The match was for a long time the first accessory of the smoker. Its manufacture remained artisanal and under private law until 1872, when the French Parliament adopted the principle of State monopoly on their manufacture and marketing. The Monopoly was first leased to the Société Générale des Allumettes Chimiques, in return for the payment of part of the profits, then, from 1890, directly insured by the State Manufactures Administration. On October 1, 1935, the Monopoly was transferred to the Caisse Autonome d'Amortissement, thus joining the Tobacco Monopoly. The S.E.I.T. becomes S.E.I.T.A.
With competition from lighters and ignitions built into gas stoves, the consumption of matches for smokers began to fall from 1960. In 1962, the Aubervilliers factory closed its doors. In 1981, it was the turn of that of Trélazé, then that of Mâcon in 1993.
The monopoly on the manufacture and marketing of matches was lifted in 1992. Competitors of SEITA (which became a limited company in 1980) began to market matches, such as the Cricket company with Feudor matches. SEITA then only had one manufacturing unit, that of Saintines. The factory was sold in 2000 to the Tunisian group Sofas, during the merger of Seita with the Spanish Tabacalera.
The Régie Française (Seit, Seita, Altadis, etc.) offered French smokers from the early 1930s until 2000 its matchboxes in different formats: pouches, sliding boxes and, more rarely, Flip Top boxes (with lids).
Very often, the boxes and sleeves are illustrated with themed series: geography, painters, comic strips, musical universe... But the Régie does not forget that each box and sleeve constitutes a formidable advertising space for its own brands of cigars. and cigarettes. Here are some examples...
