Last year, Dr Shubhangi Tambwekar from Bengaluru was looking for a way to preserve her daughter's matchbox collection. Her daughter, Arundhati, had died in a road accident in 2014, and Tambwekar wanted the collection to go to someone who would cherish it. When she researched online, she discovered Artonabox.
Shreya Katuri's Instagram account features images of 5,000 matchboxes. It spreads awareness, connects people, and offers a place for anecdotes and personal stories.
Matchbox labels intrigued Katuri, and it's no wonder, as they have an illustrious history and are intricately designed.
History of the matchbox
The process of generating fire was arduous until the invention of a friction match. After many years and experiments, the first phosphorus-based safety match was developed in Sweden in the late 19th century.
India imported matchboxes from Sweden and Japan before the First World War. In 1910, Japanese immigrants started making matches in what was then Calcutta. The locals learnt the skills, and a few match factories sprung up in the city.
The first sulphur match that ignited when struck on a rough surface was made in South India in 1923, and the first safety match as known today was made in 1932. Wimco started its operations as a unit of the multinational Swedish Match Company in 1924.
“Today, Wimco is the only recognised and established matchbox brand in India with a national presence. All others are small one-room set-ups in Sivakasi, South India," says Shahid Datawala, co-author of Matchbook, which looks at the whimsical nature of label art.
From function to design
As matchboxes became vital, the technique of designing labels developed over a period of 123 years (1827-1950). Its packaging became the prime factor for differentiation and competition.
Early labels contained the factory name and location or instructions on how to use them. The first pictorial label was produced in 1830 by N Jones & Co in England. The World Wars affected matchbox production and marketing, significantly impacting label patterns.
Widespread and frequent use of matchboxes made the labels conspicuous, adding visual appeal, distinct branding and encouraging sales.
In India, early labels with unfamiliar objects were replaced by images from Indian mythology, art, religion and architecture, explains Gautam Hemmady, a retired architect in Delhi who started collecting matchboxes in 2012.
The top space of the Indian matchbox was adorned by designs that included borders, gods and goddesses, brides, flowers fruit, animals and modes of transport.
The nationalist movement brought Gandhi and Bharat Mata (Mother India). Symbols of the flag, spinning wheel and pictures of nationalist leaders were illustrated until independence and replaced by maps, and the Ashok Chakra after independence.
Indian brand The Ship (1942), which still enjoys a strong market presence, has inspired imitations and several variations of its label - ‘Shib’, ‘Slip’, ‘Swip’, ‘Shipe’, ‘Shaan’, ‘Sharp’ and more.
“Most small brands have their own graphics”, says Datawala. In the tiny space, many things were fitted with smart-thinking and minute alterations.
Illustrations evolved with time, says Katuri. The liberalisation of the 1990s brought images of logos and brands. Ship or a Maruti car images were replaced by the Tata Nano, an Esteem car, or Delhi Metro indicating the change.
Logos, artwork and colour were envisaged and assembled like a product. "Matchbox design was not just making a matchbox, but a product you put into your pocket to use,” explains Datawala. Alterations of strike patterns, pictures and typography by artists created an identity for their own designs.
The collectors of the matchbox today
Phillumenists, or collectors of matchboxes, have been gathering labels for more than a century for personal reasons. For Hemmady, who has a huge collection and owns a matchbox label from 1893, it is all about history.
Imitations of the "New Ship" label intrigued Datawala. “I started noticing labels in shops, and on roads. These were copies of copies of copies.” He collected about 85 smart and intelligent variations of copies of Ship labels.
Warren Dotz, a pop culture historian from the US and author of Light of India: A Conflagration of Indian Matchbox Art, has an interest in "everyday label art that has gone unappreciated". It began when he found an Indian matchbox label titled "elephant love", while purchasing an advertising store display from a collectibles dealer in England, leading him to collect Indian labels from dealers all over the world and eventually write the book, featuring labels from the 1950s and 1960s.
Now, the humble match has remained the same in concept and construction. What evolved was a new form of art: label art with curious graphic and typographic elements.
"Someday, we hope to start a museum with matchbox designs combining Light of India and Art on a Box," says Dotz.
We'll have to wait and see if that idea catches fire.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Canada
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
- Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs
- Thursday 20 January: v England
- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
AIR
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Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
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6026 – Dh 200
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Grubtech
Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi
Launched: October 2019
Employees: 50
Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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