Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a tremendously-constructed British tinder box constructed of silver-plated copper, with the interior being just silver, with the usual tarnishing visible. There is a Colonial King George III Coin embedded on the center of the lid. The color of this piece is just beautiful and it has aged very well. The year for the coin would be on the reverse so it’s not much help in dating the piece.
The silver plating on the copper is heavily worn but it’s given way for a tremendous patina. The tinder box measures 3 x 1¾ x 1”. There aren’t any markings to be found on the box but it is extremely similar to other examples from the period, and its crude details definitely date it. Given its rich construction, this likely belonged to a British officer in the Colonies or even a well-off British citizen.
Carried by trappers, traders, soldiers, and frontiersmen and used to hold anything from fire starting supplies to pipe tobacco, tinder boxes were common possessions in the colonies. This is a great piece of Revolutionary War era history ready for further research and display!