Match Holders

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About Antique Match Holders

Match holders (safes) date back to the mid 19th century, when matches were sold in cardboard or wood boxes which often suffered from accidental ignition. Originally made from converted snuffboxes with rough surfaces for striking, match holders soon became a staple of craftsmen everywhere. The three basic types (wall mounted, free-standing, and pocket holders) were manufactured in many styles and materials for the next hundred years.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview with Vintage Cigarette Lighter Collector Urban Cummings

At the very beginning, my interest in lighters was about the mechanism. I had my first lighter when I was 14.… [more]

Guest Column: Collecting Vintage Cigarette Lighters

Cigarette lighter collecting is a hobby that never gets boring. Just by browsing eBay auctions for ten minute… [more]



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Match World

Match World

This ambitious site showcases the 20,000-item Rankei Library matchbook collection, owned by the Japan Match Manufac… [read review or visit site]

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Kensitas Silk Flowers

Don Wearmouth and his wife showcase the 230 beautiful silk designs that were distributed free with Kensitas cigaret… [read review or visit site]

Matchbox Labels

Matchbox Labels

Jane McDevitt's huge Flickr photoset of matchbox labels, primarily Eastern European, from the 1950s and 60s. These … [read review or visit site]

Truth in Advertising

Truth in Advertising

This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p… [read review or visit site]

Matchbook Museum

Matchbook Museum

James Lileks' gallery of 250 matchbooks from coffee shops, hotels, motels, bars, banks, restaurants and more. Lilek… [read review or visit site]

Non Sports Cards: Tobacco, Gum and Candy

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Tom Boblitt moderates this extremely deep, collaborative site dedicated to non-sports cards (tobacco, gum and candy… [read review or visit site]

Lamarde

Lamarde

This blog, entirely in Spanish, is an amazingly comprehensive and varied tribute to tobacco and cigarette advertisi… [read review or visit site]


