Ronson De-Light Tabourette Table Lighter, 1928

The De-Light Ronson Tabourette was first manufactured in 1928 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. The production was ceased in 1933. It was the first Ronson table lighter along with the Banjo Tablelighter.

This Tabourette Table Lighter was available for the mass-consumer in chromium plate (model no. 12417) and in black leather (model no. 12280). The chromium plate Tabourette had a diamond-shaped monogram shield in the center (see photo). The second model covered partly with black leather had an oval monogram shield.

The table lighter was also marketed in the luxury segment - made of solid sterling sliver in three designs:

• barley design (model no. 12273),
• basket weave design (model no. 12274),
• fluted design (model no. 12275).

All three above mentioned models had a rectangular monogram shield and are very rare.

The base of the table lighter is padded with green felt.

The Tabourette was also marketed in various sets like the "Ronson Smoker Set" (model no. 13033) which consists of a removable Tabourette, pottery bowl and marbleized base. See the illustration below retrieved from the Ronson De-Light Catalog from 1931.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: rare–very rare

Writing on the underside:

PAT.JAN.17.1928

RONSON

DE-LIGHT

PAT'S P'D'G.

Value for good–mint condition: $125.00–750.00 (approx €100.00–550.00)

Weight: 105 grams (0,23 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 10.5 cm (4.13")
• width: 6.2 cm (2.4")
• depth: 3.4 cm (1.3")

Patent: Ronson Touch-Tip Pyrophoric Lighter, 1935

Patented Oct. 22, 1935
          

           United States Patent Office
           Patent no. 97,247

          

           Design for a Pyrophoric Lighter  

 by Louis V. Aronson, Newark, N.J., 

assignor to Art Metal Works, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey

          

           Application August 2, 1935, Serial No. 57,914

       
Figure 1 is a plan view of the pyrophoric lighter showing the new design (see: Ronson Octette)
Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the pyrophoric lighter; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of said pyrophoric lighter.

Advert: Ronson, World's Greatest Lighter, 1936

This Ronson vintage black & white magazine advertisement was published in Esquire on December 1936. It presents the wide range of Ronson lighters: touch-tip desk models, automatic pocket models and the neat penciliter.

Ronson Victor Desk Lighter, 1952

The Ronson Victor was manufactured between 1952 and 1955 in Newark, N.J. in the United States. It was, next to Ronson Viceroy, the first gas table lighter model manufactured by Ronson.

The cuboid body was available in tan (see photo) and green leather and tooled with 24K gold stripes. Padded with brown felt at the bottom.

The removable chrome-plated gas lighter insert has a two-way flame. At first glance the lighter insert looks like the one used in Ronson Socialite which was in fact a petrol lighter. Marked on the bottom:

(R) RONSON

NEWARK, N.J. U.S.A.

U.S. PATS. RE. 19,023

2,481,195-CANADA PAT.

JUNE 151948 (449159)

OTHER U.S. & FOR PAT. PDG

Marked on the bottom of the base:

RONSON 
VICTOR
NEWARK, N.J. U.S.A.

Type: gas (butane) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon–rare

Value for very good–mint condition: $60.00–80.00 (approx €45.00–60.00)

Weight: 110 grams (0.24 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 7.2 cm (2.8")
• width: 4.5 cm (1.8")
• length: 4.5 cm (1.8")

Dunhill Sylph Letter Opener/Lighter, 1958

The Dunhill 'Sylph' Letter Opener/Lighter was manufactured between 1958 and 1961 in England. This lift arm wick lighter is a combination of the smallest Dunhill 'Sylph Ruler' (handle) and a letter opener blade. It was produced in two finishes: silver plate and gold plate. The handle was made of brass and was available plated with a monogram shield or covered with pig skin colored in red or brown.

Marked on the bottom of the handle:

SYLPH
dunhill

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: rare

Value for very good–mint condition (depends on finish): $350.00–450.00 (approx €260.00–370.00)

Weight: coming soon

Dimensions:

• height: 1.0 cm (0.4")
• width: 2.0 cm (0.8")
• length: 22.0 cm (8.5")

Advert: Colibri Lighters, 1964

This Colibri magazine advertisement was published in The Illustrated London News on the 14th of November, 1964. It presents a part of the great Colibri pocket and table lighters assortment, like the monopol, monogas and minigas models.

Anatomy of the Evans wick lighter

The Evans lighter was made up in variety of styles: pocket lighters, case lighters and of course table lighters, which also were made up in variety of finishes, colors and sizes but the majority of Evans lighters were assembled in the same way.  The exceptions are Evans lighters with the trig-a-lite and lift-arm mechanism dating the 1920s and 1930s and of course gas lighters made since 1958.

Here an illustration of the Evans wick lighter manufactured for at least two decades in years 1941-1958.

List of the lighter parts:

1. Snuffer
2. File wheel
3. Fulcrum screws
4. Wick
5. Flint tube
6. Flint
7. Flint spring tip
8. Flint spring
9. Flint screw
10. Thumb lever
11. Thumb lever spring
12. Thumb lever pin
13. Washer for the fuel screw
14. Fuel screw

Negbaur Golf Bag Table Lighter, 1940

This figural wick lighter was manufactured by Negbaur between 1940 and 1949 in Allbright, New York in the United States. It is made of die cast metal in a dark cooper antique (uncommon) or chrome plate finish (rare). It presents a set of golf clubs in a golf bag. When the putter is pushed the top section flips open and the lighter lights.

