Will it blend? Disposable lighters

Maybe someone will find this video amusing.

W.B. MFG Co., 793 Strikalite Table Lighter, 1947

The W.B. MFG Co. Table Lighter with the pattern no. 793 was made between 1947-1949 by Weidlich Brothers (Bros) Manufacturing Company which operated in Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1901 until the 1950. The brothers who established and run the business were Louis, Frank, and William. They produced a wide variety of art metal ware.

The lighter was sold alone or as a set with a matching cigarette holder. Both of them were silver-plated. The ornamental design of the lighter was invented by Alfred J. Flauder who has in his records over 80 design patents credited between 1913 and 1948 for the W.B. Manufacturing Co.

Beside the table lighter he designed jewelry cases, salt and pepper shakers, crucifix pedestals, candlesticks, a variety of spoons, statuettes, perfumer and disinfectant units, clock cases, athletic trophies, jewel cases and much more. Flauder together with Louis Weidlich obtained also two patents for manufacturing methods - one for lowering costs of die-making and one for hollow ware.

The bulky base of the lighter is marked on the bottom:

W.B. MFG Co.
793
PAT 151340 U.S.A.

or 

W.B. MFG Co.
793
Pat. Applied For

The lighter insert itself was made of brass and silver-plated and was supplied by another American company called Strikalite.

There at least two other patterns of the lighter known (no. 797 and a floral design). All of them are uncommon and none of the design was patented.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for good–mint condition: $20.00–40.00 (approx €15.00–30.00)

Weight: 190 g (6.70oz)

Dimensions:

• height: 9.6 cm (3.8")
• diameter: 5.2 cm (2.0")

Below the design patent of the table lighter registered on October, 12, 1948 by the United States Patent Office.

Advert: Dunhill Namiki Table, Pocket Lighters, 1931

A black&white French magazine advertisement published in L'Illustration on June 1931. It depicts among others the Dunhill Lift Arm Table and Pocket Lighters in Namiki finish.

Lighter Repair Manual. For All Cigarette Lighters, 1954

I have decided to share some extra content with everybody who wants and is willing to donate couple of dollars for the development of this blog. 

Please donate $5 to this blog and you will receive the "Lighter Repair Manual. For All Cigarette Lighters" which was first published in 1953/1954. This publication is available in PDF and only for private use. 150 pages of superb content, see some example pages below.

The list of Cigarette Lighters that are included in this manual is very impressive:

•     ASR
•     Avedon
•     Beattie Jet
•     Berkeley Director
•     Berkeley Windproof
•     Bowers
•     Bowers
•     Clark
•     Corona Atom
•     Dome
•     Dunhill
•     Dunhill Windproof
•     Dunhill Dueling Pistol
•     Elgin American Case
•     Elgin American Pocket
•     Evans
•     Firefly
•     Giant
•     Karat
•     Kimberly
•     Lektrolite
•     Liberty
•     Lord Oxford
•     Maraking
•     Marathon
•     Mars Triggerlite
•     Metalfield (Aladdin)
•     Mylflam
•     Negbaur
•     Parker Flaminaire
•     Parker Silent Flame
•     Parker Table
•     Pistoliter
•     RamaSpin
•     Regeliter
•     Regens
•     Ritepoint
•     Ronson
•     Ronson Maximus
•     Ronson Octette
•     Ronson Touch-Tip
•     Ronson Vanguard
•     Ronson Viking
•     Royal Case Lite
•     Royaliter
•     Solo
•     Speed
•     Stratoflame
•     Strikeliter
•     Swiza
•     Team
•     Thorens
•     Thorens Jubile
•     Thorens Ladies
•     Thorens Lucky
•     Thorens Oriflam
•     Thorens Standard
•     Thorens Vedette
•     Top Hat
•     Urislite
•     Wademeyer
•     Windy
•     Zippo

Advert: Zippo and a modern girl, 1949

A lovely magazine advertisement published in Holiday magazine on November 1949. It depicts among others the Barcroft Table Lighter.

