A selection of Polish matchbox designs of the 1950s and early 1960s, originally put online by Jane McDevitt of Maraid Design (her Flickr set of matchbox designs has more from around the world).
Matchboxes were used in communist Poland (and elsewhere in the eastern bloc) as a cheap method of disseminating information — sometimes commercial, sometimes propagandistic, sometimes just practical.
“A radio in every home – battery-powered Barbara radios”
“The Sixth Soviet Film Festival – A Roundup of the World’s Leading Cinematography”
“Reduce water use – in industry and the home”
“Emulsion paint from Chemifarb Gliwice”
“Children + Matches = Fire”
“10 Years of the People’s Republic of Poland”
“Death favours careless people”
“Hospital. Prison.” (An anti-drink-driving campaign)
“Obey the laws on right-of-way”
“Get to know the road signs”