Ukiyo-e match tube · long fireside matches

A cylindrical match tube with a Japanese ukiyo-e print — a figure in a kimono against characters — and long fireside matches still inside.

The cylinder is printed all round, the lid rimmed in black, the striking surface running along the outside. Upright tubes like this hold fireside matches: the sticks are several centimetres longer than usual so you can reach into a stove or a candle glass without burning your fingers. The design comes from the world of the Japanese colour woodblock print; the tube carries no artist's name.

• Cylindrical tube, printed all round
• Ukiyo-e design, figure in a kimono
• Long fireside matches, still present
• Striking surface on the outside
• Lid rimmed in black

Good. The printing is complete and fresh in colour, with light rubbing at the edges. The matches have been stored dry and look usable — whether they strike has not been tested. As an object, faultless.