Advert: Gillette Wild Cricket Table Lighters, 1973

The 1970s were years when table lighters were disappearing from the markets all over the world. The demand for them fall significantly because of cheap and easy to get disposable butane lighters. Some trials to keep this segment alive eventually failed. 

Below one of the attempts made by Gillette - the Cricket "Accent table lighter" was a combination of various bases in which disposable lighters could be easily fitted. Not a bad idea but very kitschy workmanship. 

Advert: Lucky Strike Cigarettes 1950-1951

The previous post devoted to Lucky Strike Cigarettes magazine advertisements was very popular among the readers of this blog. This is why I decided to share with you another six ads from years 1950 and 1951. All ads come from The Saturday Evening Post and Collier's magazines. 

I am must admit, great pin-up girls, vivid colors and a lot of happiness is pictured. Be happy - Go Lucky! :)

Inspirational Quote of the Month

It is exquisite, and leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want?

— Oscar Wilde describing a cigarette

From The Faber book of Smoking edited by James Walton.

Ad: Ward Nimrod Pipeliter, Pipe Lighter, 1947

The Nimrod Pipeliter manufactured since 1946 was a specially designed lighter for pipe smokers. It was made by Ward-Nimrod Company located in Ohio, USA. It was very robust and quite cheap.

Below three small magazine advertisements featuring the Nimrod Pipeliter. All ads were published in 1947 in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines.

Popular Mechanics, October 1947

Popular Science, December 1947

Popular Science, May 1947

Patent: Ritepoint Liter, Table Model, 1949

Sylvester G. Lipic was the inventor as well the designer of the whole Ritepoint Lighters range. He was also the first president of Ritepoint Co. of St. Louis, Mo.  The below patented design was introduced in 1949 as the Ritepoint Roman Classic which was available in four colors. It was the first table lighter with a transparent fuel reservoir (today known as the vu-lighter) which was a lucrative invention as it was widely used in the advertising sector.

 

FAQ: Instruction for the ANGLIA Table Lighter, 1947

To remove Mechanical Unit, hold body in right hand and Mechanical Unit in left and unsrew.

To recharge with flint, unscrew Knurled Cap, insert flint and spring and replace.

To refuel, hold body in left hand and basein right hand, unscrew, pour fuel in aperature and replace. Use good quality Lighter Fuel only.

Notes

The Anglia Lighter is fitted with special glass wick which cannot burn.

When replacing flint, use good quality only. The size fitted should be standard 2.8 mm diameter.

A PRODUCT OF
STEWART ENGINEERING CO LTD
ANGLIA WORKS, STAINES RD. SUNBURY-ON-THAMES

More about the Anglia Table Lighter can be found here.

Ad: Benlow Ltd. Cigarette Lighters, 1939

A rare English black & white half-page Benlow advertisement published in 1939. It depicts two series of Benlow lighters that were in production in the 1930s:

• Benlow Golmet Lighters,
• Benlow Automatic Combination Lighter Case.

Book review: Compacts and Smoking Accessories, 1991

• Full title: Compacts and Smoking Accessories
• Author: Roseann Ettinger

• Binding: Soft cover
• Number of pages: 170
• Publisher: Schiffer Pub Ltd
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English

• Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 inches
• ISBN 10: 0887403719
• ISBN 13: 978-0887403712
• Availability: used and new at Amazon
• Price range: $4–$25

Description of the book provided by the publisher:

Cosmetics and tobacco are two of the 20th century's most fascinating fashion influences, for they inspired new accessories for the well-dressed woman. This book highlights the evolution of popular vanity cases by investigating materials from compact, cigarette case and lighter manufacturers. The book begins with a history of cosmetics, and their impact on society, and goes on to show how compacts evolved to hold cosmetics and who fashioned them.

The tobacco-related containers are also traced from their beginnings to the establishment of a new line of accessories for both men and women. Through her newly revised text and hundreds of color photographs and advertising pieces of examples arranged chronologically, the author provides a wealth of information in this growing collector's field.

