Ask any kid and even young adolescent in the developed countries if they know what “matches” look like, they would stare at you as if you come from an alien world. All they know is to turn on the switch on the electric range, or press the button on the microwave and the electric kettle. The closest to matches that they may have come across is the cigarette lighter, which dad uses for his cigarette or mom uses to light the candles on the birthday cake.
Yet matches were, and are still in less developed countries, a fundamental part of our lives when we were growing up in the 1950s Mauritius. Without matches we were as good as starved. Every kid then knew how to use matches and likely had naughtily played with them at every available occasion. It would terrify parents today if the children are to get their hand on them, if they do, half the neighbourhood would likely be on fire.
Typically matches come in a small rectangular box made of very thin layer of wood or cardboard. The match stick with its round iconic brownish or reddish head is struck against the sandy side of the matchbox, the friction sparks a fire that slowly burns the stick. As kids we often competed as who could hold the lighted matchstick longer to the very end. Burned fingers were common occurrences and were marks of bravery or stupidity depending on one’s view. It delighted us enormously to see the matchstick burn and contort into charcoal under the heat of the flame.
Matches An Essential During Our Time
Another version is the matchbook, a cardboard folder of matches with a striking surface on one side. Inside the folder are two to three layers of matchsticks, typically 20 to 30, to tear out and strike.
Matchbook Great Medium For Advertising Businesses
As kids, we also used to play with matches. It was a simple game. We threw a handful of matchsticks on the floor, each laying flat and not on top of another. Then with another stick, we would flip each stick so that it came to rest on top of another and we earned both sticks. If we missed, it was the other player’s turn, until all the sticks were accounted for. Simple game but fun and requires some brain work and skill.
Then we found use for the matchbox, as a protective head cover for our toothbrush or as a container to keep our new catch of “mouche jaune” (yellow bee).
Mouche Jaune (Yellow Bee) Our Prize Catch Which We Kept In Matchbox.
For a long time since the early 1900’s matches were a very popular, cheap and effective medium of advertising for businesses, be it a mom and pop store or a national corporation. Every hotel, restaurant and shop had their own matchbox or matchbook, with their name and logo prominently imprinted on them. They were free giveaway. The company that first developed advertising matchbooks called their matches the “20 Little Salesmen”. Some matchbooks had ingenious designs with the matchsticks taking the shape of the products being advertised, example the shape of a beer bottle or the shape of a sexy entertaining girl. Whenever I travelled I always tried to collect the matchbox to the extent that I had accumulated several hundreds. From time to time I would take them out and look at them, reminiscent of the places that I had been. When I moved from Hong Kong to Canada I took them along, thereafter I realized how dangerous these matches could be when transported by air and even when kept at home. I consequently disposed of them.
Matchbox Collection A Great Way To Reminiscent Your Past
Matchbook With Ingenious Design
In 1971, I was sent to Outward Bound School in Hong Kong by my employer for personal development. One of the programmes required that every participant spent two nights and three days on one of the many islands of the beautiful Sai Kung Peninsula. We were left there alone “solo”, each one on a separate island, with a limited supply of canned food and rice and a matchbox containing only a few matchsticks. If the weather was great it would be a delight to light a small fire and cook and enjoy the food in the tranquility of the place. Unfortunately it was pouring wet and my matchbox was dampened and became useless, leaving me eating cold food. That was how important a matchstick could be.
Sai Kung Peninsula Hong Kong
The gas cigarette lighter ultimately replaced the matchbox and as Companies competed for the lighter market we saw a variety of shape and style lighters, solid gold and diamond studded or just plain disposable plastic casing, ranging from a couple of dollars to thousand of dollars apiece. During the heyday when smoking was “cool”, cigarette lighter became a fashion, a trend, just like jewellery, and every smoker, gentlemen and ladies, carried one in their pocket or purse. People were judged by the lighter they carried and every one tried to own one of the famous brand lighters such as Ronson, Dunhill and Dupont. Dupont lighter was a favourite because of its famous crystal clear ring when the lighter cap was opened. Many heads did turn with each ring.
Disposable Gas Cigarette Lighter
Every One Wants This Iconic Dupont Lighter With Its Famous Crystal Clear Ring