VICTORIAN ENGRAVED VESTA BOX WITH FOB MEDAL

A Victorian Vesta box hung with a fob medal on silver chains.

Vesta boxes were produced extensively between 1890 - 1920. During this period, almost everyone carried Vesta ‘strike anywhere matches’, so they could light stoves, lanterns and other devices. Early matches were unreliable and prone to ignite from rubbing on one another or spontaneously, so most people carried a match safe (Vesta box) to house their matches. These were either held in a vest pocket or hung on a chatelaine.

The well-dressed Victorian male followed a strict dress code that included only understated and essential functional jewelry items - a gentleman’s watch chain was one of the last areas of personal expression allowed by a restrained society. The end of the chain with the crossbar was inserted into the buttonhole and the watch was placed into the vest pocket. 

The fob was invented to make retrieving a pocket watch easier - this piece was usually a medal or crest that would hang over the front of the pocket and was anchored to the watch chain via a short chain or ribbon.

Flew Designs is the brand founded by local Melbourne-based jeweler and sculptor, Susie Lewis.