Other Definitions
matchbox (dict)
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MatchboxMatchbox is a die cast cars and airplanes trademark started in 1952 by the now-defunct British Lesney Toys company. The name was once widely used by the public as a generic name for all die cast toy cars measuring approximately 2.5 inches (6.5 cm) in length, regardless of brand. Matchbox is so named because of the small boxes in which the products were packed, like those for matches. In the 1980s, Matchbox switched to the more conventional, plastic and cardboard wrapping style ("Blister packs") used for other die cast cars. The Matchbox/Lesney factory was a major employer around Rochford, Essex, although in 1990 to company relocated to Rugby in the north of England. Lesney Toys went bankrupt on June 11, 1982, and went into receivership. The Matchbox brand name was then sold to Universal Toys, although some of the Matchbox tooling became property of Lesney co-founder Jack Odell, who continued to market Matchbox-like products under the Lledo brand name. Allthough no longer British-owned, matchboxes still felt British, with limited production in England continuing until the mid-1980's, and the re-using of many old Lesney castings. Matchbox expanded beyond die cast cars into other markets, with mixed success, and by 1992, Universal was also seeking a buyer. In May 1992, Universal sold out to Tyco, whose toy division in turn was bought out by Mattel in 1996, uniting Matchbox with its longtime rival Hot Wheels under the same corporate banner. In 2002, Matchbox Sky Busters made a comeback, but with Continental Airlines as the only major airline to sponsor the product. Matchbox also came out in '02 with a line of cars to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Matchbox cars come in two major sizes. The smaller versions are approximately 1:64 scale and measure about 2.5 inches, or 6.5 centimeters, in length, and are the form most often seen in toy stores. However, Matchbox has also manufactured cars in 1:43 scale, which measure about 3.5 inches, or 9 centimeters, in length. Matchbox's designers favored this larger size because it permitted more detail. The 1:43 cars are still made, but are primarily marketed as collectibles, rather than as toys. Although Matchbox is best known for its die-cast cars, during the 1970s, Matchbox bought the AMT corporation, the dominant American plastic model kit manufacturer, and set up their own plastic kit division in the UK concentrating on 1/72 scale military aircraft, competing with the then-dominant Airfix company. Matchbox also continued AMT's extensive line of 1/25 scale cars. Within a decade, the hobby was declining and Lesney sold AMT to Ertl and shut down their own kit division. The Matchbox kits were well-made, with modern tooling and techniques, but critics felt that the kits were too coarsely detailed in comparison with other models on the market, and too "toy-like". Yet they were still just as complex and time consuming to construct as any other kit, which limited their appeal to more casual model builders. Unable to fully satisfy either market, Matchbox was one of the first companies to abandon model kits once the hobby started its decline. While the Matchbox-branded kits were not a success, the same was not true of the AMT line. By the 1970s AMT had 20 years' experience tooling car kits, and the only difference European ownership made was a somewhat broader selection of subject matter than had been seen from them before or since. During this time, Matchbox also tried a hand in the die cast airplanes area, under the name Matchbox Sky Busters. Sky Busters produced plane models for such airlines as Aeromxico, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa and Saudi Arabian Airlines.
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