 

Contents:

Acknowledgments 2
Preface 3
Brief history of cosmetics 7
Vanity Cases and Compacts 21
Smoking Accessories 107
Bibliography 161
Values guide 163
Index 166

 

Sample pages:

 

 

Review:

 

Roseann Ettinger specializes in antique clothing and jewelry. She has published a few books for collectors among others: "Popular Jewelry 1840-1940", "Popular Jewelry of the '60s, '70s & '80s" and "Handbags". These books were great but can be the same said about "Compacts and Smoking Accessories"?

The author covers the use of tobacco in history making it an introduction to the third chapter on smoking accessories. Short stories about cigar and cigarette cases, match safes, lighters, jewelry stores, cigar and cigarette holders, men's cases are following - in total about three pages of little enlightening information for a collector. With a small exception - did you know that: by the 1920s, a survey was conducted among jewelery store owners which concluded that twenty-four out of twenty-five pocket lighters that were sold were bought as gift items. The majority of the customers were women buying the lighters for men. Also some of the main manufacturers of lighters were described like Evans, Ronson, Dunhill and Zippo. 

The layout of the whole publication is unattractive; surprisingly the same applies to the cover. Also the selection of lighters and other smoking collectibles is questionable. There are plenty of pictures showing smoking accessories, catalog pages and old ads with some very modest captions. All presented in full color, nicely detailed but nothing special.

The book contains an index and bibliography which is unfortunately limited to the compacts and cosmetics part. Overall an average publication which cannot be recommended unless one is also interested in compacts. Despite of the fact that the book was published in 1991 it is still easy available today. At amazon you can have it in used condition below $5 - still to much for an eager lighter collector.

Rating: Average (2/6)

"Silent Flame" Table Lighter Operating Instruction

The improved "Silent Flame" lighter mechanism was invented and patented by Irving Florman in 1935 in the United States of America (U.S. Pat. 2,020,142). The invention was known as the electric cigar lighter "of the type wherein a wick is ignited through the heat of an electrical resistance element". Below an instruction on how to care and use such lighter. It applies to all Silent Flame Lighters made by PARKER and Dunhill.

To Fill Lighter: Turn knob at top of lighting stick to left to remove. Fill stick to top with any good lighter fluid. Do not use gasoline or kerosene. Replace knob at top of stick.

To Light: Rest the lightning stick upon the metal railing around the top of the lighter, at the same time touch the protruding point of the lightning stick against the metal figure in the center of the lighter so as to make a contact. Do not scratch any part of the lightning stick against any other part of the lighter.

To Exchange Batteries: The lighter operates on two batteries. Any standard dry cell of the correct size will do. At the bottom of lighter is a screw. Turn this screw to remove the base. This exposes two cells, one is in an up and one is a down position, according to markings. Replace with two fresh batteries and be sure that they are put in the same up and down position at last ones and that they are firmly held in the metal clips.

Mail Order Catalog, N. Shure Co. 1939

Fine examples of cigarette lighters from the late 1930s. I love the semi-automatic table lighters presented on the bottom.

Inspirational Quote of the Month

Collecting is a curious mania instantly understood by every other collector and almost incomprehensible to the uncontaminated.

— Louis Auchincloss

From The Greatest Collecting Tips in the World written by Tracy Martin.

Book review: Smokerama. Classic Tobacco Accouterments by Philip Collins, 1992

• Full title: Smokerama. Classic Tobacco Accouterments
• Author: Philip Collins
• Photographer: Sam Sergent  

• Binding: Soft cover
• Number of pages: 124
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Publication date: 1992

• Language: English

• Dimensions: 10 x 8.4 inches
• ISBN 10: 0811801195
• ISBN 13: 9780811801195
• Availability: used and new at Amazon
• Price range: $1–$20

Description of the book provided by the publisher:

Camels, Luckies, Pall Malls, Chesterfields - these cigarette brands were once as familiar as the movie stars and sports heroes (and future presidents) who endorsed them. In the decade following World War I, smoking bespoke sophistication, elegance, and glamour. It was a style statement as emphatic as clothes and cars. Accordingly, the smoker needed accessories that elevated this simple act to new status and importance.Manufacturers were only too happy to supply the necessary products and, with their advertisers, to create new needs.

