includes advertising, 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, horse and rider and more....Vesta cases are small portable boxes used to keep matches dry. They are made from precious and non-precious metals. The purpose of the vesta case is also to prevent the matches from igniting. Usually the base of the vesta case has a serrated edge, known as the striker. The vestas (matches) are dragged across the striker to ignite them. There are three main types of vesta cases. The most popular being the portable pocket vestas. Some pocket vestas have a bale near the hinge so that they can be suspended from an Albert chain. Table or mounted vestas would keep the matches safe around the house. During these times a candle would light the way to bed and so another type of vesta was named the go to bed vesta. These were often attached to a candlestick holder.Not all vesta cases are box shaped. Novelty vesta cases in the shape of boots, horseshoes, suitcases, books, people, animal heads, birds and even pigs proved as popular back in the day as they are in the 21st century.