The Catalogues for Meeting Auctions are always printed in the Society magazine, but more Lots always arrive after printing and before the Auction.
We are now updating the Catalogue on the web site with these additions, so it’s always keeping an eye on the listings.
More and more Phillumeny-related groups are appearing on Facebook and we want to provide links to them from our website, so have created a new page which you can find here.
Although the Society does not yet currently have a Facebook page it is something we are actively looking into.
Between 1st and 15th January 2021 the Bangladesh Matchbox Collector’s Club held the world’s first on-line matchbox exhibition. The Exhibition is now closed, but a review of it can be found in the February magazine.
The new Netflix movie THE DIG is set in 1939 and tells the story of the Sutton Hoo archaeological dig and treasure trove. Many of the characters smoke, and there are several closeups of matchboxes. The continuity people did a good job, because they clearly show a wooden England’s Glory box on several occasions.
In 2008 a comprehensive book with 88 pages was published with the title Harlequin Matches. This was followed by a second edition that was significantly larger with 120 pages. Now a third edition, which adds in even more information about these fantastically colourful matchboxes has been published (February 2021) and is now available for purchase. It details Bryant & May’s range of Harlequin Matches. It is laid out in the same format as the previous editions. It is arranged in two sections. Section One details the cardboard Harlequin range and Section Two the Plastic Harlequin range. The third edition now numbers 137 pages and is illustrated thought-out in colour with 173 pictures. Full review will appear in the April magazine.
Harlequin Matches Third Edition
We are pleased to announce that this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on line using the popular Zoom video conferencing platform. The AGM is going to be held on April 11th at 14:00 UK time.
‘In the news ….. 150 years ago’ has inspired a special article to be written, which is being published in two parts. It has the title: ‘The Proposed Match Tax of 1871 – Part I’, this first part will be included in our April magazine, and covers the events of April 1871.
We held our inaugural On-line Auction on Sunday 14th March and were really pleased with the way it ran. 25 members attended on-line and 8 postal bidders had also submitted bids. There was a lot of enthusiastic bidding for 30 very desirable Lots, and the results will be published in our April magazine.
Our next Auction takes place on Sunday 9th May at 14:00, and the Catalogue will be published with our April magazine.
If you would like to take part then please email us at onlineauction@phillumeny.com
The names of the annual Society Award winners were announced at the 2021 AGM, which was held on-line for the first time. This years winners are :
Alan’s book is available from our Shop Window.
We recently received an enquiry from an author who is working on a novel set in late 1944 where a teenager in London is trying to sell individual matches to raise some money, and asked us how much a box of matches would have cost back then. After scratching our heads for a bit we were able to provide two answers :
Our Instagram account @ukphillumeny is now up and running and shows some of our archive photos of matchboxes, labels, bookmatches and hardware. We will be regularly posting new photos from Society archives and encourage members to follow us. We’ll be using #ukphillumeny to tag all our posts. This is our first step into Social Media, which we are convinced will allow us to make contact with new members and phillumeny enthusiasts worldwide and increase everyone’s knowledge of the fascinating world of phillumeny. You can also email us using instagram@phillumeny.com
We’re pleased to announce that due to the continued decrease of Covid numbers in the UK we have now provisionally booked Sheen Lane Centre, London for an all-day meeting on Sunday October 3rd more details here.
After almost three years we’re pleased to announce that the Society Bookshop has now re-opened, stocking over 25 great books on all aspects of Phillumeny from individual match manufacturers to the story of entire nations. You can visit the Bookshop here and order your books on-line. The full bookshop list is also available in the August Match Label News.
The February 2026 magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The April 2026 magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus full details of The John Walker Weekend and Grand Auction.
The December magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The December magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The October magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The December magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The February magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The October magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest phillumeny news plus details of our Auctions.
The August magazine has now been posted to members. It includes full details of the Northwich meeting and more details about our third On-line Phillumeny Exhibition in October.
Our friends in the Bangladesh Matchbox Collectors’ Club are holding their first face-to-face exhibition from 22 to 24 September 2023. We wish them every success with the show.
The June magazine has now been posted to members. It includes full details of the July On-line Auction and more details about our On-line Phillumeny Exhibition in October.
The June magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest Phillumeny news and meeting dates.
The August magazine has now been posted to members. It includes full details of the September On-line Auction and more details about our On-line Phillumeny Exhibition in October.
The April magazine has now been posted to members. It includes all the latest Phillumeny news plus details of our AGM.
The Phillumenist magazine ‘s tenth anniversary edition in 1950 included an article entitled “Our Average Reader”. Here’s what it said, which makes fascinating reading and an interesting comparison to today :
Our average reader is 38, has 10,828 different labels, and has collected abroad. He picks up boxes fresh to him in the street, also collects mint and damaged labels, and keeps ancient boxes intact. He started the hobby on his own initiative, keeps his labels hinged in albums by paper hinges, and classified by countries of manufacture. He calls himself a phillumenist, corresponds with collectors at home and abroad (chiefly Czechoslovakia), will reply quickly. He spends 5½ hours a week on the hobby, keeps his “Phillumenist” magazines, started collecting in 1936, and reads the magazine from page one. He has Cruse’s book, and has entertained a fellow collector at home. He has this magazine as far back a 1944, specialises in Swedish brands, has most labels of Sweden and rarely any from Russia.
We are pleased to announce that the London meetings at Sheen Lane Centre will be going ahead, starting on 3rd October. Sheen Lane Centre have informed us that they are compliant with all the necessary Covid regulations, and that our meetings can go ahead as planned.
Full details of all Society Events can be found on our Events page.