Vintage 1930s Bisque Skull on Book Match Holder Japan Halloween Macabre 2.7” For Sale

*Rare Antique 1930s Bisque Porcelain Skull on Book Match Holder & Candle Well**

**Pre-War Art Deco Memento Mori Halloween Novelty — Made in Japan**

Up for sale is a wonderfully rare, highly collectible piece of pre-war Halloween and tobacciana history: an original 1920s–1930s figural bisque porcelain skull atop a book match safe. Hand-painted and manufactured in Japan, this macabre piece is styled beautifully in the classic Art Deco Memento Mori genre.

This is the highly desirable solid-cast variety, where the skull and lower jaw are molded as a single, sturdy piece of porcelain fused directly to the book stack—offering fantastic structural stability with no fragile moving wires! The top of the skull features a built-in hollow basin designed historically to hold matchsticks, and functions perfectly today as a striking holder for short taper candles or toothpicks.

**Item Details:**

* Country of Origin: Japan (Pre-WWII Clear Export Stamp on Base)

* Production Era: Circa 1920s - 1930s Art Deco Era

* Material: Un-glazed Matte Bisque Porcelain

* Design: Human Skull Featuring Detailed Shading Resting on a Red Book

* Height: 2.77 inches

* Width: 2.24 inches

**Condition Report:**

Outstanding pristine antique condition! The molded details are sharp, featuring crisp factory-applied black accent lining inside the hollow eye sockets and teeth. The amber-orange loop pattern winding around the cranium and temples is a smooth, authentic factory-applied paint wash highlighting original hand-painted accents—not a repair or a re-glue. Completely structurally sound with no cracks, chips, or post-production restoration work. Shows typical, authentic light surface paint wear along the edges of the book covers as shown. A phenomenal, character-rich addition to any advanced oddities, Halloween, or vintage barware collection! Sold strictly as-is.