The jovial monkey wearing a top hat in this poster by an unknown designer holds two of the “Monkey” brand matches promoted here between his toes. While this points to their ease of use, the text also asserts the reliability and non-poisonous quality of these matches. The white phosphorous traditionally used in matches up until the turn of the 20th century to create a “strike anywhere” effect was notoriously toxic and often caused the devastating disease known as “Phossy Jaw” in those who worked with it.