Featured Need help regarding utility of these figures.

hello all,

recently got those two Napoleonic figures in.
They are damaged, but there is a oddity about both.
What would have been the use of the hole on the top of their head.
They are 20 cm high.
Have a recipient at the back and one in their body.
Both do not communicate.

 

Spill vases maybe? Spill is like a taper used to light something (pipe, candle) with fire from a fireplace. These could have been on either side of a mantelpiece.

 

I'm for spill vases as well. Maybe long a long stick in the top and matches in the back. How deep are the head holes??

 

Definitely 19th C spill vases. The matches went behind, what went in the top of the head were rolled up papers so you could light multiple things with one match, or, once the fire was going, light the spill later on. Matches were expensive, so used with ecomony.

 

Fascinating.

 

There you go.

 

I wasn't talking about you, but the comment does apply to both.

 

Thanks a lot.
Makes sense!
The hole in the head could be as deep as the figure, a tooth pic goes in easily.