ARTB LABEL (All Round The Box label)

The name "All Round The Box label" speaks for itself. This is a true label and can be removed from the box. One of the first types of matchbox labels, served also as a fastener for the box..

It has 4 or 5 panels (5th used for tight gluing). Ih has face, back (as a rule - both with graphics), two side panels and (in most cases) 5th side panel. Sometimes face and back images are identical. Usually 1 or 2 side panels were used for applying striking substance, one of them sometimes was used for factory info or advertising.

"Taken from the acronym All Round The Box to mean a continuous matchbox label that wraps around all four faces of a sleeve, both ends overlapping to hold the sleeve in shape. ARTB labels consist of five panels. They are typical of many British matchbox labels but were used in other countries. After an ARTB label was affixed to the sleeve the striking surface was applied. For safety matches a compound was "painted" on one or both sides. For strike-anywhere matches a striking surface was affixed on one or both sides. Evidence of the striking compound usually remains on used ARTB labels for safety matches"." (definition from the BML&BS site)

Such labels were used in Russia basically till 1917. Outside Russia this type of labels was used till 1950's (mainly in Britain).

Now this type of labels is practically not used

Equvivalent Russian term Круговая этикетка

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Russian 5-panels ARTB label
Courtesy of Alexey Stepanov
(reconstruction by S.Dmitriev)



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