Pottery Oxen Spill Vase

Rare Oriental ceramic spill vase formed as an oxen

Spills are made of tightly rolled paper tapers or very thin wood sticks and usually kept on the mantelpiece in a spill vase. Spills were used to transfer fire from the fireplace to candles, lamps, a pipe or a cigar.

Commercial matches, which first surfaced in England during the 1820s, were a relatively expensive commodity until the late 19th century, and a spill was, therefore, a more cost-effective solution.

W:25.5 D:16 H:12 cm