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19th. century, Red Painted Wooden Tinder Box
Some of you know how much I like wooden tinder boxes. Well here is another nice, early American example. This box is simple in style, having a slide lid and two compartments. The surface is all original, in the original Red paint. One of the compartments is quite charred from starting fires. The other compartment is used to hold the flint, striker and tow. The tinder box shows such authentic wear. Please notice how the divider between the compartments is actually worn down from using it as a lever to support striking on the piece of flint. The box is dovetailed. There is a hole on the one side, it is curious and I have not been able to come up with an explanation as to why it is there. Tinder boxes were used to start small fires from which the candles or lamps were lit. As lighting advanced so did firemakers. Most of these tinder boxes became firewood as history advance lighting. The tinder box measures 9 3.4 x 5 1/2 x 3 inches. Constructed with square nails, American tinder box. Price: sold
