Antique Black Forest 9" Bear, a Match, Spill or Cigar Holder, Inkwell? c. 1860 dishes English Country Manor

English Country Manor

itself a work of art

an ornate reticulated tableau on each with canted sides

It is a rather unique handling I have not run across before this one

Antique Black Forest 9" Bear, a Match, Spill or Cigar Holder, Inkwell? c. 1860 dishes English Country ManorAntique 19th century hand carved Black Forest (Swiss German) carved bear, either originally to hold matches and rolled paper "spills" which were tools used routinely to light fires, hearth, candles. The long rolled paper wands of sorts would give an extension to the time it takes to move fire between candles of an evening, or to start a warming fire or cook stove. This bear's open log upon which he sits would have been where those rolled papers were