Original 1901 Pan American Exposition Amber Satin Glass Buffalo Match Holder

Description

Offered here is an original amber satin glass figural match holder/ strike from the Pan American Expostion held in Buffalo, New York.  The match holder measures just over 2 3/4" tall, and about 4 1/8" long. The holder is in beautiful condition, seemingly never used. The rough grass in the back doubles as the striking surface for the match. There is a small area on the rim of the base which looks like a small chip, but the satin finish covers even this area, so it may just be a flaw in the manufacturing. The small round sticker on the bottom has an inventory number from the New England glass museum which closed some years ago, and from which this piece was deaccessioned. A rare match strike and a great World's Fair item.
(see all photos)
Offered with no hidd
en reserve and a low starting bid. Buyer to pay Priority post and insurance. (8.00)  Combined post on multiple purchases.  Three-day inspection/ return on all items I offer if not as described.  US shipping only.   Thanks.
The Pan-American Exposition was a World’s Fair held in Buffalo, New York, from May 1,
1901, through November 2, 1901. 3,500 exhibitors along with 8 million visitors from all over the world were at the Exposition which occupied 350 acres of land. Admission tickets for this event were 25 cents each. The exhibits displayed beautiful and interesting wares, including the debut of the first X-ray machine. Many activities were also held at the Fair. In fact,T William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, attended the Exposition and on September 6, 1901, gave a speech to a crowd of 50 people on the fairgrounds. After his speech, while in a receiving line, President McKinley was shot twice by an anarchist assassin, Leon Czolgosz. The President lingered for 9 days, passing away on September 14, 1901. Just think of all the history surrounding this Exposition and of all the toothpick/match holders in our collections that were souvenired at the Fair. The Pan-American Buffalo is one of these items. This holder is shown in Bill Heacock’s “The Glass Collector,” Issue #6, page 25, item #6. Heacock lists the Buffalo as “previously unlisted in glass literature.” He classifies it as a “paperweight/clip holder,” but since it has strikers on the sides, I would say it is a match holder which could also be used for toothpicks. The Buffalo is embossed on the side, “Pan-American Exposition . Buffalo, N.Y 1901.” It measures 2 3/4” tall, 2” wide, 4” long and 1 3/4” deep.
National Glass Company built a small factory on the fairgrounds of the Exposition and made
much of the glassware, but not all of the items were made there; therefore, it would be a guess
that National made the Pan-American Buffalo, but that has not been confirmed. Shown in the
photos are examples in Amber, Clear, Cobalt Blue and Emerald Green.
This holder is rare and hard to find. It certainly makes an excellent conversation piece.