[BCMA] A Matchbook Dilemma

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hi Tammy

Have you had reply yet? Here is an article from the Smithsonian that may be helpful, https://siarchives.si.edu/blog/their-heads-matchbooks-archives

And a response I saved from an online collections forum. The response is from Henry Crawford at Texas Tech.

 
"Don’t remove the matches, they’re an integral part of the object.  If
they’re paper matches from the late 1950s or so, I don’t see a need for
immediate alarm.  We have similar materials in our advertising collection.
They are likely safety matches, which were invented to prevent your biggest fear, (I assume) accidental combustion.  Your only concern is that your storage temperature should not be so high that combustion could occur, and for most museums that’s not a problem.  As for the sulfur, again, safety matches don’t have enough concentrated amounts to cause any harm.  If you’re concerned about sulfur gas buildup, vented storage could help prevent that if you’ve got lots (and I mean LOTS) of matches, but that’s pretty much all you’d need to do.  Adherence to proper storage,
temperature, and humidity standards appropriate for paper should keep the matches safe.

Oh, and keep out of reach of children 😉" Henry Crawford, Texas Tech


COLLEEN SHARPE| CURATOR OF EXHIBITS



CITY OF SURREY
Museum of Surrey
17710-56A Ave, Surrey, BC, Canada V3S 5H8
T 604.592.6959 | C 778.846.2201  www.surrey.ca  

Museum of Surrey is located on the traditional territories of Semiahmoo, Kwantlen, and Katzie First Nations. 


      

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-----Original Message-----
From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca <bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca> On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: November 19, 2019 10:42 AM
To: BCMA Listserve <bcma at lists.vifa.ca>
Subject: [BCMA] A Matchbook Dilemma

Hi, everyone,

We have recently acquired a scrapbook that, among many other things, has a few matchbooks glued into it - complete with matches. My instinct tells me that matches in a paper scrapbook is just a bad idea, but on the other hand, they have been in there for the better part of 50 years and nothing terrible has happened. Do I need to worry about them? They're not a hugely significant part of the scrapbook itself - just little souvenirs collected on international vacations, but the plane tickets and similar documents are also there, so altogether it kind of speaks to the novelty of international travel. I've thought about just cutting the heads off the matches, but it's not often we see thin, flat wooden matches like that so I also hate to destroy them...

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Tammy


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Tammy Bradford, Manager
Creston Museum
219 Devon Street, Creston BC V0B 1G3
250-428-9262