Matchbooks and Matchboxes from Pacific Northwest Establishments collection, approximately 1975-2019

Matchbook collecting was a popular hobby in the United States in the 20th century. Hobbyists, calling themselves the "philoluminous", gathered matchbooks and matchboxes from restaurant and tourist destinations as mementos. During this time, restaurants were eager to distribute these items to generate more awareness of their brand. Demand for matches fell as smoking bans were implemented in indoor settings in the late 1980s and 1990s, and the hobby declined in popularity accordingly.

Sources: Asian Wall Street Journal, "Printed Matchbooks At U.S. Restaurants Are No Longer Hot; Smoking Bans Douse Demand; Businesses Seek New Ways to Keep Names in Pockets of Customers". 2003. The Matchcover Vault, "Anatomy" https://matchpro.org/Anatomy.html