On Friday 7th Christine Mouw wrote:

>This is my problem:  what do I do with the matches?  The book is in
>such beautiful condition, I hate to remove the matches, but on the
>other hand, we're all a touch wary of live matches in our collection.
>Has anyone ever read anything on this topic, or has anyone had any
>experience with, say, a matchbook collection in a museum collection?

>Thanks for your help!


If you only have 1 book of matches, then you shouldn't be to concerned.
Apart from being deliberately lit, the most likely way in which matches can
catch fire are from heat and from friction due to vibration. Because your
matches are in a book, vibration shouldn't be a problem, and if you have
that much heat in your museum, then you have more important problems to
worry about anyway. I wouldn't interfere with the match heads unless they
appear to be deteriorating. I would store the match book in a non-
combustible box with appropriate warning signs, in a cool, dry dark place.

George Bailey
Objects Conservator
Australian War Memorial
Treloar Centre for Conservation
4 Callan St, Mitchell, A.C.T. 2911
Australia
Phone: +61 6 241 6122
fax:   +61 6 241 7998
email: [log in to unmask]