Match Striker
Gallery 
Match Striker
Gallery Homepage 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 Unmarked Match Strikers Metal Match Strikers (1) Metal Match Strikers (2) Retailers Marks Composite Section (brings together information on types of match striker from elsewhere on the site) Advertising Match Strikers Crested Match Strikers Links Suggested Reading |
Company History The company was founded around 1896, and operated from the Empire Works in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England, manufacturing earthenware and porcelain. In the post WWII period firm was owned by Lazarus & Rosenfeld Ltd. The firm was then bought by the Qualcast Group in 1958, and finally ceased trading in 1967. (note most of this information was obtained from the Empire P.I.E. website with which I have no connection) Marks Many of the wares made by this company can be very accurately dated, using the numbers on either side of the mark. In the case of the first Empire Ware mark on the match striker with candle holder the numbers 10 & 33 indicate a date of October 1933. The second mark dates between 1925 & 1939, and indicates the match striker was made for Worthington's & Co Ltd.   Candle Holder with Match Striker These really attractive candle holders comes with built in match strikers, the ridged sides of the match well (one side only) provide a striking surface. The first shown was manufactured in June 1933, and the second in October 1933 and the third from November 1934 indicating that manufacture was not confined to a single year as I previously suspected.    Advertising Match Strikers
Many products were promoted using match strikers, the most common being drinks. Advertising match strikers could be provided to Pubs and cafes in order to increase brand awareness ever time somebody needed a match. This example advertises Worthington's In Bottle (beer), and has a match holder, with an ashtray with striking surfaces on the edges. It was provided by the Worthington's company, on loan (it is marked 'The Property of Worthington & Co Ltd' on the base), to businesses that sold their products.  |
