Match Striker Gallery (Carlton Ware 2)

Crested Match Strikers

Wiltshaw & Robinson produced a wide range of crested match strikers with the coats of arms of Universities, Colleges, Towns, Cities etc on. The most impressive are those with a raised crest painted or transfer printed with the coat of arms, however others were painted or printed directly onto the body of the striker (with less impressive results if the body was rough) as shown below.

Universities

Cambridge Colleges

Crested match strikers were made for many of the Cambridge colleges. These used a 'plain' shield shape and are typically found in light blue or brown.

The crest below appears to be a variant on that of Saint Catherines College, Cambridge. The College arms are on the right hand side of the shield, while on the left are the arms of Robert Woodlark, the founder, and presumed Master of the College (1473-75)

(many thanks to Suzan Griffiths at the college for responding to my question about this)

Saint Catherines College, Cambridge

Oxford Colleges

Crested match strikers were also made for Oxford colleges. All of the examples I have seen use a more complicated shield shape than the Cambridge college ones. Typically they are found in dark blue or brown.

The arms on the left of the match striker below appear to be those of University College, Oxford (and the striker was made for an Oxford tobacconist), but I'm not certain what those on the right represent. I presume they are connected to the founder of the college, in a similar way to the 'mixed' arms on the St Catherines College, Cambridge striker shown above.

Possibly University College, Oxford

London Colleges

This Imperial College, London match striker is in near mint condition, and has gilding around the match well. This is very easily removed though use, and it is not clear whether this was present on all the crested match strikers, or only some of them.

Independent Schools

In order to make a match striker with a school coat of arms there would have to be a number of people interested in buying them (and who could afford them). Independent schools would fit the profile quite well, with teachers, students and their families as potential purchasers.

Towns and Cities

The last image below is of a transfer printed coat of arms of the City of Birmingham. It shows how badly such decoration can fade.

Unknown Coats of Arms

I am uncertain what the coats of arms on the match strikers shown below represent.

The first shows crossed golf clubs, four golf balls and the motto 'Far And True' which is associated with a number of golf clubs and tournaments.

Crested Match Striker Construction

From examination of damaged examples it is possible to get an idea of how these were made. First a match striker body would have been made and coloured. The raised shield would have been made separately and then stuck on. Next the shield would have been coloured yellow (this can be seen around the edge of all the shields) and finally the coat of arms would have been painted or transfer printed and the body of the striker finished off. The image below shows an example (probably of an Oxford college) where the shield has broken off.

Striker with missing shield

Unusual Crested Match Striker

This unusual crested match striker was made by Wiltshaw & Robinson for J. E. Beale of Bournemouth some time before 1958 from the back stamp, and carries the crest for Bournemouth on the lid. There is no striking surface on the box or lid.

Bournmoth Crested Match Box

Match Striker Gallery

Wiltshaw & Robinson (Carlton Ware) (Page 2)