Oomrao Jan

Rare large format matchbox label of the Indian character in the 1905 Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada, which tells the story of a Lucknow courtesan and her rise to fame.

With the rapid growth of matchbox production at the start of the 20th century, label design became the key differential point between brands. This importance of branding acted as the catalyst to the creation of innovative and important label designs, with many influencing both the design and topography industry for years to come.