Now, in Smokerama, nostalgia buffs, collectors, and designers will find superb samples of these fashionable and sometimes humorous objects. The inventiveness is beguiling - engraved Zippo lighters, ashtrays emblazoned with tobacco company logos, trick cigarette lighters that send a spark arcing between the horns of a devil, and books of matches with their bland or bizarre messages - each played their part in the art of smoking.

Accompanied by brief, informative captions, the intriguing pieces arrayed in this splendid photographic collection convey exactly the importance that smoking once had for millions of Americans and provide a visual documentation of America's former favorite pastime.

Philip Collins is the author of Dickens aria Crime and Dickens and Education, and the editor of volumes of interviews with Dickens and Thackeray. He was formerly Emeritus Professor of English at Leicester University.

 

Sample pages:

 

 

Review:

 

The Smokerama is a wonderful coffee table book on smoking collectibles. The layout of the whole publication is prepared with taste and the selection of lighters and other smoking collectibles is superb.

Photographs play the main role in this book. They display artifacts such as ashtrays, stands, cigarette cases, holders and lighters in loving detail. Almost every photo can be called a small masterpiece. Sam Sargent did his job perfectly well - the arrangement of lights and shades show the depth of every item and make you want it in your collection. Also the composition of the photos is stunning - everything has its purpose and complements the beauty of the photographed artifacts.

The book lacks of such obvious elements like content, index, bibliography or even an identifiable structure. There is not much text either - only a short introductory story to smoking accouterments at the beginning and photo captions which are in some cases inaccurate and, in my opinion, too modest. More information would make this book even more interesting for collectors.

The wonderful photographs of lighters and other smoking memorabilia make this book a very intriguing and nostalgic journey through the past. Despite of the fact that the book was published in 1992 it is still easy available today. At amazon you can have it in used condition even for a buck! It is without doubt a must have book for every lighter collector and which I highly recommend it. You can't get enough of it!

Rating: Must have (6/6)

Ad: Ronson Pre-war Cigarette Lighters

A rare black & white half-page magazine advertisement published in 1936 in Esquire. It depicts several Ronson lighters that were in production till the 1940.

• Ronson Penciliter,
• Ronson Lighter Cigarette Case Combination with Vanity,
• Ronson Watch Lighter (Pocket model),
• Ronson Ace Pocket lighter,
• Ronson Vee Pocket Lighter,
• Ronson Touch-Tip Watch Combination (Desk Lighter).

Ronson Fiesta Set, 1954

The Ronson Fiesta Set was manufactured between 1954 and 1956 in Newark, United States of America and in Toronto, Canada. The set consists of  a table lighter with a Ronson Essex gold toned insert and an ash-tray which is made of ceramic and glazed with turquoise and cream paint.

The base of the table lighter is marked on the bottom on a golden label:

(R)
RONSON

Newark, N.J.

U.S.A.

or

RONSON
Fiesta
Toronto 
Canada

The bottom of the base is padded with green felt. The Ronson Essex lighter insert is marked:

RONSON (R)

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

U.S PATENTS

2,481,195 & 2,715,329

Other unique ceramic sets made by Ronson beside the Fiesta Set are: Bolero and Tropicana Set which are also rare.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: rare

Value for good–mint condition (set): $80.00–120.00 (approx €60.00–90.00)

Weight:

• lighter – 265 g (9 1/4 oz)
• ashtray – 500 g (1 lb, 1 3/4 oz)

Dimensions:

1. Table lighter

• height: 8.0 cm (3.15")
• diameter: 5.9 cm (2.3")

2. Ash-tray

• height: 5.0 cm (2")
• width: 9 cm (3.5")
• length: 12.5 cm (5.5")

Advert: S. T. Dupont Briquets, 1959

A French black&white full-page magazine advertisement published on June 1959. It depicts a pocket butane lighter made by S. T. Dupont.

Inspirational Quote of the Month

 Mass-produced products are being created today that, once they are no longer in production, will significantly go up in value because they represent noteworthy design in their time.

— Lisa S. Roberts

From The Greatest Collecting Tips in the World written by Tracy Martin.

