Victorian VESTA/Match Safe in Sterling Silver -- Hallmarked Birmingham, England 1879, Maker George Unite, Initials GT, 23.4g, Excellent Cond hotsell

A stunning little conversation piece ...

A vintage sterling silver vesta/match safe ... weighs in at hotsell 23.4 grams .... measures 2" long x 1-3/8" wide x 3/8" thick ... the front has an oval cartouche with what looks like the initials GT ... a lovely hand-engraved floral pattern (morning glories?) on both sides ... a solid static ring at the top, along with a jump ring, making it an easy addition to any chain ... hinge in perfect working order and stays securely closed ... good strike plate at the bottom ... inside lip stamped with hallmarks for Birmingham, England, Sterling, 1879 and a maker's mark of GU for George Unite of Birmingham, england ... very, very slightly indented on front and back where the piece would be held between the thumb and forefinger, really only noticeable when viewed from an angle ... other than that, in excellent vintage condition.

A little bit about Vestas: Vesta cases (aka vesta boxes, pocket match safes or matchsafes) were small portable boxes made in a great variety of forms with snapshut covers to contain vestas (short matches) and keep them dry. So called after the name of one of the early makers (which was taken from the goddess Vesta, a Roman deity of fire and the hearth), they came into use around the 1830s and were produced extensively between 1890 and 1920. During this period, almost everyone carried strike anywhere matches, so they could light stoves, lanterns and other devices. Early matches were unreliable and prone to ignite from rubbing on one another or spontaneously. Accordingly, most people carried a match safe to house their matches. Wealthy people had match safes made of gold or silver, while common folk had ones made of tin or brass.


Stock No. 070315M453881