Zippo Lady Bradford Table Lighter patent, 1951

On the 12th June, 1951 the United States Patent Office patented the second Zippo Table Lighter marketed since 1949 as Lady Bradford. The name of the "inventor" and designer was Gerald Stahl. Below the specification of it:

Braun Cylindric T2 Table Lighter, Dieter Rams, 1968

The Braun Cylindric T2 Table Lighter was manufactured in between 1968 and 1970 by Braun AG in Frankfurt, Germany and also in Ireland. It was inspired by the development of the invention of the magnetic ignition technology. The table lighter was available in many various finishes like: painted metal, plain chrome plated steel and in diamond texture (see picture). The whole type specification:

• 6822 / 272  metal silver-plated, lengthwise ruffled
• 6822 / 708  metal silver-plated, unruffled surface
• 6822 / 712  plastic red                            
• 6822 / 713  plastic blue
• 6822 / 715  plastic black, black cap
• 6822 / 716  plastic black, chrome-plated cap
• 6822 / 717  plastic orange
• 6822 / 718  metal chrome-plated, annulated struktur
• 6822 / 730  plexiglass
• 6822 / 302  metal chrome-plated, unruffled grounded
• 6822 / 303  metall chrome-plated, lengthwise ruffled
• 6822 / 304  metall black, annulated struktur
• 6822 / 305  metall silver-plated, checked pattern

This gas butane lighter was designed for Braun by the famous German designer Dieter Rams born in 1932. Next to this lighter he designed also the ET 55 Calculator (1980), SK 4/10 Radio-Phonograph (1956), H 3 Heater-Ventilator (1962) and the Loudspeaker Model No. LE 1 (1960). The Braun Cylindric is part of the permanent collection  of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.

As a smoker, Rams loved to design lighters as “small sculptural objects” which should be “a pleasure to look at and to use.” According to an article in the Design Museum  website "his chief challenge with the T2 was identifying the precise place on the side of the cylinder at which the thumb could apply the greatest pressure to the magnetic ignition pad".

If someone is interested in the the inner part of the lighter you may find the article "Cylindric Ultrasonic Bat Detector" very useful.

Marked on the bottom of the base (black plastic):

BRAUN
Made in Ireland

or

BRAUN
Made in West Germany 
 (serial number)

Type: gas (butane) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for very good–mint condition: $70.00–130.00 (approx €55.00–100.00)

Weight: 275 grams (0,60 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 8.6 cm (3 3/8")
• diameter: 5.4 cm (2 1/8")

Cigarette Lighter Museums all over the world

There are not many museums devoted to lighters in the world. The most impressive permanent collection has the National Lighter Museum in the US.

North America

National Lighter Museum
Address: 5715 Sooner Rd, Guthrie, Oklahoma, United States
More info: http://www.nationallightermuseum.com/index.html

Zippo Museum
Address: 1932 Zippo Drive, Bradford, Pensylvania, United States
More info: http://www.zippo.com/ZippoCaseMuseum/index.aspx

Asia

Cigarette Lighter Museum (Raita Hakubutsukan)
Address: Sumida ward, Mukojima 1-27-6, Tokyo, Japan
More information: http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/museums.html

Europe

The Phillumeny Museum (Muzeum Filumenistyczne)

Address: Mały Rynek 1, Bystrzyca Kłodzka, Poland

More information: http://www.muzeum-filumenistyczne.pl/english-version.html

Edwin Preibisch, Feuerzeugmuseum
Address: Bergerstraße 136, Köln (Porz-Eil), Germany

Do you know more museums featuring lighters and other tobacciana? Let me know and I will add it to that list!

Tobacciana Video Commercials

Do you remember the times when smoking was everywhere and when cigarettes were perceived as healthy? Yes, even doctors and cartoon characters advertised cigarettes. Below some of the most interesting examples.