Antique Anheuser -Busch Match Safe | ||
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Posted 13 years ago
pappabear_…
(1 item)
I had found this in my grandfathers jewelery box after he passed away.. i had no idea what it was until an antique dealer came to my house and wanted it right away.. needless to say .. she did not get it
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These are also called "vesta cases". Does it have any other marks?
Is it silver or silver plate?
I know Anheuser-Busch means Budweiser and I have seen another that was for them by Edward Hauck Co. of Brooklyn, NY.
I've also seen that they did scale models of Budweiser items too! : "1/64 Scale Budweiser Tractor Trailer (Hauck & Son)"
NB: Winross Hauck & Sons - produced trucks for beer delivery.
there are no markings on it to say if it is silver or silver plate. so i can not answer that question. The Antique dealer offered $150.00 at first glance..lol..
I agree with AR8Jason that this one is probably nickel plated brass.
How big is it, papabear? Match size or card size? Calling cards were about the size of playing cards. If it's larger then it's a calling card case. The smaller match safe will also have some serrated ridges probably underneath.
But I have a problem withe the term 'vesta' and card case. To me they are two different things. They have a similar shape, but the vesta case is much smaller.
Vestas were wax matches invented by in 1832 by William Newton who patented the "wax vesta", a wax stem that embedded cotton threads and had a tip of phosphorus: really dangerous stuff! Banned everywhere these days.
Some reading on the topic:
http://www.sladens.co.nz/vesta.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesta_case
http://artofmanliness.com/2008/09/07/the-gentlemans-guide-to-the-calling-card/
I'm still looking for a Nathaniel Mills card case and a vesta case by him would be Ok too!
As my father used to say: "You've got champagne tastes on a beer budget!"
Hi AR8Jason. I've heard that calling cards came in two sizes: the larger ones were men's and the smaller one's for women. Not that I ever used 'em. The memory is from an Antique's Roadshow many a year ago. "Urban myth?"
This site suggests at least five differing sizes. The issue seems muddled by time.
http://www.paperpenalia.com/cards.html
It seems even today the size of a business card differs from country to country. Wikipedia mentions 7 different sizes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_card
But is this a card case or a match safe?
In tiny letters on the upper lip of the case body and covered by the lid when it's closed you may see, 'G.SILVER' stamped. I believe this stands for German silver. My grandfather who served in the British Royal Field Artillery in WWI passed one of these onto me. He didn't say how he came by it, but my guess is that it was a trade with an American, or Canadian soldier, or he may have come across it as a lost item. I think these match safes may have been handed out to North American troops as a bit of a morale-boosting memorial of home before they were shipped overseas to fight in a war not of their making.