Jumbo

Let's play a little word association game.

I say Nigeria...

... You say Internet Scam.

But contrary to popular opinion, defrauding greedy westerners is not this country's leading leading export, however large scale enterprise hasn't nee Nigeria's strong suit.

Take Nigeria Airlines, established in 1958 only lasted until 2001 when safety concerned caused Britain to refuse any further flights from the capital Lagos to London.

Unfortunately, as with many post colonial African countries, Nigeria was rife with dictatorial governments and systemic corruption.

But the matchbook is pretty as is the airline's logo, a variation of the green and white stripe Nigerian flag with a stylised flying elephant.

The image on the back of the book is based on a Yoruba Stone carving.

And Lift Off

A souvenir brought back from Cape Canaveral in the 1980s by a friend of Nick's.

Considering the bad luck that NASA has had with space craft and fire, the choice of commemorative matchbooks to mark the Space Shuttle seems rather odd.

But there you have it.

A Rose By Any Other Name

In every city there is one place that always comes up when searching for a wedding reception venue.

On the Gold Coast it's the Tudor Rose.

This glorious anachronistic place was, at the making of this matchbook, in the middle of nowhere between Broadbeach and Mudgeeraba. Now it's in the middle of suburbia.

Judging by the six digit phone number this book dates prior to the 1980s.

Inside is the handwritten annotation: "Flatford" - Constable Flatford Mill.

But it's unlikely that anyone has confused a restaurant/convention venue built in the 1970s in Australia for a 16th century thatched cottage.

The Friendly Games

A marketing meeting overheard in 1979:

Here's a great marketing idea.

We'll sponsor the Olympics.

The Olympics are great. Everyone loves the Olympics, they'll be watching and cheering for hours.


They'll be at the bar, see our matches and order another fine product from Carlton and United Breweries - a company that will live on forever.

What could possibly go wrong?

He Sells Sea Worlds By The Sea Shore

This is a combined Sunday Drive and Monday Matchbook telling the story of Sea World, a Gold Coast international attraction that combines typical theme park sights with serious marine biology.

It is also the story of the Gold Coast combining entrepreneurship as well as some cut-throat business dealings.

The story goes back to 1958 when a young brash businessman Keith Williams turned his water skiing talent into a business on a reach of the Nerang River at the suburb of Cararra. The Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens (in reality located about 10km out of Surfers) became a popular attraction and a television favourite.

In ten years the show had outgrown its location and Williams cast his eye eastwards to the Southport Spit which had just become home to a dolphin show attraction called Marineland.

In 1971 the ski show moved to a purpose built lake and stadium built on the Spit and the two neighbouring attractions became head-to-head rivals one year later as Williams added dolphins and sea lions in direct competition to Marineland.

Marineland didn't survive and Williams transferred Marineland's remaining animals to his Sea World in 1976. Marineland was eventually demolished and the 5-star Sheraton Mirage built in its place.

Funnily enough Sea World has long outgrown the ski show as its main draw card, instead, it is just one of a day's worth of things to see with your entry ticket.

For two generations Sea World has always been there and locals and tourists alike take The Spit for granted forgetting that this peninsula was once a mere flimsy sandy barrier between the Pacific Ocean and Southport.

As a comparison take a look at these last two pictures. The above left is Seaworld in 1976 (Picture from the Gold Coast Local Studies Library) and at right is a contemporary aerial shot.

We Try Harder

A telephone conversation overheard:

Hello?

I'd like to make a complaint. My hat is too small.

That's right. My hat is too small.

Hang on a moment, that's my other line...

... Hello, Avis how may I... Hmmm wrong number.

Ah yes, as I was saying, my hat is too small.

What do you mean that's the fashion? Just look at it. It doesn't even fit.

Well yes, I suppose if it is perched on top like that it does stop 'hat hair'... But what about a stiff breeze? Did you ever think of that?

True, it doesn't normally blow a gale indoors, but I think that's rather beside the point.

I'm having my picture taken tomorrow for the cover of a book of matches and the hat's too small and I don't want it.

No, no, no, oh please don't cry.

It's a lovely hat really, I'm not complaining about the quality of the product, the felt is very good, it holds its shape and...

...Damn, there's the other phone again.

Hello Avis, how can I help you?

No dear, not Mavis, Avis, we're a car rental company. That's quite all right. You have a good afternoon too.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you but about that hat, I, ah...

Well I guess the problem could be with the size my head... Now look here! I phoned to complain, not be insulted. A...

Uh-hm...The boss's wife... chose the uniform design herself you say.

