Trench art Tinder Box?

[Tengu]

A nice little tin; the holes are right the way through mind, but could be used as a tinder box.

£10.

 

[Dave Budd]

that's a lovely little thing Perhaps an incense burner?

 

[Artois]

Hand warmer?

 

[Pattree]

Flea trap / pomander.

It’s beautifully made.

 

[chas brookes]

possibly Brass Indian Cricket Cage

 

[Tengu]

It is rather, isnt it?

I already have a tinder box so it has to go.

(Of course you might like to claim it as a Gift it on...)

 

[Ystranc]

Surely a tinderbox has to seal air tight in order to smother tinder and keep it dry? My guess would be that it is an incense burner or similar

 

[santaman2000]

The holes being cross shaped make me lean toward incense burner also. Possibly part of a military chaplain’s field kit?

 

[Ystranc]

The holes being cross shaped make me lean toward incense burner also. Possibly part of a military chaplain’s field kit?

If it was actually issued to a chaplain it would either have a War Dept. mark or the broad head arrow. My guess (and it is only a guess from looking at the handle and hasp) is that this is Indian, much later and not military in any way.

 

[Pattree]

Just a thought.
You described it as “Trench Art”. Some of that work is as beautifully executed as your piece.

What diameter is it? Do you think that it is made from a shell case?

 

[Tengu]

7cm by 4cm (total) deep

It has 58 stamped on the side of both top and lid.

 

[Pattree]

Hmmmm. not 57 then!

Shell Cases

These highly decorated shell cases (photo attached) were brought home by my grandfather. The base of one has the following stamped: ST, G, 57, April 1917, HL25. On the base of the other is ST, FN (this is in a circle), 134, Aug 1917, HL25. Can anyone identify from which artillery peice these woul...

www.greatwarforum.org

Pity the pictures have timed out.

 

[Ystranc]

possibly Brass Indian Cricket Cage

I think you’re spot on with that Chas..

 

[Pattree]

Didn’t work in this case.

 

[Broch]

I think you’re spot on with that Chas..

yep, me too:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/358528820340227966/

 

[Nice65]

yep, me too:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/358528820340227966/

That’s them. Well, I had to look up the use and history, it’s fascinating. Crickets were kept as athletic pets, used for fighting or kept as charms for their song by Indian, Chinese and Japanese people.

 

[Ystranc]

We get there in the end..

 

[Tengu]

No good.

I have no cricket and Dads cat wont get in it.

 

[Broch]

Ah, what you need is a little mechanical cricket, something that makes a cricket like noise. Then it would make a most splendid steam punk accessory

 

[Pattree]

Brass cricket is available as above.

Here