Curious Old Brass Wood Splitting Man Folk Art Match Holder (?) wooden bases British and early 20th century

British and early 20th century I believe

and reaching their height of popularity in the mid-1800s

but I am pretty certain they are French

and even better with the other two

See photos

Curious Old Brass Wood Splitting Man Folk Art Match Holder (?) wooden bases British and early 20th centuryIt was suggested to me when I purchased this that it was a piece of trench art, and I think that it likely, with the canister made from a shell casing and the little chopping man cut from from some scrap. In any case, it's certainly it's own special folk art thing, and I really love this smiling but very focused looking fellow very intent on the task at hand, which looks to me to be splitting a piece of wood. Incised on both sides, and serving as a