The Story
Two figures in Western dress fill a deep red field: one man strides forward holding his hat while a second in a striped jersey and flat cap lunges behind him with a lit match throwing off a bright spark. The whole scene is drawn in fine engraved line and printed in a single warm red ink over a cream ground, the men's faces and the burst of the match left in negative so they read pale against the color. This tee carries the design twice: a small left-chest emblem on the front and the full panel printed large across the back, so the red glows warm against the black cotton from either side.
The maker line names Odagiri of Kobe, one of the Kobe match houses that drove Japan's enormous match export trade in the Meiji and Taisho years. Labels like this one paired Western figures and English wording to signal modernity and reach overseas buyers, and the lively two-man vignette is unusual: most labels of the period favored animals, crests or single emblems, so a narrative scene of two men in motion stands out as a genuinely characterful piece of commercial art. Surviving examples live almost entirely in collections now.
On the tee, the small chest mark and the full back panel work as a pair: a subtle badge from the front, a bold poster-like scene between the shoulder blades from behind. The lightweight cotton keeps it easy to wear, a piece of printed history that reads cleanly at any distance.
Who Is It For
Collectors of Japanese matchbox graphics and printed ephemera, pop art lovers, people who like narrative and figurative vintage illustration over logos, and anyone after a piece of genuine 1880 to 1940 commercial art on something wearable. It suits wardrobes that lean archival and graphic rather than branded.
About the Collection
Every design in the Ichinichi Collection is sourced from a personal archive of original Japanese matchbox labels spanning 1880 to 1940. This Kobe-made label belongs to the export side of that archive, printed for overseas markets, and is reproduced here directly from the original with its red ink, line work and age intact.
Product Details
This unisex jersey short sleeve tee is made from 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton at a lightweight 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²), with a retail fit, crew neckline, ribbed knit collar, tapered shoulders, dual side seams and a tear-away label. Bella+Canvas is part of the Fair Labor Association and is Platinum WRAP certified, manufacturing in humane, sustainable conditions. On this product the label design appears twice: a small print on the left chest and a large print across the back. Sleeve prints and neck labels, where applicable, are produced using DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing technology on products fulfilled by OPT OnDemand and Shirt Monkey.
Size Guide
| Size |
Width (in) |
Length (in) |
Sleeve length (in) |
| S |
18.00 |
28.00 |
8.90 |
| M |
20.00 |
29.00 |
9.20 |
| L |
22.00 |
30.00 |
9.50 |
| XL |
24.00 |
31.00 |
9.70 |
| 2XL |
26.00 |
32.00 |
10.00 |
| 3XL |
28.00 |
33.00 |
10.40 |
Measurements allow a tolerance of ±1.50 inches. Fabric blends vary by color: Ash and Heather Prism colors are 99% cotton, 1% polyester; Heather and Solid Blend colors are 52% cotton, 48% polyester; Athletic Heather and Black Heather are 90% cotton, 10% polyester.
