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1940s Indian Match Box Labels

For more on Indian matchbox label design, see: Geetha, V. Matchbook: Indian Match Box Labels. India, TARA Publishing, 2012.

India: 1940s. A colorful collection of just over one hundred (100) 1940s Indian match box labels full of graphic interest, with lettering in English and Sanskrit. Common motifs in the collection include: animals (tiger, horse, elephant, peacock, cat, butterfly); flowers (rose, lotus); card games and gambling; and nature. Also includes one with a portrait of Devika Rani, one of the most popular actresses of the 1930s and 1940s, and one with the silent film actor Eddie Pollo. The Pollo label is interesting because it depicts him with a bindi on his forehead, despite him being Austrian-American of Jewish descent. A fun cross-cultural moment! The labels features bright reds, yellows, blues, greens, and even pinks. Smallest label measures approx. 1.25" by 1.75"; largest measures approx. 4" by 2.75". Approx. 103 labels. Very good. Light toning, the occasional nick or minor short tear.

Price: $450.00

Item #25013408