Two Squirrels Three Diamond Vintage Japanese Matchbox Label Unisex Tee

The Story

This label has a strange, compelling symmetry to it. Two squirrels sit upright and face to face, mirror images of one another, their bushy tails curving up behind them and their small forepaws raised toward the center. Each animal is finely engraved in dark grey with the detail of a natural history plate. Between them sits a three-diamond emblem in red and cream, and behind the whole arrangement a burst of fine red rays radiates outward to the edges of the central panel. "Safety Matches" arcs across the top in bold dark lettering and "Made in Japan" sits in a banner along the base. The composition is heraldic in the truest sense, two animals supporting a central device exactly as supporters flank a coat of arms in European heraldry, a convention Japanese label designers absorbed and reinterpreted with great skill.

The squirrel was a fitting and slightly witty choice for the markets this label served. Across many cultures the squirrel carries associations of industriousness, foresight and thrift, the careful gathering and storing of provisions against future need, qualities that sit comfortably with a reliable household product meant to be kept close at hand. Pairing two of them in perfect symmetry around a central crest gives the label a formal, almost official quality, the kind of design meant to convey trust and permanence. The three-diamond device at the center lends the whole label an air of corporate authority.

On the tee the label reads as a bold, symmetrical vignette, the dark engraving and red rays holding their detail and the cream ground of the label sitting warmly against the shirt.

Who Is It For

This tee suits someone who likes their graphics with a little strangeness and a lot of craft. They are drawn to the symmetry, to the heraldic staging, to the unexpected dignity of two squirrels rendered this carefully. They might be into the history of trademark and crest design, into natural history illustration, into animal symbolism, or simply into a graphic that rewards a second look and a third. It is a conversation piece in the best sense, an image that looks like one thing from across the room and reveals itself completely up close.

Available Colors

Orange: The bright orange of this colorway is a bold and genuinely effective ground for this label. The cream panel reads warmly against it, the dark engraving of the squirrels holds maximum contrast, and the red rays and central crest pick up the warmth of the orange around them. A lively, confident pairing.

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 label pairs two heraldically posed squirrels around a three-diamond crest, drawing on both the symbolism of the squirrel as a creature of industriousness and foresight and the visual conventions of European heraldry. It is one of the archive's most formally composed and characterful animal labels.

Product Details

Material: 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. Weight: 4.2 oz per square yard, lightweight and breathable. Fit: Unisex retail fit, crew neckline, ribbed knit collar. Construction: Tapered shoulders, dual side seams for shape retention. Label: Tear-away, minimal skin irritation. Ethics: Fair Labor Association, Platinum WRAP certified, no sweatshop. Sleeve prints and neck labels use DTF printing where applicable.

Size Guide

All measurements in inches. Size tolerance: plus or minus 1.50 inches across all measurements.

Fabric blends vary by color. Ash and Heather Prism: 99% cotton and 1% polyester. Heather and Solid Blend: 52% cotton and 48% polyester. Athletic Heather and Black Heather: 90% cotton and 10% polyester.