Featured Vintage toy figurine crown mark

Does anyone know what this is, Its about 2" high and made of some plastic or possibly some kind of stone material. My feeling is its more like a diecast toy or chess piece than an ornament but I may be wrong

 

Match holder, I think.

 

I agree - anchor

 

Yes, an Anchor.

 

As above, not a toy.

Debora

 

By the position of his hands, he may have been leaning a walking stick, too.
Could be for toothpicks or matches.

 

I think it looks more like porcelain bisque, cold painted than plastic. Look for porcelain objects with a blue anchor mark.

 

Spill holder.

 

It's so tiny, only 2 inches total height. Do you think that's big enough to be a spill holder?
Also it looks like the basket was made to be the match striker.

 

Ah, I'd missed that. In that matches makes sense.

 

your quite right I meant to say anchor not crown, its hard to read the mark has kind of soaked into the material. I'm pretty sure its not porcelain its smooth and dull and looks and feels and sounds like plastic but could maybe be some kind of soapstone. I'll go with match holder, there is a brand known as Chelsea pottery that uses an anchor mark but that doesn't come up with anything related. I'm wondering if he's meant to be a black man orginally that could help date him

 

I think it may date to the turn of the 20th c, and possibly a fairing? Dunno, but I like it.

 

Thanks all

 

Online there are anchor marks on soft paste porcelain on things like this from the 1700s, maybe could date from then

 

I wonder if matches were invented in the 1700s...?

 

It hasn't been confirmed as a match stick holder yet

 

How right you are. The only other idea I have is that it could be a salt cellar. Figural salt cellar, blackamoor... Those are the best descriptive keywords I can think of.

 

At ghat small size, could be for toothpicks.