Phillumenists Unite!

So this makes a nice change - a mysterious parcel arrives and it turns out to be a collection of old matchbox labels and magazines sent from France by a "friend" on Facebook. A nice letter explains he promised me these years ago but it's news to me. Seems he stayed with us once when I was a student in Manchester in the late 60's. A friend of one of my flat mates. What a turn up! I love old ephemera of course so happy to rummage through the box and even found one with Southend Pier on the front - all fuzzy and yellow and bearing the tell take marks of degraded sellotape. The box label not the pier - although it did look a bit shabby the last time I saw it. So heres a few photos of some of the more interesting examples. We usually pop along to the phillumenists (matchbox collectors) fair that sets up stalls and has an auction in the local leisure centre every September - but we missed it last year. Its amazing how cheap they are - 5p each for beautiful Indian matchbox labels depicting elephants, tigers, temples and exotic views of Kashmir etc. Anyway, it makes a nice change from our walks round the local park!