Matchbox Label
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.
Bengal matches are closer to a firework or sparkler rather than a match, in that they produce a relatively long-burning, coloured flame. The majority of labels for Bengal matches are produced using single colour printing on a variety of coloured paper.
Bengal matches are closer to a firework or sparkler rather than a match, in that they produce a relatively long-burning, coloured flame. The majority of labels for Bengal matches are produced using single colour printing on a variety of coloured paper.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Offset printed paper |
| Brief description | Matchbox label for ‘Sovereign Brand Bengal Matches’, Sivakasi, India, 20th century |
| Physical description | Matchbox label for ‘Sovereign Brand Bengal Matches’. To the left of the design is a black and pink medal depicting a man wielding a club whilst sitting on a rearing horse, with what appears to be a lion underneath. The date ‘1947’ is imprinted on the medal - the date of Indian independence. At the top of the label is the text ‘Sovereign Brand’ in pink on a black panel, with ‘Bengal Matches made by: Sivakasi. Matches Ltd.,’ below and ‘P.TCO’ in a diamond shape at the bottom resting on a thick black border. The whole design is enclosed within a thin black border. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Matchbox label depicting a medal |
| 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. Bengal matches are closer to a firework or sparkler rather than a match, in that they produce a relatively long-burning, coloured flame. The majority of labels for Bengal matches are produced using single colour printing on a variety of coloured paper. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.119-2012 |
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| Record created | January 8, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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