About: Spill vase

A spill vase, or spill holder is a small cylindrical vase or wall-hanging vase for containing splints, spills, and tapers for transferring fire, for example to light a candle or pipe from a lit fire. From the documentary record, they probably date back to the 15th century, though the heyday of specially made vases is the 19th century. Spills are made of tightly rolled paper tapers or very thin wood sticks; spill vases are mostly made of pottery, including porcelain, but a variety of other materials were used, such as wood, iron, brass, or even wall paper. There are also some examples made in glass, although these are mostly limited to the 1840s-50s.