Determine country of origin
| This list gives you information to find out where the labels, covers or boxes were made. The list is made alphabetically and is far from complete. The first column gives the information and the second the country where it is produced/used. See also for more info Glossary The information refers to the situation before 1980 where Jugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the USSR existed as undivided countries, and East and West-Germany still separated. Since that time almost no labels were produced. Explanation for used numbers: (1) for match(es) in local language (2) for a place-name (3) for a plant name (4) for a brandname or symbol (5) for a pricing indication |
| Czechoslovakia |
| Match in local language: Zapalky, Sirky. Place_name: Sucice, Lipnik, Bystrica, Ruzomberok Plants: Solo Susice SU I Solo Lipnik LI I Iskra B. Bystrica BF I Smrecina B. Bystrica BB I Iskra Ruzomberok Solo Works Marks: CSN 494705 = Standard. |
Matchbox labels from the years 1903-1938, issued by little factories, have the name of the company and SOLO or HELIOS printed on it. (thanks to: Milan Tomasek)
| In Czech: | Issued by: | Factory place: |
| A.R. | Albert Roth | Ceske Budejovice |
| A.S. | Adalbert Scheinost | Susice |
| B.F. | Bernard Fürth | Susice |
| B.S. | Bratri (Brothers) Scheinostove | Postrelmov |
| C.S., C.S. | Ceska akciova sirkarna | Ceske Budejovice |
| E.Z. | Erzgebirgshe Zündwarenfabrik | Kovarska (Schmiedberg) |
| J.H. | Julius Huch | Bernartice ve Slezsku |
| J.J. | J. a J. Kohnove | Opava |
| J.K. | J. & J. Kohnove | Krasno nad Becvou |
| J.R. | Jan Reinelt | Kuncice |
| J.S. | Jan Svozil | Lostice |
| J.T. | Jakub Taussig | Horovice (Tlustice u Horovic) |
| M.M. | Moritze Meissnera synove | Trest |
| S.B. | Solo Budejovice | Ceske Budejovice |
| S.N. | Schell & Neffe | Dlouha Ves u Susice |
| In Slovakia: | Issued by: | Factory place: |
| G.R. | Georg Ritter | Velka Bytca |
| R. & S. | Reich & Steiner | Velka Bytca |
| R.T., R.T.Z. | Ruzomberska tovarna na zapalky | Ruzomberok |
| W. & Co, WECO | Wolff & Co. | Trnava |
| W.S. | Wittenberg Samu | Zilina |
Labels from the years 1939-1945 which have product under monopol Deutsche Zündwarenmonopol-Gesellschaft have only number on the labels. (thanks to: Milan Tomasek)
| 57 | Lipnik nad Becvou |
| 120 | only on the labels “Haushaltware” and “Welthölzer” with Reichs symbol – eagle, producted in Dlouha Ves, Susice, Lipnik |
| 250 | Susice |
| 275 | Susice – only for saloon matches |
| 299 | only on the labels “Welthölzer” from the same factories, like 120 |
| 503 | only on matches with blue label “Zünder” with key – producted in Susice and Banska Bystrica |
Labels after the year 1945, including socialist labels. (thanks to: Milan Tomasek)
| Identification: | Factory place: |
| B. | Bytca (solitary or with denotation “Drevoindustria” or “ISKRA”) |
| B.B. | Banska Bystrica (solitary or with denotation “Drevoindustria” or “ISKRA”) |
| Chemicky Spolek Praha | Praha (only to end of the year 1945) |
| Drevoindustria | used only for Slovakia factories, only to the year 1948 |
| ISKRA | used only for Slowak factories with name of place (ISKRA Banska Bystrica, ISKRA Ruzomberok), only in the years 1949-58 |
| Li, LI | Lipnik (solitary or with denotation “SOLO”) |
| Smrecina | from year 1959 used by slowak factories in Banska Bystrica and Ruzomberok |
