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Match cover albums

Creation: 1954-1970
 Collection
Accession: 2015-295

Abstract

Match cover or a matchbook cover is a thin piece of cardboard that is folded around a set of match sticks. Chemist, John Walker (1781-1859) invented the match stick in 1827. Joshua Pusey (1842-1906?), an inventor and attorney patented matchbook covers in 1892. Within a short time hotels, restaurants, airlines, and all kinds of stores began advertising using matchbook covers. This collection is eight volumes of matchbook covers, each volume contains approximately 330-570 matchbooks. The matchbooks are graphic advertisements for various businesses, services, or products. The industries most represented are hotels, restaurants, clubs, and bars. There are a large amount of matchbooks from banks/insurance companies, automobile companies, airlines, food stores, drug stores, clothing stores, among others.

Dates

  • Creation: 1954-1970

Creator

  • Unknown (Collector, Organization)

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet

General Physical Description

8 albums containing approx. 3,470 matchbook covers. The contents have been removed from the albums for preservation. One album cover has been retained.

Historical Note

Match cover or a matchbook cover is a thin piece of cardboard that is folded around a set of match sticks. Chemist, John Walker (1781-1859) invented the match stick in 1827. Joshua Pusey (1842-1906?), an inventor and attorney patented matchbook covers in 1892. The largest manufacturer of matches at the time was the Diamond Match Company which purchased the patent in 1894.

Some of the earliest adopters of advertising on matchbook covers are the Mendelson Opera Company and Pabst Brewing Company. Within a short time hotels, restaurants, airlines, and all kinds of stores began advertising using matchbook covers. The 1940s through the 1950s are considered the golden age for matchbooks. The match industry began to decline during the mid-1980s/early 1990s as anti-smoking campaigns, disposable lighters, and high labor costs began to rise.

Matchbook cover collecting was a hobby akin to stamp or coin collecting. The official term for match cover collecting is Phillumeny.

Scope and Content

This collection is eight volumes of matchbook covers, each volume contains approximately 330 to 570 matchbooks. The matchbooks are graphic advertisements for various businesses, services, or products. The industries most represented are hotels, restaurants, clubs, and bars. There are a large amount of matchbooks from banks/insurance companies, automobile companies, airlines, food stores, drug stores, clothing stores, gas, oil and coal companies, bowling lanes, State and National Parks, amusement parks, vending machine companies, cigar/cigarette companies, television channels and radio stations. The matchcovers are produced by a number of different companies including: the Universal Match Corp., Diamond Match Co., Lion Match Co., Maryland Match Co., Match Corp. of America, Columbia Match Co., Superior-Match Co., American Match Co., and Monarch Match Company.

There are season's greetings/holiday themed covers primarily for Christmas, and at least one for New Years. Also of note are series of covers depicting Canadian provinces, various countries, war bonds and stamps, Capitol scenes, and Space Age USA. There are also group of covers of birds, flowers, gemstones, cartoons, card decks graphics, "Thank you"; humours covers; "Draw Me" contest; cocktail recipes, and educational advertisements. Additionally there are match covers for the candidates of the 1965 elections. Of particular note are single covers for the New York Rangers, Washington Redskins, New York Yankee Joe Di Maggio, the New York World's Fair (1964-1965), the Arizona State Fair 1964 and the United Nations.

The albums were labeled with volume numbers. There is no discernable order of the matchbooks within the albums, original order has been maintained. There are some groups of match covers on a certain theme or produced by the same company that are displayed together within an album. The volumes are listed in order and highlights of each volume is listed; the list is not comprehensive. This collection would be of particular interest in those researching package design, advertising, or cover art.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Language of Materials

English

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
Match cover albums
Author:
Laurie Rizzo
Date:
2015
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Audiovisual Collections Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400