Grandpa's trunk - matchbooks

Last week I opened my trunk for my grandson for the first time, to show my Matchbox cars. This week I'll stay on the same theme, except this time with real matchboxes, actually, matchbooks. Today's grandchildren may find it difficult to believe, but not so long ago smoking was "cool", and the advertising industry would use this charm to sell everything. Not so much here in Brazil, but in the U.S. every restaurant or hotel would have matchbooks all over the place, on the tables, in the rooms, on the reception desk, by the cashiers... Believe me, people could smoke even on planes, and the airlines would give matches and cigarettes to their passengers! On my trips, I've collected many matchbooks, and quite a few more in restaurants and trade shows here in Brazil (yes, because matchboxes were also given as souvenirs).
It's interesting to examine them today and find brands that are gone, airlines that don't fly anymore... And to remember places and happy moments, travels, tours, delicious meals...
Here are a few examples of this collection kept in grandpa's trunk:
Anybody remembers this likable VARIG toucan, which appears here in various Brazilian sites?


Other matchbooks of airlines: except for VARIG, which is under "intensive care", all others are gone...


These are very old. Notice, on the picture at right, one from Jânio Quadros' presidential campaign. And can anybody imagine nowadays using matchbooks to advertise milk or health checkups, or to request donations to build a children's hospital?



A series about the inauguration of Brasilia, and another one about the '62 FIFA World Cup:



Souvenirs of trips around Brazil and the world:





If I counted right, my collection has 411 different matchbooks. Today, it almost doesn't grow anymore: matchbooks are not so common, and my trips are even rarer...