Ww1 brass german matchbox holder?

**moaning minnie** · 07-01-2012, 09:49 PM

hi good forum members please can you take a look and tell me what you think regarding authenticity,ww1 german brass matchbox holder,cheers dave.

**gel65** · 07-02-2012, 04:00 AM

The is authentic but I have no idea what unit or whatever would have used this
Sean F

**Wagriff** · 07-02-2012, 05:26 AM

It doesn't look period-I'd say that it's an aged modern piece. I've never seen one with this design.

**Glenn66** · 07-02-2012, 11:30 AM

Can't say i'm a fan of it either, it looks kind of 'hokey'.

Sean, on what grounds do you base your endorsement of this piece?

**big ned** · 07-02-2012, 12:01 PM

I've seen this exact match safe before at a reputable auction house. That doesn't make it genuine I know, but I believe they were period made by French companies as trinkets for troops.

Genuine trench made items nearly always have the central disc of an army belt with 'Gott Mit Uns' soldered onto the front. Also British ones are often found with a regimental cap badge soldered onto them.

BTW Dave, does it have an embossed scroll on the spine with 'Souvenir Du France' stamped on it? The one I saw did.

A difficult call IMO, perhaps someone on a specialised trench art or tobaccoriana forum can be of more help?

Regards, Ned.

**Gustaf B** · 07-03-2012, 04:18 PM

Ned pretty much has this one right, this is not a German item, it is a post war souvenir, sold to allied troops. The real German match safes are nearly all made of steel, as brass was in very short supply, by 1915, the Germans had stopped making brass decorations, the M1895 Pickelhaube was replace by the M1915 version, with steel fittings instead of brass, due to the shortage, the M1915 steel buckle replaced the earlier brass one as well.
Best
Gus