MatchboxPosters

Every print comes in four sizes, unframed:

11 x 14 inches (28 x 36 cm)
16 x 20 inches (41 x 51 cm)
18 x 24 inches (46 x 61 cm)
24 x 36 inches (61 x 91 cm)

All four are standard ready-made frame sizes in the US, so off-the-shelf frames are easy to find. Elsewhere, ready-made frames often follow A-sizes or centimetre sizes, so check the frame's measurements before you buy.

The size refers to the sheet of paper, not the image. We leave a border around the label so it sits properly in a frame or behind a mat. Matchbox labels were printed in all sorts of ratios, so that border is wider on some prints than others. The listing photos show how each one sits.

They are reproductions, each made from a high-resolution scan of an original matchbox label. You are buying the print, not the original.

The originals were printed decades ago and carry printing errors, overlapping colours, misregistration and fading. We leave all of it exactly as we received it. Lines will not be crisp and the texture of the original paper is often visible. It is the character of the thing, and cleaning it up would leave you with something that no longer looks like a matchbox label.

If something looks wrong rather than old, send us a photo and we will take a look.

Each print is made to order, so nothing sits on a shelf waiting.

Printing takes 2 to 6 business days. After that it ships with tracking, which you will see in your Etsy order. Etsy shows an estimated delivery date for your address at checkout, and that accounts for where you are and the carrier serving you.

We ship worldwide. Your print is made at the production facility closest to your delivery address, which keeps transit short and carbon emissions low.

Our prints are made to order especially for you, so we are not able to accept returns or exchanges for change of mind. Because each piece is printed once you order it, we cannot resell or restock it the way off-the-shelf items work.

Orders can be cancelled within 24 hours of purchase. If you need to correct your address, message us straight away, since we cannot reroute an order once it has shipped.

If your print arrives damaged or faulty, that is on us. Send us a photo through Etsy messages as soon as you notice and we will replace it at no cost to you, or refund it if you would rather.

All four sizes are printed on the same thick matte paper.

Paper weight: 189 g/m² (5.57 oz/yd²)
Paper thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils)
Opacity: 94%
ISO brightness: 104%
Paper sourced from Japan

Matte means no glare under a lamp or near a window, and it suits the flat, printed look of the original labels.

Handle the print by the edges, and give it a day flat under a couple of heavy books if it holds any curl from the post.

We do not add names, dates or custom text to prints.

If you are after a particular subject, country or era and cannot find it in the shop, message us. We have thousands of labels catalogued and we will point you to what we have, or tell you if it is not something we hold.

We are not able to offer gift wrapping.

Every print ships rolled in secure, sustainable packaging for safe transit, so it arrives ready to hand over as it is.