✅ SOLVED Ashtray? Train related?

[Rmeav8r]

Not dug but found in an old shed with early train/railroad related items. It's hinged and cast meta. Looks like it was mounted or hung on a vertical surface. Patent dates March 12, 1863 - Sep 21, 1869. Ideas on age or origin?
Looks to me like an ashtray, but I hate to go assumptions.
Thanks!

 

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[The Rebel]

Nice find. As the bottom is crosshatched, I'm thinking a match safe.

 

[pepperj]

Nice find. As the bottom is crosshatched, I'm thinking a match safe.

That's what I was thinking as well.
Very nice one at that.

 

[Older The Better]

Working this out aloud… so you’re saying it’s a match safe as In it was mounted to whatever through the two holes and you could reach in grab a match and use the crosshatched bottom to strike it? Obviously I know nothing about match safes.

 

[AU Seeker]

Nice find. As the bottom is crosshatched, I'm thinking a match safe.

I agree.
Here's one exactly the same as your's but with a earlier patent date that recently sold on ebay.

Vintage Cast Iron Match Safe Holder HUNTING Dog Theme Wall Mount | eBay

Very nice hunting dog cast iron match holder. Striker surface on the bottom looks unused.

www.ebay.com

 

[Rmeav8r]

All right! I wasn't even thinking match safe, but that is looking like a positive ID. Thanks to all!

 

[Red-Coat]

Cool design.

Match safe it is. Invented by Russel Frisbie of Cromwell, Connecticut and filed for J and E Stephens & Company, also of Cromwell. The later of the two patents is for an improvement to the hinges.



From 1861 onwards, US design patents were valid for a maximum of 17 years from date of issuance, so your safe will have been made sometime between 1869-1886

 

[Rmeav8r]

That's awesome! Thanks for the excellent research.