Royal Doulton Table Lighter, Falstaff, 1958

This ceramic Royal Doulton Falstaff Table Lighter was designed by H. Fenton and issued between 1958 and 1973 in England. It is a fine example of the great variety of character jugs/table lighters manufactured exclusively by Royal Doulton Company which is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton. The Royal Doulton Company began as a partnership between John Doulton, Martha Jones, and John Watts, with a factory at Vauxhall Walk, Lambeth, London. The company took the name Doulton in 1853.

Other character Royal Doulton table lighters are in the shape of: Bacchus, Beefeater, Buz Fuz, Cap'n Cuttle, Captain Ahab, Lawyer, Long Jhon Silver, Mr Micawber, Mr Pickwick, Old Charley, Poacher Porthos, Rip Van Winkle.

It is worth to know that Falstaff (Sir John Falstaff) is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare as a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is ultimately repudiated after Hal becomes king.

The lighter base is marked on the bottom:

MADE IN ENGLAND

ROYAL DOULTON 

ENGLAND

Falstaff

Copr 1949

Doulton & Co Limited

Rd No 857578

Rd No 5905

Rd No 75/49

The brass wick lighter insert was provided by Colibri a famous English lighter manufacturer. The company was established by Julius Löwenthal  in 1928. Colibri delivered the lighter insert which was produced in France and W. Germany. Royal Doulton also cooperated with Evans Co. and Ronson. The lighter insert is marked:

Colibri by Kreisler
U.S. PAT
12.267182
U.S. Zone
WEST GERMANY

Type: wick (petrol) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon–rare

Value for mint condition: $90.00–130.00 (approx €70.00–90.00)

Weight: 300 grams (0.66 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 11 cm (4.3")
• width: 11 cm (4.3")
• depth: 8 cm (3.2")