An Introduction
This is the first example taken from essarem’s collection of some twenty or so found matchboxes picked up off the streets of Hong Kong and Kowloon during 1966. The Gau Lung brand was chosen to open this presentation since it is present in the collection in all three of the sizes of matchbox commonly available at the time. The largest size, often seen in the household situation, would have been used in such domestic applications as that of lighting gas stoves. The smallest, most portable size, might most likely be seen discarded on the street, its contents having been used up in the common, repetitive practice of lighting cigarettes. Since this collection has been largely assembled from discarded boxes opportunistically picked up off the streets, most of the examples are of this smallest size.
The largest size measures 55mm x 35mm x 15mm (deep); the medium size measures 45mm x 30mm x 10mm (deep); and the smallest size measures 45mm x 25mm x 10mm (deep).
The Gau Lung logo appears on the box top, reading, as do most of the match brand logos, in the traditional manner, from right to left. Gau Lung matches were manufactured in Hong Kong by Great China Matches Pty. Ltd.
Michael Alderton’s mid-1960’s Hong Kong matchbox collection, as published by David Bellis on Gwulo, has been curated by Dr Zoe Alderton, and photographed by Elizabeth A. Flett.
To view entire collection see: Photos tagged: 1966 – essarem’s found matchboxes. | Gwulo