Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/636897
eflecting back to long ago, I searched my failing memory of what item caught my eye that started this lifelong quest of collecting. I've narrowed it down to an antique show in Las Vegas where I came upon a small, flat, mother of pearl rectangular box rimmed in ster- ling silver. I had no idea what it was, but somehow this smooth piece in my hand spoke to me. On the bottom were ridges in the silver with a top that popped open when lightly squeezed on each side. It was too flat to be a pill box, and not the right shape for a needl e case. But, it was only $5, and I just had to have it. Research would later r e ve a l t h a t i t w a s a match safe: a small pock- et-sized piece that held matches, long before the invention of lighters. In England they were called 'vestas,' meaning small wax or wooden match. A distinguishing characteristic of match safes is that they have a ribbed surface, usually on the bottom, for striking the matches. Made to be carried in the pocket, many had a loop to be suspended from a watch fob. Most vesta cases were made quite plain, while some were embellished in the fluid lines of the Art Nouveau movement, or sometimes made into fig- ural shapes of animals, shoes, boots, books, ladies legs or musical instruments. It was the knowledge of learning my little boxes were made into figur- al shapes that fed my thirst for acquiring more. One day while scouring through antique shops in Benicia, there in a flat display case sat the covet- ed figural vestas. My second find was a figural match safe in the shape of a hoof. A button on the front, when pushed, would pop open the top where the matches used to be stored. But my favorite find that day was a figural elephant h ead with bone tusks. Both were of metal, with the ribbed strikers and hinged openings. The pieces that followed were successively more elaborate or unusual than the last find. My collection now boasted a gold match safe inset with gems, an inlaid enamel case of a pointer dog (now highly sought after by advanced collectors), a Bakelite box resembling a domino, a figural pair of overalls which advertised an overall company, numerous adver tising s a f e s , A r t N o u v e a u repoussé, some fitted with cigar cutters, stamp boxes, compasses and one with bone dice under a beveled glass. It's funny how they were never on display in my house. I wrapped each one up in soft paper, tucked them in a flannel shoe bag, and placed them in a shoebox on a closet shelf. When special friends came to visit, out came the shoebox as I unwrapped each one to show, then back they went to sit on their closet shelf until their next cur tain call. I think this all stemmed from childhood when we put our precious things tucked away in our underwear drawer. Old habits never die. Match safes were plentiful back then. Prices were not outrageous and figurals were not uncommon. Over the years, the desirability for these small trifles has boosted their prices and the scarce ones are rarely 88 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 COLLECTING T E X T A N D P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y M A R J O R I E S N O W The Tiny World of Antique Match Safes R Match safes, or vesta cases, like this inlaid enamel case featuring a pointer dog from the early 1900s, are highly collectible. A ribbed surface allowed for striking the matches.