Hemmady, who has been fascinated with matchboxes ever since he was a child took to serious collecting from the year 2012 and has been engaged in accumulating an assortment of matchboxes, matchbox labels, wrapping packets, bags and carton labels as well.
"It is a cheap hobby but not an easy one," says the collector who has put up an exhibition 'Matchbox Labels and the Stories they Tell' at the India International Centre here.
"Important information is fading away because no one is preserving them. No one wants to study the stories in these matchboxes. I have so much data that I can even analyse how the package of the matchbox of a particular company changed with time," says Hemmady.
While he is unsure of the exact number of the matchboxes in his possession, he says it can be estimated to be some 25,000, much of which has been displayed.
For instance, he says, for the last 200 years the basic
design of a standard sized matchbox has not changed and remained more or less the same.
"It is however, very difficult to collect information on the subject because manufacturers and dealers are not very forthcoming. I assume that they themselves do not have any record of this as the sector is small scale and highly unorganised," says Hemmady.
Among his collections are matchboxes that have a Bollywood actresses on its cover like pictures of present day Kareena Kapoor Khan to yesteryear ones like Suraiya.
Matchbox labels were also used as "a very good medium of advertisements." "Specially designed labels and brands were put out for sale as well as freely distributed with other products," says Hemmady.
Meanwhile, the exhibition that opened on May 27 is set to continue till June 3 and is divided into different sections like mythology, art, architecture, the Swadeshi movement, film, advertising and messaging.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories
Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app