Within the matchbook collecting community, common covers sell between 10 and 20 cents. Trading is the principal means of exchange among collectors. A “local” cover or desirable art form (pin-up) and subject, such as beer, often results in a higher asking price. At flea markets and shows, matchbooks have asking prices between $1.00 and $5.00 for common pieces. As a result, they often are sold in large lots. Matchbooks generally had large production runs. These matchbooks are classified as “girlies.” Marilyn Monroe was an early model for some of this art. Sports heroes series followed.įamous pinup artists such as Ed Moran, George Petty, Alberto Vargas produced art for matchbooks from the 1930s through the 1950s. Over the years, Diamond issued covers for hundreds of celebrities from movies, popular nightlife, and radio. In 1932, Diamond produced its first set of movie star matchbooks. Matchbook collectors work diligently to compile complete sets. Beginning in the mid-1930s, special albums were created to hold matchbook. The modern craze for collecting matchbooks was started by a set of 10 covers issued for the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago. Because of this, these early covers have a strong value. The 20-strike, 30-strike, and 40-strike are the most common sizes.įew covers survive from the late 1890s through the 1930s period. Matchbooks come in a wide variety of sizes. The exception are specialty imprinted matches or die cut matches. Most matchbook collectors remove the matches. Advertising, advertising product, art, chronological, illustrator, issuers such as motels and restaurants, local and regional, manufacturer, and topic/subject matter are just some of collecting themes that apply to every matchbook. As a result, the perceived value of a matchbook changes depending on the collectors. There are multiple collectors for every matchbook. The Rathkamp Matchcover Society, the voice of the hobby, had members in over 20 countries. Matchbook collectors are known as phillumenists. The company’s box labels set the standard for the industry.Įarly chromatic designs quickly gave way to colorful design that mirrored the change of artistic tastes over time. Along with his brother Carl, Lundström established the first match factory. Edvard Lundström, a Swedish chemist, created the safety match. John Walker, an English chemist from Stoke-on-Trent, perfected the friction match. Henning Brandt, a Hamburg, German chemist, created the first friction match in 1669. Matchboxes originated in China around 950 A.D. The rest of the world remains loyal to matchboxes. As a result, matchbooks are no longer are an attractive free giveaway premium. Manufacturing costs of a matchbook today average around 10 cents for a special die cut cover. The decline continued into the 21st century. By the 1980s, the matchbook industry was suffering from high labor costs, overseas competition, and anti-smoking campaigns. The arrival of the throw-away lighters, such as BIC, brought an end to the matchbook era. A few early matchbooks had the striker inside. In 1973, federal legislation mandated that the striker be moved from the front of the matchbook to the back. Principal manufacturers included Atlas Match, Brown and Bigelow, Crown Match, Diamond Match, Lion Match, Ohio Match, and Universal Match. The Golden Age of matchbooks was the mid-1940s through the early 1960s when the covers were an important advertising medium. Traute also is credited with creating the phrase “Close Cover Before Striking.” Traute, a young salesman for Diamond Match, secured an order for 10 million matchbooks from the Pabst Brewing Company. Kaeser & Blair, a manufacturer of advertising and novelty products, claims it produced the first matchbook, albeit may have only done the printing for the cover. The only surviving cover is now owned by the Diamond Match Company, who incidentally sued the Binghamton Match Company and put them out of business. ![]() The first-commercially printed matchbook was made by the Binghamton Match Company, Binghamton, New York, for the Piso Company of Warren, Pennsylvania in 1893/1894. Some sources claim the purchase was in 1894. The Diamond Match Company purchased the patent rights in 1896. Two hundred were sold to the Mendelson Opera Company, who, in turn, printed messages on the front. In 1892, Pusey put 10 cardboard matches into a cover of plain white board. The book match was invented by Joshua Pusey, a Philadelphia lawyer who also was a chemist in his spare time.
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