Topic: Percival & Yates Rd. 46789 dated 5th November 1847.

[Paul S.]

This one is for anyone who might have a particular interest in P. & Y. early Registrations, and it's described as a 'Glass Match Box - at least that's what the wording appears to say  -  quite early so we may not have seen one in the flesh so to speak, and as usual no idea of size.
It didn't occur to me that we might already have a picture, so hope I haven't doubled up  -  no doubt Fred will let me know, and my thanks as always to the Trustees and Directors at The National Archives for their continued help with permission for all of the images of Registrations.

[agincourt17]

Thank you, Paul.

I haven't seen this design representation before and, although it is described on Neil's Manchester Glass site at
https://sites.google.com/site/molwebbhistory/Home/registered-designs/percival-vickers-designs-by-date/percival-vickers-1847-1848 ,
there are no images.

I will add your pic to the GMB RD database later today.

Fred.

[Paul S.]

thanks Fred......    well, you learn something new all the time on this very informative forum.

I played chess with my sons when they were young, but don't recall using the word rook, which apparently is borrowed from the Persian 'rokh'  -  although I have heard of the word before.             Probably being philistines, I think we called that piece a castle, although it seems this "is considered informal, incorrect, or old-fashioned"  ..........   well, always knew I was old fashioned - but I'd certainly agree with Neil that the shape does make you think of a chess rook/castle.

I can't quite visualize the workings of this piece , so unsure if this is supposed to be a form of combined match box/striker or just a box as the description says  -  it doesn't have the usual granulated looking surface of a striker  -  whether there is a removable top I'm unsure, and there must be a purpose to that channel/slot on the very top.        At the time of this Registration, smokers carried vesta cases/boxes, although have an idea that the non-safety match was unpredictable and they could even combust by rubbing against each other, so there were such things as safety cases/box for matches, whatever they were.     

 I suspect this is a rare item  -  doesn't look as tho anyone has found one, at least not in recent times.

[KevinH]

Chess ... and the Rook / Castle ...

I think we called that piece a castle, although it seems this "is considered informal, incorrect, or old-fashioned"  ..........

But presumably the people who think "Castle" is incorrect or old fashioned, still use the term "Castling" - as opposed to an unlikely alternative of "Rooking" - for the move whereby the King is neatly hidden behind the Castle in a two-part single move.

[Paul S.]

I agree  -  certainly it sounds better to say castling than rooking  ..........   the latter makes me think you're about to rob someone...

[flying free]

That's nice ... and interesting.  Without the description, had it been found, it's possible the owner would never have known what it was for.
m

[neilh]

Still on sale in the 1881 catalogue, never seen a live one though

[Paul S.]

thanks Neil  ...............   obviously a very long run then which makes it intriguing that no one appears to have seen the real thing.        I'm now thinking that the slot in the top finial may well be decorative only - if it exists at all...........   seems to be absent from the catalogue picture.

[nigelbenson]

It doesn't appear in the Percival Vickers & Co Ltd., Flint Glass Supplementary Catalogue, 1893.

Nigel