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C1905 Celluloid Advertising Pocket Match Safe Tailor #1$190.55 Ends Monday 13 bids 23 watchers
Fantastic 1890's Cast Iron Figural Owls Match Holder$135.00 Ends Monday 21 bids 38 watchers
1900 Victorian David Andersen Norway Silver Match Safe$125.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 6 watchers
C1905 Celluloid Advertising Pocket Match Safe Tailor #2$86.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 19 watchers
Colt Woodsman Match Target .22 Gun Box + Instructions$83.00 Ends Sunday 6 bids 31 watchers
Dancing Bear Brass Vesta Match Holder Go To Bed$82.91 Ends Sunday 9 bids 25 watchers
Victorian Nude Repousse Nouveau Silver Match Safe$82.08 Ends Sunday 12 bids 17 watchers
Grants Whisky, Tally Ho, Flask Vesta Case/ Match Safe, $76.46 Ends in 15 hours 12 bids 11 watchers
Antique Old Judson Whiskey Lithograph Tin Match Holder$59.95 Ends Sunday 8 bids 29 watchers
Beautiful Art Nouveau Antique Figural Match Safe$51.01 Ends Sunday 5 bids 18 watchers
Gorham Sterling Silver Art-nouveau Match Safe Figural $51.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 30 watchers
Antique Plated Match Safe With Fishing Scene$50.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 9 watchers
Antique Match Case, Match Safe (vesta)-horseshoe-1800's$49.99 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 4 watchers
Sterling B.p.o.e. Elks Head Vintage Match Safe $49.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 3 watchers
Art Nouveau Match Box Holder 1901$49.86 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 6 watchers
Vintage Ornate Gorham Sterling Silver Match Holder Nr$45.98 Ends in 21 hours 8 bids 18 watchers
1900s Ger. Silver Match Safe, Benito Rovira Cigar Co.$45.00 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 6 watchers
Vintage Silver Plate Eiffel Tower Match Holder Vesta$45.00 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 9 watchers
Silver Enamel Golfing Matchbook Case/match Safe/holder$43.21 Ends Sunday 4 bids 32 watchers
C. 1900 Victorian Sterline Silve Repousse Match Safe Nr$42.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 25 watchers
Old The Farmer's Friend Stacker Advt. Match Holder Safe$41.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 15 watchers
Rare Oyster Shaped Silver Match Safe Vesta Case $41.00 Ends Monday 4 bids 17 watchers
Mt Washington Fig Shape Match Holder Burmese Nice *nr*$40.99 Ends Thursday 2 bids 12 watchers
United Hatters Union Celluloid Advertising Match Safe$40.98 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 18 watchers
Lovely Victorian 18ct Gold Filled Vesta/match Safe$38.21 Ends Thursday 3 bids 4 watchers
1890's Gutta Percha "cow" Baking Soda Pocket Match Safe$37.99 Ends Monday 5 bids 36 watchers
C1910 Celluloid Advertising Pocket Match Safe Car Tires$37.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 30 watchers
1890's Carriage Maker Gutta Percha Pocket Match Safe$36.00 Ends Monday 2 bids 1 watcher
Ornate Antique Hallmarked Stg Silver Vesta Match Safe$36.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 19 watchers
Early 1900s Germany Bisque Pig Match Safe & Striker$34.67 Ends Sunday 5 bids 14 watchers
1906 Silver Vesta Case Match Safe By Wa Art Nouveau$32.68 Ends Sunday 4 bids 7 watchers
1902 Art Nouveau Small Silver Vesta Case Match Safe Wt$32.66 Ends Sunday 5 bids 13 watchers
Webb Match Striker Holder Cut Crystal Glass England Old$31.45 Ends in 22 hours 4 bids 11 watchers
Antique Brass Figural Pig Match Holder/safe Vesta Nr$31.00 Ends Monday 2 bids 15 watchers
Silver Cigar Cheroot Cutter Match Box Holder Ashtray$30.87 Ends Thursday 4 bids 19 watchers
Civil War Soldier's Match Safe With Sweetheart Picture$29.99 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 12 watchers
Antique Hm 1912 Sterling Silver Vesta Match Safe$29.92 Ends Monday 7 bids 20 watchers
U.s.a. Match Safe,vesta Case + Wrist Chain $27.52 Ends Saturday 6 bids 6 watchers
Heintz Art Metal Match Box Holder$27.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 6 watchers
Antique Lake City Minn. Tin Wall Match Safe Holder$27.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 5 watchers
Garcia Mitchell 308 Spinning Reel W/box Serial # Match$26.99 Ends Sunday 8 bids 48 watchers
Early "1914" Trench Art Vesta Match Box Nicely Engraved$26.59 Ends Sunday 11 bids 20 watchers
Antique Eapg Milk Glass Hanging Match Holder Oil Lamp A$26.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 22 watchers
Antique Sterling Silver Match Box Holder$26.00 Ends in 17 hours 6 bids 4 watchers
Vintage Hollywood Regency Chrome Fly Ashtray Match Safe$26.00 Ends Sunday 6 bids 16 watchers
Vintage Egyptian Mummy Vesta Matchsafe Match Holder Box$24.91 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 31 watchers
Victorian Hm Sterling Silver Embossed Match Box Holder$24.10 Ends Sunday 5 bids 25 watchers
Antique S Kirk & Son Repousse Sterling Match Box Safe $22.50 Ends Monday 6 bids 8 watchers
1869 Antique Ornate Cast Iron Wall Hung Match Holder$22.50 Ends Thursday 1 bid 3 watchers
2 Antique Ornate Victorian Sterling Silver Match Safes$22.50 Ends Sunday 5 bids 18 watchers
Antique Hm Sterling Silver Vesta Case Match Safe 1906$21.62 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 8 watchers
Antique Hm Sterling Silver Vesta Case Match Safe 1902$21.61 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 9 watchers

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