Mail Order Catalog, Sears Christmas Book, 1942, 1944 and 1946

Another example of smoking accessories presented in Sears Christmas Book in years: 1942, 1944 and 1946.

The Sears Christmas Book from 1942 features Evans and Ronson lighters and case/lighter combinations.

The Sears Christmas Book from 1944 features two Dunhill fluid-type lighters.

Sears Christmas Book 1946 features the omnipresent Ronson Crown Table Lighter.

Sears Christmas Book 1946 features the Parker Lighter, Windproof lighter, Ronson Standard Lighter, Ronson Whirlwind Lighter and Ronson Mastercase and many other smoking accessories like pipe racks and ashtrays.

Kem, Pepsi-Cola Advertising Cigarette Lighter, 1955

The Pepsi-Cola advertising cigarette lighter was manufactured in 1955 in Algonac, Michigan in the United States by Kem for Pepsi-Cola Company (now PepsiCo). In late 1940s and 1950s the Kem Co. was a famous manufacturer of advertising lighters in shape of bottles and cans made both of metal or plastic.

The Kem Pepsi-Cola Lighter (on the left) was a simple giveaway in shape of a Pepsi-Cola bottle which was made of modern plastic and marked on the bottom:

KEM

ALGONAC, MICH. U.S.A.

PAT. PEND.

The metal crown on the top is marked: Pepsi-Cola.

The two halves pull apart to show the simple wick and wheel type lighter made of brass. It is not marked.

On the front of the bottle the label SPARKLING Pepsi-Cola is painted. On the other side the slogan: The Light Refreshment is placed. The campaign based on this slogan started in 1953. It capitalizes on a change in the product's formula that reduces caloric content of Pepsi-Cola. This marketing strategy was applied as more and more Americans became weight conscious.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for good–mint condition: $35.00–55.00 (approx €30.00–45.00)

Weight: 16 grams (0.57 oz)

Dimensions:

• height: 7.0 cm (2.76")
• diameter: 1.7 cm (0.67")

Book review: Ronson's Art Metal Works by Stuart Schneider, 2001

• Full title: Ronson's Art Metal Works. With price guide
• Author: Stuart Schneider
• Series: Schiffer Military History 
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 144
• Publisher: Schiffer Pub Ltd.
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English

• Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 inches
• ISBN 10: 0764311948
• ISBN 13: 9780764311949
• Availability: used and new at Amazon
• Price range: $25–$40

 

Description of the book provided by the publisher:

 

Ronson's place as a leader and pioneer in the manufacture of fine decorative metal wares from the 1900s to the mid-1930s is documented here. In addition to cigarette lighters, for which Ronson is most readily known, the company, then known as Art Metal Works, also produced a diverse selection of metal bookends, hood ornaments, statuary, aquarium and plant stands, clocks, pipe holders, desk sets and accessories, figurines, novelty items, lamps, boxes, toys, incense burners, and much more. With descriptive captions and information from original company catalogs and advertisements, alongside full-color, detailed photographs, this book is like no other on the market today. Whether you are a collector of art metal or a student of art and design, you are guaranteed insight into the style, beauty, and value of some of the finest metal wares manufactured.

Stuart Schneider lives just outside New York City. He is an accomplished photographer who currently scouts cemeteries in the day and sees and senses what is there. He returns at night to capture his images. One out of a hundred have something unusual, most do not. The color photos are evocative and draw you in as if you are actually standing there and seeing what the photographer saw and felt. These are not the typical orb or streak-type ghosts that ghost hunters often get, but full formed, vaporous apparitions. He has visited haunted cemeteries throughout the world. His latest books, "Ghosts In The Cemetery" and "Ghosts In The Cemetery II, Farther Afield" are best-selling works, melding storytelling, photography, and beautiful imagery together.

