Cool Local Historic Match Safe - Frank Rieth (The Washington)

[Erik in NJ]

Found this a couple days ago on a local property I received permission to hunt. It's a match safe which advertises a local business that no longer exists. Was it a hotel?

I have not been able to find any information on this business other than a similar match safe (same bottom piece) with a flask top that I found in Warman's Tobacco Collectibles: An Identification and Price Guide. It appears that this match safe was silvered or silver plated. It cleaned up quite nicely with a bit of aluminum jelly.

 

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[ks coyote]

Very nice find. Should be some info on it somewhere.

 

[Erik in NJ]

I couldn't come up with much - let me know if anyone finds anything. Thanks.

 

[villagenut]

Frank must have been important enough to have his name engraved on several of these matchsafes.

Antique Match Vesta Holder Advertising The Washington Frank Rieth Paterson NJ | eBay

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thanks for finding that listing! That's the exact one that I have and is in better condition than mine....that one looks to be dug as well. Still trying to find out what "The Washington" was.

Frank must have been important enough to have his name engraved on several of these matchsafes.

Antique Match Vesta Holder Advertising The Washington Frank Rieth Paterson NJ | eBay

 

[cambria09]

Hello Eric in NJ. Nice find...you gotta be happy with one like that. See a Frank Rieth that was 77 in the 1940 census. Good luck. C9

Frank Rieth from Ward 11 Paterson in 1940 Census District 26-146

 

[Erik in NJ]

Here's the one I found in the book I mentioned. Appears to be the same bottom part with a different lid.

 

[hbeaton]

The phrase "The Washington" gives maybe three possibilities. A.) if this product was mass marketed or, more likely, regionally marketed and more than one example exists (as has been demonstrated already) this may have been the specific model for that type of match safe marketed by Rieth, etc. B.) A Phrase for a business in the area, like a hotel, as many hotels were simply called THE <insert hotel name here> or C.) The Washington Market which was incorporated in the early 1870s in Paterson and was used to cultivate local businesses across the board specifically in the area where 79 Broadway was/is located. Possible guess here is the combined group of businesses supported by "The" Washington Market and in that specific area become colloquially known as "The Washington" just like "The Bowery" or other examples of specific areas within a bigger area. The fact that 79 Broadway today is at the exact intersection with Washington Street is also a clue to the thinking behind the naming of that particular model of match safe.

While further info is needed, it probably will come down to "Rieth" either owning or being part of a business operating in that area that produced several goods but also match safes that were personalized with his name.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thanks C9! I found a couple Frank Rieths but it seems this one seems to fit the time frame quite well.

Thanks for finding that listing! That's the exact one that I have and is in better condition than mine....that one looks to be dug as well. Still trying to find out what "The Washington" was.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Good post, thanks! I've always thought of these match safes with the name of a business on them as a sort of advertising and assume they were given away or sold at a discount. There was a Frank Reith who appears to have been a confectioner, but it may have been this Frank's father or grandfather. The Washington doesn't sound like the name of a candy shop and the match safe shaped like a flask is also inscribed "The Washington" so I don't believe it's the model of match safe.

It should be very interesting to see if we can get to the bottom of this one.

The phrase "The Washington" gives maybe three possibilities. A.) if this product was mass marketed or, more likely, regionally marketed and more than one example exists (as has been demonstrated already) this may have been the specific model for that type of match safe marketed by Rieth, etc. B.) A Phrase for a business in the area, like a hotel, as many hotels were simply called THE <insert hotel name here> or C.) The Washington Market which was incorporated in the early 1870s in Paterson and was used to cultivate local businesses across the board specifically in the area where 79 Broadway was/is located. Possible guess here is the combined group of businesses supported by "The" Washington Market and in that specific area become colloquially known as "The Washington" just like "The Bowery" or other examples of specific areas within a bigger area. The fact that 79 Broadway today is at the exact intersection with Washington Street is also a clue to the thinking behind the naming of that particular model of match safe.

While further info is needed, it probably will come down to "Rieth" either owning or being part of a business operating in that area that produced several goods but also match safes that were personalized with his name.

 

[hbeaton]

Well then I might have help there...at the corner of Broadway and Washington during the late 1880s and published in a quarter century almanac of New Jersey's leading businesses at the time was the following. R.C. Hill, Caterer and Confectioner...started the business in 1865 and was very successful, in addition to the confections, possibly he made some other items including this match safe and/or Mr. Hill and one of the Rieths were in business together.



https://books.google.com/books?id=9....C. Hill paterson new jersey broadway&f=false

 

[RelicHunter97]

So I found a map from 1877 of Paterson, NJ, and indeed, the building at 79 Broadway was Washington Market! Nice find!

 

[Bramblefind]

Great find!

Frank Rieth is listed in the Paterson City Directories in the business sections c. 1897-1920 having a Saloon at that address.

In the 1900 census he is 38 years old. Listed as born in Germany, has a wife Annie, no children and his occupation is "Saloon Prop.".

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thank you hbeaton, RelicHunter97, Bamblefind! Been a while since I was on this forum last, but still a wonderful resource with a lot of knowledgeable people. I believe Frank (the saloon prop.) had a father also from Germany named Frank who was a confectioner. The dates of 1897 - 1920 fit in well with the other artifacts found near it: the two Burton Pierce Co (any ideas on the rings through the shank on both buttons?? Never seen this before, my research says ca. 1910) and a ca WW I Great Seal cuff button (ca. 1917). The saloon fits in well with the other similar flask shaped match safe depicted in the book. The bottom section is identical on both styles of match safe. One would think the name of the saloon would be above his name so I can only surmise the saloon may have been called "The Washington" or "The Washington Saloon." With his confectioner father with the same name it may have been that "Frank Rieth" was a somewhat well known name at the time.

I do like this find very much. In my first year of detecting (before Google was available) I found a very nice printing plate from a butcher on Market Street in Paterson with images of a chicken, a pig, and a cow...I'll have to see if I can dig that one out too since you guys are so good at procuring historic information.

 

[villagenut]

 

[villagenut]

Something else I notice on all three examples that support the idea that these were not Frank's personal pieces but production pieces(as most all agree on) is the fact that the Frank Rieth signature engravings are all machine made exactly the same, not by an engraving tool as one would think if you found only one example. Not sure if this point had been made or not.

 

[Erik in NJ]

True. I am convinced they were advertising pieces probably given away to promote his business. I know someone that found one that was advertising a company that produced potato planting equipment, but I don't believe it was a local business like Paterson is to me--I love this item because of the local connection. Even the title of the eBay auction seems to bear out an advertising piece of Mr. Rieth's "Antique match vesta holder advertising The Washington Frank Rieth Paterson NJ." I wonder how long the saloon was in business for or if we can determine the actual name of it.

 

[j.d. in the usa]

very cool find!!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thanks. It's definitely one of my favorite relic finds so far.

very cool find!!