Art Nouveau "Nude" Sterling Silver Match Safe, circa 1890s

Very rare and unusual piece, a sterling silver "note holder" fronted by an Indian Chief on the front in high relief. A bale on top provides for a necklace and hanging as a decorative piece of jewelry. Other decoration on the front includes a tomahawk and a peace pipe criss-crossed beneath the Indian. The back is plain with a decorative "repousse" floral border, and "sterling" clearly marked in the lower left (see image). It is 2 7/8" high  x 2" wide resembling and in the style of a match safe; probably manufactured by Unger Bros. of Newark, New Jersey, circa 1880, but difficult to observe all of the surfaces because of the frontal "notes" in permanent place. A note holder would have been used to write down reminders and/or notations by the user; the surfaces appear to be a celluloid type material. Condition is excellent with six notes intact; a very slight "crease" to the back side; hardly noticeable (see image). Appropriate Americana for the discerning collector with a Western Native American...

Manufactured by "The Instructive Toy Company" of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1890 and "Patented February 16th, 1886" by Alonzo Smith (see image) this alphabet wooden spelling board was u...

This item is from a collection of "magic" props from a California estate, and was accumulated in New York City; home too many famous conjurors; Houdini, Hermann the Great, and Copper...

This late 19th century miniature 3-drawer dresser with original mirror mounted above, was likely used as a salesman's sample by an itinerant sales person who traveled the countryside promoting his articles, usually by seeking out merchants to take orders based on this scaled down miniature bureau, or by leaving it on display in a merchant's establishment to take orders from that merchant's customers. This American bureau...

Collection of six extraordinary sterling match safes. Largest 3" x 2", smallest 2 1/4" x 1 1/2". Period: Last quarter of the 19th century Origin: ...

A striking and highly detailed sterling silver match safe, this c. 1910s example attributed to Blackinton features a bold raised depiction of a whimsical chauffeur gripping a steerin...

Art Nouveau sterling silver match safe. Made by Unger Bros in Newark, ca 1900. Shaped rectangle with hinged cover. On front an ethereal nymph lights up a cigarette against a smoke-fi...

Art Nouveau sterling silver match safe. Made by Unger Bros in Newark, ca 1900. Curved with whiplash scrolls and hinged cover. On front in relief the poignant scene from Goethe’s Faus...