Wick, flint and lighter fluid - what & where to buy?


If you have a wick lighter you will need to acquire an universal:
  1. Wick (best buy: Zippo wick)
  2. Flint (best buy: Zippo Flints or Ronson flints
  3. Lighter fluid (best buy: Zippo Lighter Fluid)
If you have a gas (butane) lighter you will just need a:
  1. Flint (best buy: Zippo Flints or Ronson flints
  2. Lighter butane refill (best buy: Zippo Butane Fuel
The links refer to amazon.com but if you are from a different country you may use your local amazon store. The recommended lighter accessories can be also bought at eBay and your local tobacco store.

Cartier Paris 303 Table Lighter, 1997


This modern Cartier Paris 303 Table Lighter was made in the late 1990s by Cartier  S.A. in Switzerland. It is an oval shaped semiautomatic table lighter made in brush silver finish with a gold plated ring on the top.

Cartier is renowned French luxury jeweler and watch manufacturer founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier when he took over the workshop of his master. The product range of Cartier ranges today from timepieces, leather goods to accessories such as cigarette lighters.

It is marked on the bottom:

Cartier Paris  303
SWISS MADE
SN
Type: gas (butane) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for mint condition: $350.00–400.00 (approx €250.00–300.00)

Weight: 135 grams (0.3 pounds)

Dimensions:
  • height: 1.2 cm (0.5")
  • width: 2.5 cm (1.0")
  • length: 12.4 cm (4.9")

Ronson Bolero Set, 1954


The Ronson Bolero Set was manufactured between 1954 and 1955 in Newark, United States of America. The set (model no. 43625) consists of a wick table lighter and a matching ash-tray which was also available seperate (model no. 43637).

The lighter base as well the ashtray are handmade of glazed ceramic in two colors: brown on the bottom and oatmeal-gray on the top. The lighter insert is a chromed plated Ronson Essex marked on the bottom:

RONSON (R)
NEWARK, N.J. U.S.A.
U.S. PATENTS
2,481,195 & 2,715,329

The base of the table lighter has a silver sticker on the bottom:

(R)
RONSON
Newark, N.J.
U.S.A.

or

Ronson Bolero
Toronto, Canada.

The bottoms of both the base of the lighter and ashtray are padded with green felt.

Other unique ceramic sets made by Ronson beside the Bolero Set were called Tropicana and Fiesta which are also rare. In England a similar set to the Bolero Set was manufactured, although it was called Ronson Wade Harmony Set.

Worth to know is that the Bolero lighter was featured in the great American movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
 

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: rare

Value for good–mint condition (set): 201 zł–90.00 (approx 187 zł–75.00)

Weight:

  • lighter 250330 grams (0.550.73 lbs)
  • cigarette holder 300–340 grams (0.66–0.75 lbs)
Dimensions:

1. Table lighter
  • height: 6.5 cm (2.56")
  • length: 14.0 cm (5.5")
  • width: 10.0 cm (3.9")
2. Ash-tray
  • height: 3.5 cm (1.4")
  • length: 15.5 cm (6.1")
  • width: 12.0 cm (4.7")

United, Bovano Cheshire Table Lighter 1957


The United Bovano Cheshire Automobile table lighter was manufactured in 1957 United States by United Findings Co. Inc. and Bovano of Cheshire, Connecticut. 

The wick lighter insert was provided by United. The colorful handy base was however crafted by Bovano of Cheshire which started its business in 1952 and which is still active today. The company was founded by Bonsignor, Van Leight and Noden. It is designing and hand crafting high quality wall and table sculptures using powdered glass fused to small copper plates and glass.

The lighter base is hand  enameled (pulverized glass) in three different colors using a delicate sprinkling method layered over solid copper and then kiln fired which makes the base look vitreous and noble.
The lighter insert is removable and covered with a gold-tone lacquer. Marked on the underside:

MADE IN U.S.A.
UNITED
PAT. 2,723,547

The base is padded with brown felt. A gold sticker is attached to it:

HANDCRAFTED
BY
Bovano
OF CHESHIRE
CONN.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: rare


Value for very good–mint condition: $30.00–45.00 (approx €20.00–30.00)

Weight: 180 grams (0.4 pounds)

Dimensions:
  • height: 7.2 cm (2.8")
  • diamater: 6.0 cm (2.36")

Ronson Touch-Tip 'Octette' Table Lighter, 1935


The Ronson Touch-Tip 'Octette' table lighter was made between 1935 and  1951 by Ronson / Art Metal Works Inc.  in Newark, New Jersey in the United States. This lighter began a very successful era for Ronson T-T series of lighters which pushed out the strike lighters from the market. During the years the 'Octette' model changed slightly: at the beginning it was manufactured with a rectangular cover over the flint wheel and a round-shaft wand. Since the 1942 the cover over the flint wheel was half circled and the wand had a square shaft and a tapered cone knob (see pictures).

The 'Octette' has a genuine pure Art Deco design. It is very heavy although its relatively small dimensions. Fitment and base are made of polished chrome and the metal body was finished in different enamels: black (most popular), tortoise or white. Less popular finishes include:  green, maroon enamel and many others. The polished center monogram shield  was on one side.

It was available in many various configurations including pipe racks, cigarette boxes pipe holders, figures (golfer), thermometer, clock etc.

The lighter base is padded with green felt and marked:

RONSON "Touch-Tip" (R) TRADE MARK
MFD BY RONSON NEWARK, N.J., U.S.A.
U.S. PATS. 1,986,754-2,118,692
BRIT.PAT. 435,667 - CANADA PAT. 349,108
OTHER U.S. & FOR. PATS. PDG.


or

RONSON TOUCH-TIP - U.S.PATS.1,986,/54-DES/GN PAT. 97,247
BRITISH PAT.APPL'D.FOR-CANDA PAT.349,148
ART METAL WORKS INC - NEWARK, N.J. U.S.A.


Lighter mechanism marked:


(R) RONSON "Touch-Tip"
NEWARK, N.J., U.S.A.
U.S. PATS. 1,986,754-2,118,692
BRIT.PAT. 435,667 - CANADA PAT. 349,108
OTHER U.S. & FOR. PATS. PDG.

See also the touch-tip 'Octette' patent.

Type: touch-tip lighter (T-T)

Scarcity: uncommonrare

Value for very good–mint condition: $140.00–280.00 (approx €100.00–200.00)

Weight: 565 grams (1.25 pounds), wand itself: 20 grams (0.7 ounces)

Dimensions:
  • height: 9.0 cm (3.5")
  • width: 6.4 cm (2.5")
  • length: 9.1 cm (3.6")
How does a T-T lighter work? You may find this video helpful: