I've found a few twins of these old cast iron boots, dating them to sometime between the 1850s and the late 1800s, when apparently they were commonly seen in saloons and cigar shops, where they functioned as match holders. I do rather love the vision of a series of them lined up along the bar in a lively saloon somewhere out west, serving up matches to cowboys! Especially fun with this pair is that the bolts that secure the boots to their iron base are just a bit loose, allowing one to position them not just face front but also swung out to the sides. It also seems that one could use these as candleholders--perhaps with a candle in one and matches in the other. Pretty fun.
3 1/4" tall x 3 1/4" wide and deep overall. There is a fair amount of wear and erosion to the surface of the cast iron, as pictured.
