Matchbooks and Matchboxes

Parrot Safety-Match. Made in Sweden. Jönköpings & Vulcans Tändsticksfabriks T.F.A.B., Sweden.

"Engine Brand Safety Matches. Made in Sweden. Impregnated."

"Atomic Safety Matches, supplied to PO Eng Trading Manila P.I. by Hong Kong Match Factory, manufacturers." For other atomic ephemera, take a look over on Flickr to see Fire and Air Raid Signals / Survival Secrets for "A" Bombing and The Original Canned Radiation, Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania .

"Palmer's Roseine Matches. British made. J.P. & S. Trademark."

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is home to Punxsutawney Phil , the famous rodent who predicts the weather on Groundhog Day , which is celebrated each year on February 2. It's not surprising, then, that the Punxsutawney Beef and Provision Company used a Groundhog Day-themed logo. Notice that the groundhog on the matchbook cover is holding an umbrella and a newspaper with a "Weather For Today" headline. -------- "Pure kettle-rendered lard, Punxsutaweny Beef and Provision Company, Punxsutawney, Pa. Weather For Today. Close cover before striking." "Groundhog Brand ham, bacon, lard, and sausages. Punxsutawney, Pa. Punxsutawney Beef and Provision Company, packers-manufacturers, beef, pork, veal, lambs, provisions. Lion Match, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa."

To My Matchless Valentine Cupid's Matches. Warranted to kindle love's flame. Strike here. Tho' you may have set these all alight, My heart is safe you know; For that has been aflame for you Sweetheart, long long ago. -------- Miss Violet Glossenger, Cortez, Pa. Hello Violet, Your postal received and I thought I would answer it being so near to "Valentines Day." Have you had any sleighing over there? We have had a little bit. Well goodbye from that rascal of a Milton C.

"The Telephone Matches, special safety matches. Trade mark, made in Sweden. Average contents 60 matches per box." For some additional examples of matchbook labels, see below:

"Made in Poland."

"B. Fürth, Vienna. Made in Austria." Cupid uses a spyglass to peer down from his hot air balloon on this matchbox label.

"Solo Match. Made in Austria."

"Solo Match. Made in Austria."

"The Norge to the N. Pole. Safety matches. Made in Italy. S.A. Fabbriche Riunite Fiammiferi, Milano." According to Wikipedia , "The Norge was a semi-rigid Italian-built airship that carried out what many consider the first verified overflight of the North Pole on May 12, 1926. It was also the first aircraft to fly over the polar ice cap between Europe and America. The expedition was the brainchild of polar explorer and expedition leader Roald Amundsen, the airship's designer and pilot Umberto Nobile and American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth, who along with the Aero Club of Norway financed the trip." For more information, see Wikipedia's Norge (airship) article.

"Davidson Modern Movers. Agents: United Van Lines, Inc. Pre-planned moving in sanitized vans. Davidson. Fast motor freight. Proven dependability since 1896. 'Feature' matchbook. Pat. 1,839,845-6. Lion Match Co., Baltimore, Md." A die-cut matchbook cover.

"The Stag. Safety match. Made in Sweden."

"Admira. Kamera náročných. Meopta. Solo Lipnik." A Czechoslovakian matchbox label advertising the Admira movie camera manufactured by Meopta . Check out the illustrated list of movie cameras on the Meopta Virtual Museum site.

A Swedish matchbox label branded with the names of Argus , the multi-eyed giant of Greek mythology, and Vulcan , the Roman god of fire. "The Argus Vulcan Safety Matches. Made at Sidaholm, Sweden. Contents 60 matches."