Match Striker
Gallery 
Match Striker
Gallery
Manufactures
(click to view match strikers and company history)
Charles Allerton &
Sons
Arkinstall & Sons Ltd (Arcadian China) Beswick Birks, Rawlins & Co W.T. Copeland & Sons Ltd (Spode) Doulton & Co Ltd Dudson Empire Porcelain Co (Ltd) Fieldings & Co Grimwades Ltd (Royal Winton) F. & W. Goebel Co Gouda Ralph Hammersley & Son  Edward Jones & Co Ltd Lister Lovatt & Lovatt James MacIntyre & Co Manor Ware Mintons Olivant Potteries Ltd F. & R. Pratt & Co (Ltd) Price, Bristol Prinknash Abby Pottery A.G. Richardson & Co Ltd (Crown Ducal) Salopian Art Pottery Co "Victoria" Schmidt & Co (GEMMA) Shelley Potteries Ltd Soho Pottery Ltd Taylor, Tunnicliff & Co Unknown Makers Watcombe Wedgwood Wiltshaw & Robinson (Carlton Ware) (1) Wiltshaw & Robinson (Carlton Ware) (2) W. Wood & Co Composite Section
(brings together information on types of match striker from elsewhere on the site) Advertising Match Strikers Crested Match Strikers |
Company
History
The company began when John Doulton and John Watts went into partnership with the recently widowed Martha Jones to run a pottery in Lambeth, London. Their early products were utilitarian in nature and included such articles as pipes for the rapidly expanding city. By 1826 the company had become Doulton & Watts, which traded as the Lambeth Pottery Co until John Watts retired in 1854. The company then became Doulton & Co with Henry Doulton joining his father. Henry was instrumental in the expansion of the business, forging strong ties with the Lambeth School of Art. In 1877 the firm took over the works of Pinder Bourne in Burslem, Staffordshire. It was here with Henry Doulton's permission that John Slater and John C Bailey began to experiment with the artistic possibilities of the new pottery, china and porcelain bodies available, together with a growing team of talented artist. In 1901 the firm was granted the royal warrant, and specific permission to use ROYAL in their company trade name. The Lambeth works were finally closed in 1956, however the company is still trading today from their base in Staffordshire. Marks A huge variety of marks have been used by Doulton over the years, however many incorporate the same basic elements, such as the crown, lion and knotwork seen in the three examples below.The first impressed mark was used between 1902 to 1922 and again from 1927 to 1936, the second impressed mark is a variant of the first, and was used from 1922 onwards. Both of these strikers also display an impressed pattern number. The marks were also transfer printed as shown in the third example.  
Ball style match strikers These three ball style match strikers are very similar in shape and have the same dark blue glaze around the match well, but differ in size, and in the colour of the clay used to make them. A picture showing a comparison of the sizes of the three match strikers is shown below, together with one of the base of the largest example which has the most comprehensive markings (the smaller examples have only the doulton mark, and the 'model' number 7492).      Advertising Match Strikers Match Strikers provided an ideal space for advertising a wide variety of products, as they were ubiquitous objects, and would be used many times a day. They could be provided to bars, cafes, restaurants etc or given away as promotional objects. This example advertise Bass Beer and is unusual in that this shape of Bass striker was normally made by Mintons. It has a registered design number for 1906 (RD NO. 473834)   Match Strikers with ash trays The first two pictures shown below are matchbox holders, incorporating ashtrays (the first also is specifically designed to rest cigarettes on). The third has two side compartments for matches, and a central compartment for cigarettes, flanked by two ashtrays (only one of which is shown). The final two examples are designed to hold a matchboxes, cigarettes and have ashtrays (RD NO. 763353) and date to 1931. The shape is most commonly found decorated in the 'Bridge' card suits design as shown in the final picture. It is interesting to note that while both share the same registered design number, and general shape they are not identical (the sides of the matchbox holder are closedin one forming a striking, and open in the other allowing acess the the striing surface on the box). 
     This match striker is hollow, and
has
three circular holes in the sides (presumably to allow cigarettes and
spent matches to be placed inside. The silver mounted match well can be
lifted out of the body of the striker to allow you to pass a match
without spilling the contents of the internal ashtray.
 Match Striker and Cigarette Holder This attractive modernist design is is Doutlon's 'Tango' pattern (with the shape number 3072). There is a black striking surface between the angled slot for cigarettes (it seems to deep for matches), and the hole for matches. There is also an area to use as an ashtray.  Matchbox Holder The matchbox holder shown below is decorated in a playing card pattern, and has an open slot to the real where the striking surface on the box can be accessed  The image below is of what I believe is a match striker, although it could just be a decorative object. It has a doulton impressed mark, together with 6191 (a pattern number) and UBW (?). If anybody knows what these refer to let me know  |
