Silver, Victorian Furniture, Murano Glass & Beswick Pottery Auction | Studio Ceramics & Antiques
Lot 567: An Assortment of Vintage Matchboxes, Matchbooks, and Related Phillumonist Ephemera
This is a large collection of vintage phillumeny and ephemeral items, primarily dating from the mid-20th century, housed within five separate containers. The collection includes a wide variety of matchboxes, folded matchbooks, and small advertising tins. Two plastic utility tubs contain an assortment of matchboxes featuring brand names such as Mace, Falcon, Guild Hall, Tulip, Fire King, and Mascot, along with examples by Bryant & May. A cardboard box contains a dense collection of folded matchbooks, with visible titles including British Made The Turkey Match, Capt Webb, and Blue Cross. A large green metal tin with a hinged lid houses additional match-related items, a circular Gilde-Bräu Hannover beer mat, and a black-and-white photograph of St. Dennis Parish Church in Cornwall pasted to the interior of the lid. A smaller brown metal tin is embossed with the markings W.D. & H.O. Wills Gold Flake. The collection demonstrates a strong regional connection to the West Country of England, featuring local brands such as Devenish and Devon Pale Ale. One container bears an auction lot label from Liskeard Auction Rooms numbered 567.
Condition report:
The collection is in a varied state of preservation, generally ranging from fair to good. Many of the matchboxes and matchbooks show typical age-related wear, including scuffing to the edges, minor crushing, and wear to the chemical striking surfaces. The metal tins exhibit significant surface wear, including paint loss, scratches, and areas of oxidation and surface rust consistent with age. The plastic and cardboard containers show standard signs of handling. The collection is sold as found and has not been individually inspected for match content or completeness.
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