Ivar Kreuger’s Matchbook | |
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Origin |
Ivar Kreuger |
Type |
Matchbook |
Effects |
Grants financial success on borderline legality |
Downsides |
Gives frequent and debilitating headaches and nosebleeds |
Activation |
Lighting a match |
Collected by |
Grant Miller |
Section |
|
Aisle |
237656-4092 |
Shelf |
886149-1235-284 |
Date of Collection |
January 27, 1941 |
[Source] |
Origin[]
Ivar Kreuger was a Swedish financier, entrepreneur and industrialist who co-founded the construction company Kreuger & Toll Byggnads AB, which specialized in new building techniques. By aggressive investments and innovative financial instruments he built a global match and financial empire. Between the two world wars, he negotiated match monopolies with European and Central and South American governments, and finally controlled between two thirds and three quarters of worldwide match production, becoming known as the "Match King”. He had fraud businesses to match his genuine ones, but his empire crashed during the Great Depression.
Collection[]
The matchbook was found by agent Grant Miller on January 27, 1941 in a New England laundromat.
Effects[]
When a match is lit, the user is able to achieve financial prosperity through their business/work, but many of their activities are only ‘technically’ legal. The user will suffer frequent and debilitating headaches and nosebleeds. The rate will increase over time, causing effects to appear several times every hour if habitually used of the span of years. The artifact does not seem to influence conscience or greed; any changes are due to the user’s introduction to newfound wealth.