{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1259553"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1259553/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1259553","accessionNumber":"IS.126-2012","objectType":"Matchbox label","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"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.  \r\n\r\nNumerology is particularly popular in India, where certain numbers are considered lucky – 9 is seen as especially lucky, as well as any number combined into a series of three, such as this example, 999. Interestingly, 999 is the emergency number for the UK (and other countries), whereas in India it is 100 or 2611. ","physicalDescription":"Matchbox label for ‘999 Safety Matches’. The central image depicts a black diamond with a beige and black border with ‘999’ in the centre in beige, set against a blue ground. At the top of the design is ‘Safety Matches’ in beige with a black border in a curve, ‘Damp Proof’ in black below, ‘Regd No 111674’ underneath the diamond, ‘Price Re. 0-0-6‘ in the lower left hand corner, and ‘Carmegam Match Works Ellairampannai’ at the bottom. The whole design is enclosed within a thin black border. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printed paper","id":"x35201"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Offset printed paper","categories":[{"text":"Labels & packaging","id":"THES48927"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES406563"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Matchbox label","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"India","id":"x29790"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"20th century","earliest":"1900-01-01","latest":"1999-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"35","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"50","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Matchbox label for ‘999 Safety Matches’, Ellairampannai, India, 20th century","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Matchbox label depicting '999'","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"number symbolism","id":"AAT55870"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.126-2012"],"accessionNumberNum":"126","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":2012,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2013-01-08","availableToBook":true}}