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Henry Howell YZ Nut Bird Match Holder, Striker & Ashtray

$1,234.95
£895
€1,051.99
CA$1,679.62
A$1,882
CHF 979.65
MX$23,023.41
NOK 12,434.89
SEK 11,744.61
DKK 7,853.32
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About the Item

Rare and iconic Art Deco YZ bird novelty match holder, striker and ashtray designed by Henry Howell & Co for Alfred Dunhill and dating from around 1920. Henry Howell made a vast range of these figures in various forms which, due to the bodies being formed from shaped and polished nuts, became known as ‘nutbirds’. The designs are unique by the fact that the natural nut shapes are being used to form these quirky and unusual items and today these have become highly collected and in huge demand. The designs were drawn up by Bernard Charles Howell a renowned cartoonist. The pieces were sold through Alfred Dunhill and were made combining exotic woods with Bakelite and other synthetic materials of the time. This stunning example shows the stylized bird perched on a log with a nut body and unusual pointed wooden crop with Bakelite beak and feet and fitted with glass eyes. A small attached raised container holds matches with a polished and shaped hardwood Macassar ebony base mounted with a match striker and removable textured wood effect Bakelite ashtray. Both the base and the underside of the ashtray have YZ stamped makers marks along with MADE IN ENGLAND. A more elaborate and unusual quality example. The matches shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only and are not provided due to shipping restrictions. Provenance: Acquired in the UK Art Market. Offered in good condition with some light wear associated with age and use. A rare example.
  • Creator:
    Henry Howell Co. Ltd (Maker)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 6.3 in (16 cm)Width: 6.11 in (15.5 cm)Depth: 3.75 in (9.5 cm)
  • Style:
    Art Deco (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    1910-1919
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1910
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Bishop's Stortford, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: MI250311stDibs: LU1328245754252

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