Long before we had a junk drawer full of disposable lighters, apparently even the matches got their own decorative furniture.
This antique wood wall piece features a beautifully burned Gibson Girl-style portrait surrounded by flowing floral and ornamental lines. A small wooden cup or pocket is attached near the bottom, consistent with early wall-mounted match holders used near stoves and fireplaces.
The portrait, high piled hair, and sinuous floral design fit beautifully with the pyrography and Flemish-art craze of the early 1900s, when wood burning kits turned practical household objects into miniature works of art. At about 10 inches tall, this piece has enough presence to display alone but is still small enough for a kitchen gallery wall or collection of antique domestic objects.
Condition: Antique condition with visible age, surface wear, darkening, scratches, and small marks consistent with use. The attached wooden holder shows wear. Exact maker is unknown.
