Various matchbox labels from Gautam Hemmady's collection (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Collecting matchbox labels
While the matchbox is believed to have been invented in Sweden in the late 19th century as a utility item to safely ignite a flame, its packaging was soon given an attractive identity through a visual label to advertise its manufacturer or brand.
These colourful labels, like other printed ephemera of the time, became such an everyday part of life that some enthusiasts started collecting them, as they would postage stamps, coins or postcards.
Some Indian collectors of these labels, also called phillumenists, managed to preserve this unique heritage as a hobby. Gautam Hemmady is one such enthusiast whose large collection of matchbox labels is partly digitized and archived by Tasveer Ghar.
An architect by profession, Gautam started accumulating matchboxes and their labels late in life, in 2012. While purchasing samples for his collection, he enjoyed conversations with the paanwallas (betel-nut vendors who sell tobacco, cigarettes and allied items in India) who seemed to be totally aware of the differences between various match boxes. It is an unorganized industry that has been producing some very interesting folk or popular art, ranging from fairly crude to quite sophisticated.
Gautam Hemmady, excerpt from 'A Little Box of Lights' (c. 21st century) by Yousuf SaeedOriginal Source: youtube.com
Gautam Hemmady speaks
Labels from early period (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Early labels in India
The earliest matchboxes were largely imported by manufacturers from Europe about 130 years ago. They found in India a huge natural market that needed this very useful product. Thus, the earliest labels were in Swedish, German or Japanese, carrying mostly text and no images.
Initially, they did not incorporate images since they assumed such a useful product would sell in India regardless of any visual marker. But as competition increased among the various companies, they soon started looking at the visual symbols that would attract Indian buyers.
Early imported matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Labels imported into India
Matchboxes were initially imported into India from Sweden and Japan in early 20th century, followed by their local manufacturing in Bengal and South India. The diversity of visual and cultural symbols found in India helped in the depiction of a huge variety of images on them.
Early labels were coming to India from diverse regions such as Burma, Sweden, Japan, Belgium and Austria, many imported by Indian traders like A.M.Essabhoy, C.Abdoola & Co. and others based in Bombay and Calcutta.
Various matchbox labels from Gautam Hemmady's collection (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Making sense of the diversity
After acquiring several hundred thousand labels for his collection, Gautam struggled to make some sense out of them by classifying them according to the match manufacturer, time periods, regions, or even colour combinations, each time observing very different trends.
Much of Gautam’s collection has now been divided and placed in separate albums according to many themes such as Indian mythology, the freedom struggle, modern machines or animals and birds, among others.
This exhibit by Tasveer Ghar shows some samples from his large archive.
Hindu dieties and mythology on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Hindu mythology on labels
Religion and mythology provide among the most enduring symbols for Indian consumers and have been used on posters, calendars as well as product packaging. Matchbox labels too use icons of Hindu deities as well as tales from ancient mythology.
Many labels show deities and their names as they are known in local regions.
Gautam Buddha on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Buddha on the matchbox
Gautam Buddha, a popular figure or deity in India and other parts of the world, has often been depicted in a typical meditation posture on matchbox labels. Some labels featured in this collection have been manufactured in Japan and Hongkong, reflecting various art styles.
Ravi Varma's paintings on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artists and Raja Ravi VarmaOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Ravi Varma in a matchbox!
Artist Raja Ravi Varma's oleographs and religious posters were in vogue in India by the late 19th century, often being copied in other printed ephemera. Many of Varma’s paintings of Indian mythology were also printed on the matchbox labels, many even manufactured outside India.
It is interesting to note that many early matchbox labels with copies of Ravi Varma oleographs were printed in the same European locations where the artist's poster prints were made.
One may compare the original Ravi Varma painting of Shakuntala janam (right) with its rough copy made on a matchbox label (left).
Kings on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Kings and Queens
Portraits of kings, maharajas and royalty always fascinate Indians and have been liberally depicted in popular visual culture, including on the matchbox labels. Many of these kings have been shown donning their crowns, sitting on thrones or riding elephants etc.
India's freedom movement on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
India's freedom movement
When the matchbox industry took off in the early 20th century, the struggle for freedom from British rule also picked up steam, and became a dominant theme of all manner of popular visual imagery with icons such as Indian flag and the map of the emergent nation.
Many labels from 1940s use the map of India to illustrate the freedom movement.
See a related Tasveer Ghar essay by Sumathi Ramaswamy: Artful Mapping in Bazaar India
Mahatma Gandhi on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Gandhi in a matchbox!
Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most prominent leaders during the freedom struggle, has featured in matchbox labels in various ways such as the saint of Sabarmati (where his ashram was located), a vir ratna (brave pearl), or the fore-bearer of swadeshi (indigenous) products.
One label even shows Gandhi’s trademark cap. Bapu or Mahatma himself became a brand for matches.
Swadeshi or domestic products on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Swadeshi movement
Many matchbox labels represent India’s growing swadeshi (“one’s own”) movement favouring locally-made commodities ranging from cloth to matches. One especially notices the charkha or spinning wheel that became a popular icon of resistance to the British rule.
Many images in India’s popular visual culture, including on matchbox labels, show a woman with a charkha (spinning wheel), as spinning became popular thanks to Gandhi’s advocacy.
Mother India deity on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Mother India
The early 20th century saw the rise of both territorial nationalism and religious revivalism in India, giving rise to symbols like Bharat Mata (Mother India) in public visual discourse. Bharat Mata is often depicted on matchbox labels as a Hindu deity adorned with a crown.
Very often, Hind mata or mother India is shown with animals like an elephant or a tiger to associate it with power. The rising sun at the back symbolises an emerging free India.
Old buildings on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Heritage buildings
Pictures of old buildings or historical monuments such as palaces, forts, temples, and tombs feature a lot on matchbox labels as everyone can relate to them. These range from buildings like the Taj Mahal and the temples of Mahabalipuram to lighthouses and clock towers.
Clock towers were constructed at a central location in many Indian towns during the British rule to let the residents know the time and reach their work place on time.
Music on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Musical instruments
Images of musical instruments, music and dance dominate public life in India. While matchbox labels show some Western musical instruments, many others such as bamboo flute, the veena, the damru (pellet drum), and the conch shell etc. invoke Indian musical culture.
Dance on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Dancers
Dance postures, some of them from drawn from religious mythology, are also common on matchbox labels. Some labels feature the courtesan of India, while others feature foreign dancers.
Symbols on matchbox labels (c. 20th century) by Unknown artistsOriginal Source: Online archive by Tasveer Ghar
Symbols and icons
Besides images of specific categories, there are thousands of icons of everyday use which are depicted on matchbox labels. These could be anything from a moon-star and diamond to a playing card or a ship’s anchor, anything which ordinary buyers could remember easily.
The journey of these colourful labels continues into the next two parts of this exhibit revealing how they depict lives of all sorts besides an emerging new India.
Design and text by Yousuf Saeed.
Images scanned by Umang Sinha. Processing and metadata by Mariam Fatima and Sourav Roy. All images are from the collection of Gautam Hemmady archived at the Tasveer Ghar.
The digitization funded by the Anneliese Maier Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany, awarded to Sumathi Ramaswamy (2016-2021).