| SOLO | in touch with contraction factory in Susice or Lipnik or in touch of place – SOLO (Solo) Lipnik, SOLO (Solo) Susice |
| Su, SU | Susice (solitary or with denotation “SOLO”) |
| R. | Ruzomberok (solitary or with denotation “Drevoindustria” or “ISKRA”) |
| Ruzomberok | solitary or with denotation “Drevoindustria” or “ISKRA” |
| VDP Bytca | only to end of the year 1945 |
| Z. (Z.) | Zilina – with denotation “Drevoindustria” only to end of the year 1946 |
| Z.Z. (Z.Z.) | Zilina – Zilinska zapalkarna – only to end of the year 1945 |
| Hungaria |
| Match in local language: Gyujtó, Baros_gyufa, Szalongyufa Place_name: Budofok, Keczkemet, Szegedin Plants: Lignimpex: Hongarian exportcommunity. Matchbox labels obtain the following characters according to the plant of origin: B: Budofok K: Keczkemet L: Lignimpex S: Szegedin SZ: Szegedin Marks and pricing: MSZ: abbreviation for standard MN052 20310 40F : pricing  |
| Yugoslavia |
| Match in local language: Sibice (Sigurnome), zigice, drvaca. Place_name: Osijek, Dolec. Part of Jugoslavia uses cyrillic script, it is therefore possible to find several versions of the same label. Plants: Drava (Osijek) and Dolac (Osmovano Co Dolac) with the following marks:   |
| Poland |
| Match in local language: Zapalka Place_name: Sianow, Gdansk, Bysrzyca, Czestochowa, Czechowice Plants: In above mentioned cities. Special marks: for domestic use: (1) 74 (2) ZPZ (3) Bystrzyca (4) Przec 64 ZAP (5) 40 gr (6) PN – 69/D – 94061 (1) year of production. (2) abbreviation of plant (Zaklady Przesnyslu Zapalczanego) (3) one of the five place-names. (4) about 64 matches (5) price (CENA) 40 gr (groszy)(1 gr=1/100 Zloty) (6) polish norm. Czestochowa works mostly for export. The labels for export contain no special marks exception made for the mention ‘made in Poland’. |
| Rumania |
| Match in local language: Chibrituri. Plants: Bucarest (since 1879), Briala (since 1962), Gherla (since 1984), Timisoara, Cluj. Marks: R.P.R. (Republica Populara Rumana) R.S.R. (Republica Socialista Rumania) min 38 Bete. STAS, e.g.: STAS 2627/51 also NTR. LEI: pricing. CUTIA or BANI CUTIA. TRI, TR II, TR III and TR IV with a number. Chibrituri S.A.R. Circle with a burning match inside. |
| Switzerland |
| Match in local language: Zündholz, Streichholz (D), Allumette (F), Fiammiferi (I), Cerino (I) Plants: Terza (in Unterterzen) Marks: AT, MD, ZK (Plant in Kandergrund AG.) With cross-bow.  |
| USSR |
| Match in local language: Spichka Place_name: Baikal, Baltija, Barnaul, Gomol, Mayak, Tomsk. Special marks: Labels with cyrillic script and mostly on multiple rows with small characters: TOCT (GOST= according to standard) e.g.: TOCT 1820 Red star WT or WTYK + number = number of matches CCCP = USSR Crossed circle- KA or Crossed circle/CA lot of series containing 16 labels and a household box label printed on thick glossy paper are sold as souvenirs for export. |
Samples of the used signs on labels from the different match factories which where in USSR.
 1 may factory |  Baikal factory |  Balabanova factory |  Baltija factory |  Barnaul factory |
 Belka factory |  Biysk factory |  Borisov factory |  Cherepovets factory |  Gigant factory |
 Gomel factory |  Iskra factory |  Kometa factory |  Krzvezda factory |  Mayak factory |
 Pinskfactory |  Plitspichprom factory |  Pobeda factory |  Proletarskoye factory |  Revput factory |
 Sibir factory |  Solntse factory |  Startas factory |  Turinsk factory |  Viljandi factory |