The Golf Bag lighter was advertised as a "practical and novelty lighter for the desk or table". It was a bestseller on the Negbaur's list.

Negbaur was well known for their other solid built figural lighters, like planes, knights, canons, chess figures or planes made in the earlier years (1930s and 1940s). The Negbaur Golf Bag is very collectible as it is well build and designed. As many of them were manufactured it is not a problem to find one in excellent shape.

Marked on the bottom of the base:

Negbaur
Made in U.S.A.

Type: wick (petrol) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon–rare

Value for very good–mint condition: $50.00–90.00 (approx €35.00–55.00)

Weight: 190 grams (0.42 pounds)

Dimensions:

• length: 3.9 cm (1.5")
• width: 3.0 cm (1.2")
• height: 12.5 cm (4.9")

Ronson Wedgwood Ulysses Table Lighter, 1955

This Ronson table lighter was made between 1955 and 1957 in England by Ronson and Wedgwood. The Ronson 'Ulysses' was marketed with two different Ronson chrome plated fitments: Cadet and Rondelight. They were mounted in a Wedgwood light green (see photo) or blue Jasper base with overlaid design – heroic battle scene – in white ceramic. The lighter was also available with a matching ashtray. The Ulysses scene was also used in the Ronson butane table lighter eleven years later.

Wedgwood is a British pottery firm, founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood (1730–95). The company still exists and is noted for its numerous innovations and high-quality wares that achieved renown throughout the world. Wedgwood's name is synonymous with the Jasper Ware body type.

The main themes on the company's jasper ware have all been taken from ancient mythologies: Roman, Greek or Egyptian or Italian Renaissance and Baroque The initial decision to have antique designs was probably that as Britain entered an age of great industrialization, the demand for luxurious goods subsequently exploded. Meanwhile, the archeological fever caught the imagination of many artists. Nothing could have been more suitable to satisfy this huge business demand than to produce replicas of artefacts. Wedgwoods pottery is  very collectible nowadays.

The lighter base is padded with felt. Marked on the bottom of the base:

195X (year)
WEDGWOOD
MADE IN 
ENGLAND 

Lighter insert marked:

RONSON
TRADEMARK
MADE IN ENGLAND
BRIT. PAT. 621570

Type: wick (petrol) lighter

Scarcity: common–uncommon

Value for very good–mint condition: $40.00–60.00 (approx €25.00–40.00)

Weight: 125 grams (0.27 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 6.5 cm (2.6")
• length: 7.3 cm (2.9")
• width:  5.5 cm (2.2")

Types of lighter wicks

As the purpose of this blog is to enhance the knowledge on cigarette lighters and it accessories I decided to share with you some of the most interesting stories coming from a small booklet called the Lighter Repair Manual which was written by Gilbert J. Gaugler for Lighter Parts Inc. in 1954.

Back to the 1950s when almost every person owned and used petrol lighters wicks where widely available. These days the range of wicks for lighters are limited most often to one or two types and obtainably rather only in tobacco shops. Listed below are the different types of wicks (with illustrations) and the lighters in which they should be used:

Standard Scotch Braid Wick

This is a standard wick that will work in most any popular lighter. It is chemically treated to keep it from burning.

Average diameter: .101

Average length: 6 inches

The Gold Seal Wick 

for Ronson and other lighters

This is a special modification of the standard wick. It has two notable improvements.

1. It is equipped with a wire inserter, attached to the bottom end by means of a plastic tip.
2. At the top of the wick is a small gold colored ferrule which fits the wick hole of most popular lighters. This small ferrule acts as a seal and reduces the size of the wick hole; cutting down on evaporation, preventing leakage, and prolonging the fuel's lasting qualities.

Average diameter of ferrule: .091
Average diameter of wick: 6 inches
Average length of wire: 3 inches

The Red Wick 

and seal for Evans lighters

This is another wick (red in color) equipped with the wire inserter and a special ferrule that fits the wick hole on most Evans lighters.

Average diameter of ferrule: .106
Average length of wick: 6 inches
Average length of wire: 3 inches

Wick for Giant

This is an exceptionally large diameter wick and can be used only in the Galter Giant lighter.

Average diameter: .156
Average length: 6 inches

Asbestos wick for Zippo 

and other windproof lighters

This wick is made of non inflammable material (asbestos). It is woven of several strands and the exposed portion in the top of the lighter can be frayed so that several ends are exposed to the sparks from the flint. This helps the lighter to light even in a wind. 

 Average diameter: .092
Average length: 6 inches

12 inch Wicks with Wire

This is a repairman's wick. It can be pulled through the lighter and a six inch wick cut of. Te the remaining six inches portion, with its wire inserter, can be used in another lighter.

 

Average diameter: .101
Average length of wick: 12 inches
Average length of wire: 3 inches

Wick for Dunhill

This wick is slightly smaller in diameter than average, due to small wick hole in Dunhill lighters. Has a flat metal inserter that reduces wick to correct size and guides it through the lighter.

Average diameter of guide: .070
Average diameter of wick: 0.89
Average length of wick: 10 inches
Average length of inserter: 2 inches

Wick Glassine

This wick is in same diameter as standard, but woven of spun glass. It is very stiff and hard to work with. It does not burn, but chars away until there is nothing left to get hold of to pull it up.

Average diameter: 0.75
Average length: 4 1/2 inches

Where to buy a wick nowadays? You may take a look at THIS POST.