STRIKING!
The clocks have gone back, the temperature has dipped and we are feeling very Hygge.
In acknowledgement of this change in the season, we’re honouring one of life’s most simple, yet important creations – the humble match.
Invented in 1844 the Safety Match was a game-changer. Previous match formulations contained white phosphorus that would ignite spontaneously and was highly toxic. Safety Matches require friction to generate the heat needed to initiate combustion, leading to the outer housing of the matchbox and its critical strike plate becoming as fundamental to the design as the match itself.
DESPITE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, WORLDWIDE IT IS THOUGHT THAT WE STILL USE OVER 500 BILLION MATCHES EACH YEAR.
The humble matchbox is probably one of the most iconic pieces of design and little changed since conception. A simple search will demonstrate a dazzling array of delightfully eye-catching brand graphics designed to sit upon a standard 2-inch diameter. Almost immediately people began to collect these tiny works of graphic art and Phillumeny (the collecting matchboxes, and other match-related items) evolved soon after the appearance of matches in the mid-19th century.
In true CCFC style, we’ve designed a matchbox that would comfortably grace the most decadent of homes. The dovetailed outer box is hand-crafted from Walnut and the playful strike plate is crafted from inlays of Birds Eye Maple & Red Tulip.
The decorative top graphic is a nod to the iconic designs and features our signature lion hallmark - skillfully realised by our marquetry specialists with a radial sunburst of straight grain walnut, inlayed with Black Walnut, Birds Eye Maple & Red Tulip banding.
For added fun, the inside base reveals a suite of matches, crafted from Straight Grain Oak, with Red Tulip tips, and if you look carefully, a single match has Black Walnut tip to emulate having been lit.
Our matchbox complements our Decorative Fire Screen - a piece of functional marquetry art created from naturally textured veneers. This design was also incorporated into a set of drawers that were gracing the space left by the removal of a fire in a townhouse, where the client wanted to maximise storage whilst adding a focal point back into the room.