 

Contents:

Acknowledgments 4
Introduction 5
History 6
   Competition 9
   Company details 10
   Model Finishes 12
A-Z Art Metal Wares 13
   Aquariums 13
   Ashtrays 14
   Atomizers 16
   Banks 17
   Bookends 18
   Boxes 88
   Busts 89
   Candlesticks 89
   Cigar and Cigarette Art 90
   Clocks 92
   Crucifixes 93
   Desk Accessories 93
   Door Stops 97
   Ferneries 97
   Figurines 99
   Hood Ornaments 107
   Incense Burners 108
   Inkwells 117
   Lamps 117
   Paperweights 129
   Pipe Holders 131
   Plaques 135
   Tobacco Jars 139
   Toys 140
Bibliography 144
Index 144

 

Sample pages:

 

Review:

 

The Ronson's Art Metal Works is a typical collector's price guide as it consists primarily of pictures and captions. In the first part of the book Stuart Schneider tells the history of Art Metal Works as a company that became famous through the innovative and stylish metal wares produced since the 1880s. Also some competitors are named and different model finishes are described.

In the second and main part of the book the reader might be astonished of the wide product portfolio of the company which was limited mainly to cigarette lighters and associated items after the end of WWII. Till then the company though was producing various items like aquarium stands, bookends, clocks, door steps, incense burners inkwells, hood ornaments etc. Although the AMW is famous for its smoking antiques like ashtrays, cigar and cigarette art, pipe holders, tobacco jars and of course striker lighters, touch-tips only few examples are mentioned in this book which is a shame. Half of the hudered-fourty-four-page book is devoted to bookends which makes the representation of items unequal. 

The book, as you would expect from Schiffer Pub, has everything what a reference book should contain, that is a good index, bibliography (modest but all right) and quality photographs. The book contains over three hundred full-color detailed photographs with descriptive captions which are very accurate as in most cases they are derived from Ronson catalogs. They do include present valuation, production year and in most cases information on type of finish, size and model number.

Not only photographs of  single items can be found in this book - also scans of original AMW catalog pages and price lists which are optimal sized and legible, are present. One can wish more of them were included. Moreover only few photos of the items actually have a pure white background. All others presenting Ronson ware are half-baked and the color is in different tones from gray to ivory which is for sure a week point of this book.

Overall this hard cover book makes an very good impression. As it is the only price guide fully devoted to Ronson AMW it is a must have for collectors. It is relatively a little bit overpriced as the recommended retail price is $39.95 but fortunately one can get it cheaper (less than $30) here. one must though admit that for a lighter collector who is not interested in the bigger picture of the Ronson products this book wouldn't be the best choice as only a very limited number of smoking antiques are represented.

Rating: Very good (4/6)

Collecting Cigarette Lighter Charms and Charm Bracelets

Collecting charms is a field that a lighter collector may find intriguing and appealing. A charm is a small, especially gold or silver, object worn on a chain or bracelet as jewelry. Most charms are about the size of a dime which makes them very difficult to craft, especially the once with moving parts.

These tiny treasures have a rich history going back to antique civilizations like Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. The modern “golden age” of charm jewelry was between 1930 and the early 1970s. A great variety of objects are replicated in charms – animals, furniture, kitchenware, automobiles, buildings, sports, technology and many others.

In general vintage gold and silver charms are available at different price levels. Simple charms are found in number jeweler stores and catalogs for as little as ten dollars. More elaborate made of gold, platinum, diamonds and rubies range from hundreds to thousands dollars and can be found for instance on eBay and at auction houses.

Charms that main theme is smoking accessories are relatively uncommon. The biggest collection on cigarette lighters charms I know counts 50+ different lighter shapes, mostly pocket lighters. Most of them was made in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and today (grand reappearance) mainly in the UK and USA. They are made of gold (mainly 9K, 10K, 14K, 18K and gold filled) and sterling silver. The identification marks if present are very small.

Part of a nice collection of lighter charms can be found in The Handbook of Vintage Cigarette Lighters written by Stuart Schneider and Ira Pilossof. The authors show also other jewelery like cuff-links, earrings or stickpins in shape of lighters.

The Handbook of Vintage Cigarette Lighters shows nice examples of charms in the shape of lighters.

More on collecting charms can be found in these lovely books:

• "Charms and Charm Bracelets" by Joanne Schwartz
• "My Mother's Charms" by Kathleen Oldford

PS. Charms might be a great gift for your beloved one and a memory trigger!