Yes, yes, I see you're quite right. Well, sorry to have bothered you.

Change For The Better

Clean, simple, neat, this ANZ bank logo is simplicity itself.

The logo has changed quite a bit over its 172 years but the corporate colour has remained the same for decades a mid-blue which some seems unbank-like - it's the colour of the sky, not really the colour of money.

This matchbook is likely to date back to the mid 1970s, before the Spastic League changed its name to the friendlier (and no doubt more accurate) term Cerebral Palsy League.

There are some changes in the language that it would be nice to reclaim, (like bringing back happiness to the word 'gay') but the term spastic isn't one them.

I'm Leavin' On A Jet Plane

Qantas has just given a light makeover to it's iconic flying kangaroo symbol as part of general service makeover.

There has been some criticism of the new logo, but Nick and Nora quite like it. The canted over lettering gives a sense of speed as does the new streamlined marsupial.

The gold Captain's Club matches date from between 1968 and 1984 judging by the encompassing circle and the wings on our furry friend.

The other may be slightly earlier - perhaps more early to mid 1960s than late judging by those stylished Bird of Paradise image promoting flights to New Guinea which may be a reproduction from a series of destination lithographs.

BYO Is Not An Option

Ring and Brymer (Birchs) LTD - Caterers during Thirteen Reigns. It's an impressive pedigree as one might expect.

Although the company doesn't have a web site of its own, it's bona fides are found on this web site (scroll down for the reference).

This business was established in the reign of King George I, by a Mr. Horton, who was succeeded by Mr. Lucas Birch, who, in his turn, was succeeded by his son, Mr. Samuel Birch, born in 1757; he was many years a member of the Common Council, and was elected alderman of the ward of Candlewick. He was also colonel of the City Militia, and served as Lord Mayor in 1815, the year of the battle of Waterloo. In his mayoralty, he laid the first stone of the London Institution; and when Chantrey's marble statue of George III was inaugurated in the Council Chamber, Guildhall, the inscription was written by Lord Mayor Birch.

Well and truly by the reign of Victoria, Birchs was known as Ring and Brymer. Here's a sample of what the Lord and Lady Mayoress of London (and a few of their friends) were having for Easter in 1848:

Turtle and iced punch, turbot, salmon, fried fish, cod’s head, turbons de filets de soles, carpe en matelot, anguille à la tomata, perches à la vass fiches, mackerel en matelot.

And that was just for starters!

This matchbook probably dates for the early 1970s on the basis of this rather nifty vintage wine chart going from 1954 to 1968. After all one wouldn't want to make the unpardonable faux pas of ordering the 1960 Burgundy when the 1959 is superior in every way.

Looks like Ring and Brymer might have be be on the 'must call' list for your next party. If so, here's the number.

End of The Plain Plane

Long before Richard Branson became a Virgin, there was another airline that used popular culture as well as couture of the day to distinctively brand their company.

It was American company Braniff.

To show the market place the jump from being a US regional airline to a supermodern international concern, Braniff gave the nod to fashion designer Pucci to design distinctly way out hostie uniforms and followed interior designer Alexander Girard's recommendation in painting the aircraft livery in one of eight solid pastel colours.

Today's matchbook is obviously the pink - as opposed to sky blue, periwinkle blue, turquoise, lemon yellow and orange for instance.

As striking as the aircraft was, the experiment with the multicoloured fuselage and new monogram only lasted two years (1965-1967).

So, where is Braniff today and why isn't it giving Virgin a run for its money?

Braniff left the skies after a 54 year run in 1982 due to overexpansion and financial mismanagement.

Not Welcome Any More

October 1974, in the midst of Whitlam's ill-fated government, all of Australia's banks got together to decide what public needed more than a 10.38% home loan rate (up from 5.88% five years earlier), was their own credit card.

And thus Bankcard was born.

Featuring the stylish but now decidedly retro lowercase san-serif font, Bankcard's sporty stripes caught the imagination and introduced thousands of Australians to the joys of monthly credit card statements.

But alas, like many an Australian icon, it got swamped by the trendy players from overseas - Visa, MasterCard, American Express - and in 2006 Bankcard was no more.

Bankcard still has a web site, but it's a sad and rather perfunctory thing now.

Also another interesting artifact which helps date this matchbook to between late 1974 and 1981, is the National Bank logo which disappeared when the National merged with the Commercial Banking Company to become the National Australia Bank, today more popularly known as the 'Nab'.

Cigarette Lighter (Optional)

Fancy a light as you contemplate the purchase of a brand new EJ Holden?

