Phillumeny - collecting matchboxes and matchbooks
News News blog
The matchbox consists of a drawer with a matching sleeve on which one or two rubbing surfaces are attached to the side. The box is usually made of cardboard, but they are also available in metal or plastic.
Matches used to be very common, especially among smokers, but with the advent of disposable lighters, they became less common. They were also used to light gas cookers and gas ovens, but automatic igniters are now available for this purpose.
In many cases, matchboxes and matchbooks also serve as attractive advertising media and have therefore become a sought-after object for collectors. Matchbooks offer more space for advertising and have the advantage that the matches are firmly in the packaging and cannot fall out as with matchboxes. However, the disadvantage is the smaller number of matches, which is unimportant as a mere collector's item.
