sulfur match

plural sulfur matches · alternative sulphur match

1. obsoleteA kind of taper or miniature torch produced by splintering tar barrels, immersing the slips into sulfur, and applying them to a flame.

   ... the old sulphur match was intended, not to produce fire, but to convey fire from the tinder to the candle. Sulphur matches were usually made by splitting thin slips off the edge of resinous pinewood or other light, inflammable wood, sharpening roughly each end, and dipping into melted sulphur.

   1907 November, Elliot Stock & al., "Notes of the Month“, The Antiquary, Vol. XLIII (OS) or III (NS), No. 11, p. 411

   Synonyms: tar-barrel match, spunk

2. historicalA match activated by a sulfuric reaction, formerly by immersion of various chemicals in sulfuric acid and now more usually by friction and some amount of phosphorus.

   Synonyms: brimstone match