This beautiful glazed and crazed Apollinaris advertising match holder and striker is an inch larger in diameter than similar match strikers. Apollinaris is a German brand of mineral water which is still available for sale in Europe (and was on sale in the UK at the time the match striker was made) and the U.S. As beautiful as the cobalt blue is on this match striker, we don’t know why they bottled and marketed the mineral water in a green bottle until recently after Coca Cola purchased the company from Cadbury Schweppes.
This Apollinaris match striker was made by the firm of W. Wood & Co, as marked on the bottom. W.Wood & Co operated between 1873 and 1932, from the Albert Street Works in Burslem, Staffordshire. The mark on this striker dates the piece from between 1915 and 1932, a similar knot work mark but without the crown was used previously on pieces made between 1880 and 1915. In addition to the ornate crown, it contains the symbol of the County of Stafford, and was used by many of the potters from Stoke on Trent. The handsome three loop knot represents “the knot unites.”
This striker does not have ridges per se, it has a rough surface for strikes between the two bands. The ample sloped dish area allows for remnants of used matches to safely be placed after use.
We picked this rich piece of advertising, pub, and smoking memorabilia in the midwest at an estate auction.
Measurements: 4.5″ diameter x 3″ tall
