the sides, giving the piece a wonderfully architectural and almost mechanical character.
The four very small drawers appear to have been designed forshort smoking/Vesta-type matchesrather than ordinary household matches. Each drawer measures approximately38 mm long × 22 mm wide × 8 mm deep internally, an appropriate size for the short matches historically associated with smoking.
The combination of dark wood, aged metal, geometric ornament and specialized smoking function is consistent with the tradition of late-19th/early-20th-century gentleman's smoking accessories. The exact age, maker and country of manufacture have not been identified, so I have intentionally left the attribution open rather than assigning it to a particular maker or design 3" × 3" overall
Drawer interiors approximately 38 × 22 × 8 mm each
The piece is invery good antique condition and presents beautifully. All four drawers are present and functional. The dark wood retains a rich finish, while the brass and other metal fittings have developed an attractive natural patina. The striking surfaces remain in place and show the expected evidence of their original function. The piece has not been polished or refinished.
No maker's mark has been identified.
A particularly unusual piece of antiquetobacconaliacombining ingenious four-sided functionality with handsome geometric design. Its compact size and dark wood-and-brass construction give it wonderful presence despite measuring only about 3 inches square.
Note to Experts and Collectors:
I am continuing to research this unusual piece and welcome additional information regarding its maker, country of origin, date, or design tradition.
