Is this a lighter or what?

[Arizona]

Not sure what is it! Any clue?

[dognose]

Hi,

It's a match-box with the tinder-cord missing.

See: viewtopic.php?f=46&t=49804&p=152399&hil ... er#p152399

Trev.

[Arizona]

Thanks! I am wondering how the match would be striked, or if indeed there was any match involved at all. do you think that the crevase on the top would hold some sort of sald paper or igniting material? Or the spark is done by hiting stone and steel, which will be kept in the box?

[Bahner]

Hello, old-fashioned matches contained sulphur and phosphorus and could be ignited on ANY rough surface. You may want to read or re-read Anderson's fairy tale "Den lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne". One can detect such a surface right beside the hole on the downside of this. Regards, Bahner

[Arizona]

Didn´t know that. Still, what is the point for having a tinder?? I mean, you have the match, strike it, you have the fire, you can use the match to light anything up, no need to light a tinder and then light something with that tinder... me no understand.

[dognose]

Once the tinder-cord was lit, it could be passed around a group for others to use. It would continue to smoulder away and would not blow out. Early matches were an expensive item.

Trev.

[bijoux.expert]

These boxes held a piece of flint and a very long wick. There was also a sort of steel file set into the side of the box next to the hole. The wick was placed in the hole, the flint was struck till the wick began to smoulder. It would be used to light something, say a pipe, then put back in the box.
These boxes are the forerunners of lighters. Quite rare today.