Matchbooks, much like cigarette vending machines (except in Italy where they can be found in abundance), are a thing of the past. Smoking was more prevalent, disposable lighters not on the market yet, so matchbooks became a handy way to advertise all sorts of products, services and businesses.

Like anything of yesteryear, and given the period style of design, old matchbooks have since become a collectible item. They have the bonus quality of being small, so as a collectible that don’t over run your home. There is also an element of nostalgia; people who collected over the years from the places they visited, rather than buying collections in antique shops.

Czech illustrator and designer Pavel Fuksa was commissioned by the band The Navigators to create 178 matchbook designs, emulating the old style of illustration and design, for their video of Nostalgia. The resulting array of images tell the lyrical story as the song progresses.

He researched old designs as inspiration, in the process providing us with even more eye candy for our enjoyment.

- images via Gitganben’s Flickr set and Drawn