Matchbox Label
20th century (made), 20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Indian matchbox covers form part of India’s vibrant popular visual culture. These small boxes, sold for a few pence, are bold and colourful, some simple and naïve, others more complex and detailed. The images range from gods and goddesses, women, flowers, fruits, monuments, transport, tools, consumer goods and more. Successful covers are continuously copied and there can be endless variations of one particular image produced by rival companies. Many covers have a ‘retro’ feel about them because of this copying process, this also makes them difficult to date. Despite their ephemeral nature, they can convey historical, political and social information. Matchbox art dates back to the 1920s when India began producing its own matches from factories in Calcutta in Bengal and Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu. Prior to this, matches were imported from Europe, mainly Sweden, and Japan. Early images reflect themes of nationalism while more recent images include planes, motorcycles and trucks.
Fishing in India is now a major industry and has a long history with reference to a fishing culture as early as 300 BC.
Fishing in India is now a major industry and has a long history with reference to a fishing culture as early as 300 BC.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Offset printed paper |
| Brief description | Matchbox label for 'Fish Biri' Matches, India, 20th century |
| Physical description | Matchbox label for ‘Fish Biri’ matches. ‘Biri’ in Hindi means beedi, or a thin, South Asian cigarette. The central image depicts a fish in green and red on a yellow ground. There is a thin green border surrounding the central design. The words ‘Fish Biri’ are in red text on a white banner above the fish, while ‘The Central Provinces Biri Co.’ is in red text on a white panel below the fish. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Matchbox label depicting a fish |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Indian matchbox covers form part of India’s vibrant popular visual culture. These small boxes, sold for a few pence, are bold and colourful, some simple and naïve, others more complex and detailed. The images range from gods and goddesses, women, flowers, fruits, monuments, transport, tools, consumer goods and more. Successful covers are continuously copied and there can be endless variations of one particular image produced by rival companies. Many covers have a ‘retro’ feel about them because of this copying process, this also makes them difficult to date. Despite their ephemeral nature, they can convey historical, political and social information. Matchbox art dates back to the 1920s when India began producing its own matches from factories in Calcutta in Bengal and Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu. Prior to this, matches were imported from Europe, mainly Sweden, and Japan. Early images reflect themes of nationalism while more recent images include planes, motorcycles and trucks. Fishing in India is now a major industry and has a long history with reference to a fishing culture as early as 300 BC. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.44-2012 |
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| Record created | November 19, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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