Many people nowadays do not remember life before matches (including myself). How did one transfer a flame from a fireplace to a candle? you might ask.
The answer is that most people kept a supply of twisted long paper tapers or thin long strips of wood above the fireplace in a holder of some type. A popular place to store these papers, which were called “spills” was in a vase on the mantle.
Today, while browsing the Goodwill store, I found a pewter spill vase (or bud vase, perhaps). I will clean it after looking up instructions on pewter care and put it on my fireplace mantle (when it is finished- work commences in the next few months)!
Living Miss Marple 