Pat Giroud is a phillumenist, a lover of light, or rather a collector of anything to do with matches, match labels and match books. She has been collecting for forty-odd years and belongs to the Australian Match Cover Collectors’ Society. Belonging to this Society and having 28 phillumeny pen pals meant that Pat’s collection could expand exponentially.
An irresistible and rare item in Pat’s collection is an “Endeavour” Federal Company match label that Pat bought last year. It took her many years to find, and when it came up for auction, she bought it for $1000, the highest amount she has ever paid for anything in her collection.
The Redhead matches are a familiar sight for most Australians. The redhead has changed her hairstyle three times since 1946. Originally owned by Bryant & May, the matches are now owned by a Swedish company, and the label reads, simply “Redheads”.
Pat has an interesting Bryant & May matchbox container with a display of 18 cartoon-style images of many famous redheads such as Rod Laver, Bluey and Curly and Ginger Meggs. Pat also has a t-shirt with a graphic with a redheaded woman that reads “Rednecks” in lieu of “Redheads”. No prizes for guessing who!
Pat has a cabinet filled with of every Bryant & May matchbox label ever produced. She has many spares that can be used for swapping or giveing away to other phillumenists. Another Bryant & May product in the collection is the Vesta tin in which wax matches were kept, and braided cigar lights where the head cannot fall off … or so the label says!
Not only does Pat have a superb Redhead collection, she also has a very good collection of other famous Australian match companies such as Duncan and Federal.
For more information…have a look at Jerry Bell’s book, Lighting Up Australia, which tells the story of all the Australian Match Factories from 1843-2003, and what they produced.
All rights reserved to ABC Australia Copyright Notice
The Redhead matches are a familiar sight for most Australians. The redhead has changed her hairstyle three times since 1946. Originally owned by Bryant & May, the matches are now owned by a Swedish company, and the label reads, simply “Redheads”.
Pat has an interesting Bryant & May matchbox container with a display of 18 cartoon-style images of many famous redheads such as Rod Laver, Bluey and Curly and Ginger Meggs. Pat also has a t-shirt with a graphic with a redheaded woman that reads “Rednecks” in lieu of “Redheads”. No prizes for guessing who!
Pat has a cabinet filled with of every Bryant & May matchbox label ever produced. She has many spares that can be used for swapping or giveing away to other phillumenists. Another Bryant & May product in the collection is the Vesta tin in which wax matches were kept, and braided cigar lights where the head cannot fall off … or so the label says!
Not only does Pat have a superb Redhead collection, she also has a very good collection of other famous Australian match companies such as Duncan and Federal.
For more information…have a look at Jerry Bell’s book, Lighting Up Australia, which tells the story of all the Australian Match Factories from 1843-2003, and what they produced.
All rights reserved to ABC Australia Copyright Notice
