This was of my favorite finds from my road trip this summer, which I found in Kansas City, Missouri, purchased from a dealer with a treasure trove of fabulous things, many of which he wouldn't part with. I finally coaxed him into selling me this one, which I find just about a perfect object, and which I had to hold on to for a bit to enjoy. Carved of marble and weighing about 6 1/2 pounds, it's an oversized match striker, with "Scratch" carved in cursive letters along one side. "Strike" might have made at least as much sense as a choice of word, but how much juicier and more evocative the "Scratch" makes it, describing the process of carving it and even more so implying the itch that is scratched by striking a match and lighting whatever one might light with it! And it appears that the long rectangle of vertical lines carved into the top were scratched quite a lot, worn down in spots but with plenty of texture to make it useful as a match striker still. Love love love.

Late 19th c. I believe. 6 1/2” x 5” x 2".  6 lb 9 oz. Wear all over, all to the good I think.