Not sure you can afford it?

No problems son, we've got just the solution.

New car ownership and finance go together like petrol and the internal combustion engine.



The GMAC brand first emerged 80-odd years ago apparently and now still exists as part of a company that has diversified into property finance.

-- Nora

Jean Genie

The American jeans that never were are the subject of this week's Monday matchbook.

Amco, ubiquitous denim wear of the 1970s had (according to the only real reference I could find - the corporate web site), its origins as an Australian brand of the late 1950s.

And, in this country at least, gave big brand names like Wrangler and Levis a run for their money.

But alas denim took a nosedive, along with a lot of Australian manufacturing industries, in the early 1980s and the Amco label disappeared.

That is until two years ago when the label's owners realised that there was a whole market of young men who didn't want to pay $250 for a pair of jeans.


The homage to the home of denim jeans, the US, is obvious in this label from a 1970s book of matches and continues with the use of this contemporaneous brand found on a New Zealand retailer's web site (pictured right) and this intriguing unpopulated site - note the very obvious 'stars and stripes'.

The Cook's Tour

There are matchbooks and then there is the king of matchbooks.

No expense was spared in this example from the Captain Cook Floating Restaurant in Sydney.


The fish is embossed, the print is gold metallic ink and the inner sleeve features a large striker on the back with the matches themselves tipped with gold fleck. From the phone number, we estimate that this matchbook dates back to the mid-1970s.

Imagine cruising Sydney Harbour with a glass chablis in hand, having enjoyed a plateful of fine freshly, cooked seafood relaxing with a smoke as you peruse the dessert menu.

Of course you can't.

Such a thing seems unthinkable now. Finishing dinner and then lighting up for a smoke is now akin to picking your teeth with salad fork at the table. It's just not done.

And quite rightly too. Nothing ruins the delicate flavours of freshly cooked salmon than the overwhelming odor of burning tobacco from the neighbouring table. And yet that port and cigars goes hand in glove is a mystery for the ages.

While the Captain Cook pictured below may no longer exist, Captain Cook Cruises certainly does and they still do a dinner cruise around the Harbour City.

Monday Matchbook

As outlined in the profile at left, inspriation for Nick and Nora's Nifty Knick-Knacks has come from US author James Lileks.

So it shouldn't come has any surprise that that we've pinched the idea of Monday Matchbook from Mr Lileks as well.

Well, you do know what they say, imitation is the most sincere for a flattery.

All In The Wash

We still don't understand the connection between matches and washing powder, especially one that is also a 'germicide cleanser' like New Vim but we are assured that it is fresher and more powerful.

Vim, once made by Unilever, seems to have fallen out of favour as a brand, but I guess so too has a 'vim' as a word.

Perhaps the place where old words, like spry and frisky go retire.

Also fascinated by Vim is some software boffin who has a lovely page of other things other than his product called Vim.

Light My Fire

Now, I ask you, what better way to promote your brand new soap opera set in a fire station, than by giving entertainment writers the means to create their own conflagration.

The short lived (1995-1996) series ran on the Seven Network and while not very extinguished, sorry distinguished, it's notable for the appearance of Mrs Hugh Jackman (Deborra-Lee Furness) as Dolores and fellow thespian Liddy Clark.

Clark gave up acting to become a Queensland Labor Party politician and quickly got her fingers burnt as Indigenous Affairs Minister over the Winegate affair.

Band Box

Ah, the heady 1980s where anyone with a perm and stonewashed jeans could become a star.

For about 2.5 nano-seconds at least.

Local Aussie band Gotham City didn't exactly set the world alight (chuckle appreciatively here) with their debut album Radioactive.

The only thing apart from the matchbook which lives on is a Google cache from the web site Vicious Sloth which seems to specialise in collectable records.

So in the interests of posterity here is all that's known of Gotham City:

GOTHAM CITY, Radio Active, (AUS L.P. BOULEVARD / EMI Label YPRX-1970 w.Insert. Obscure Early 80's Rock.)

Diamonds Aren't Forever

Despite the invitation, this late 1960s dolly bird with her fetching hardhat, hint of clevage and comehither smile, was probably not a typical sight at The Diamond Drill Restaurant and Bar.

The restaurant appears to have been the hang-out of the hardworking mining types who found themselves in the big smoke of Brisbane. The location, as far as we can guess, is Mineral House which indeed still stands on the corner of George and Margaret Streets.

Mineral House remains Government offices and it seems likely that the location of The Drill could now be the much less interesting Go Print's George Street Copy Centre.

How times have changed.