Friday.

This is the Mystery Object with the lid removed. It is, of course, a wall hanging tinder box. As Kippy (a new commenter to this blog)  and Crowbard spotted, it is Welsh. Kippy also got the date and purpose right, although I'd have judged it to be a little earlier (circa 1790 to 1820), and knew that it was for storing matches and possibly tapers.  Maggie and Crowbard also got the purpose roughly right.  I show it as I purchased it - with a large fire steel, which had been made from an old file, and a couple of chunks of flint (one very well worn and chipped, the other with sharp edges which strike a nice spark from the steel despite the steel being very worn) inside it. I think the top compartment would originally have held all the fire making kit, i.e. flint, steel, tinder, and sulphur splints. The lower compartment would have been the 'hearth', and is fire blackened inside, and indeed still smells faintly of wood smoke.

I am guessing that Kippy is either a dealer in, or a collector of, early treen items (?)  in view of  his exact and detailed knowledge of this item.  And, of course, if I were awarding points for the most entertaining and unlikely suggestions regarding these mystery items, Rog  gets an honourable mention, as always.