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Home | Great Inventions: Book of Matches
Joshua Pusey invented book matches in 1889. He was a well-known lawyer in Pennsylvania before the turn of the century. He smoked cigars. One day he was invited to a dinner party by the Mayor of Philadelphia. He dressed in his best clothes, and all was fine-except for one thing. The big box of wooden kitchen matches he was carrying to light his cigars, stuck out of his vest so much that he felt embarrassed. Why did matches have to be so bulky? He wondered! Why couldn't they be made out of paper instead of wood? Paper matches would be lighter and much smaller.
Mr. Pusey worked at his idea, and in 1889 he patented paper matches. He tried to interest people in his invention, but for eight years, no one seemed to care. Then in 1897, Pusey got his break. The Mendelsohn Opera Company wanted a special way to advertise their New York opening. They used books of paper matches with their name printed on them. Suddenly everyone was talking about book matches, and paper matches began selling as fast as they were made. In later years Joshua Pusey sold his rights to the Diamond Match Company.