Matchbook cover collectors bring convention to Cranberry
One of the largest groups of matchbox cover collectors, the Rathkamp Society, is bringing its annual convention to the Pittsburgh/Cranberry DoubleTree by Hilton hotel from Sunday, July 27, through Friday, Aug. 1.
The convention is expected to bring hundreds of matchbook collecting enthusiasts from across the country to buy, sell, trade and display their unique works of art.
This year, since the hotel has a postal address in Mars, the convention has been nicknamed “Mission to Mars.”
Much like stamps, coins and baseball cards, matchbook covers are a popular item to collect among hobbyists, mainly due to their prevalence in the early 20th century, before the rise of anti-smoking laws and disposable lighters.
“Matches are colorful, and they’re plentiful,” said publicity chairperson Richard Greene. “At one time, it was the third largest collectible after coins and stamps. And coins and stamps, in a lot of cases, you have to pay for, whereas matches, you got for free.”
Matchbook covers are also notable due to their prevalence as an advertising or political messaging tool during the early 20th century.
“I collect political matches... state, national and international politics,” Greene said. “During World War II, at every military campaign, tons of propaganda matches became part of the ad structure to spread propaganda to get a message across, to convince people to buy war bonds. ...so matches have served very important purposes as well.”
Some matchbook covers also serve as relics of a bygone era or as keepsakes.
“We all know people who, when they travel, would pick up the matchbook from the hotel or a restaurant and keep them in a brandy snifter or a bowl or a basket in the living room as keepsakes,” Greene said. “There's a lot of nostalgia that gets wrapped up in the matches.”
The Rathkamp Matchcover Society was formed around the time of the 1939-40 World’s Fair in New York, when early collector Henry Rathkamp and a group of other ardent hobbyists first met.
“They decided, ‘Hey, we should do this at least once a year. We should get together and have a convention,’” Greene said.
Rathkamp died suddenly in 1940, and the following year, the society was officially formed and named after him.
This year’s convention at the DoubleTree will feature open buying, selling and trading, as well as auctions and collectors’ forums, over the six-day period.
