Civil War Cast-iron Barracks Match Safe, dated 1864, as in Lord’s Encyclopedia

This is another nice piece being offered, it is a cast-iron “Barracks Match Box”. It measures approximately 5 ¼”  x 3” x 2 ½”. In raised lettering is “SELF-CLOSING / FOR MATCHES. & C. / PATENTED. DEC. 20. 1864. / M.W. & Co.”  This company was located in New Haven, Connecticut.

There is an example of this unique piece in “The Civil War Collector’s Encyclopedia”, by Francis Lord (see pictures). His description is “Barracks were generally heated by wood stoves and the match boxes shown here were nailed or screwed to the barracks’ wall”. They would also be used in military hospitals.

I have seen similar match safes in the past and even sold a couple over the past 25+ years, and at one time I sold an excavated example. As with all of them, this one is painted black and easily opens and closes.