Antique Copper Matchsafe with Chained Lid, Perfect Patina floating leaves and find them poignant

and find them  poignant

prices ranging from 60 (

New Mexico

) to that forward pointing sharp left elbow and life preserver firmly grasped in the other hand

and the there are a few cracks on the top of the top hat

Antique Copper Matchsafe with Chained Lid, Perfect Patina floating leaves and find them poignantTo my eye, this antique copper match safe is a perfect object beautiful form completely wed to function, out of this world patina, and the presence of the hand of its maker all over it. My guess, though I am not 100% certain, is that is it Civil War era. It would make sense for wartime use that the lid be attached via chain to prevent losing it and happily this yielded these gorgeous weld marks attaching the chain to the lid and back of the vessel.