Gebrüder Köllisch, Druco Lighter, 1948

The Druco table lighter was first manufactured in 1948 in Nürnberg, Germany by Gebrüder Köllisch. The body of this petrol lighter is made of brass. This semi-automatic lighter has a nice sun ray design etched in the black paint. Other designs are known.

The lighter is not marked. The bottom part of it can be used as an additional tank for petrol.

Type: semi-automatic wick (petrol) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon-rare

Value for very good condition: ~$60.00 (approx €50.00)

Weight: 165 grams

Dimensions:

• height: 7.6 cm
• length: 7.7 cm
• width: 3.6 cm

Barnett Pearlman Polo Automatic Lighter, 1948

The Polo Automatic Lighter was made by Barnett Pearlman & Co. Ltd in London, England between ca. 1948-1952. The base is made of brass and heavy chrome-plated. The bakelite pedestal gives the column shaped table lighter additional stability.

The lighter was available in two different heights: 9 and 13 cm. The automatic lighter mechanism was invented by Ernest Shinwell and patented by Barnett Pearlman & Co. in 1948 (patent no. 642,908).

The wick lighter is marked on the underside of the base:

Made in England World Patents
POLO
REGD. DES. NO. 857204

Type: automatic petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for very good–mint condition: $50 (approx €30)

Weight: 285 (tall), 235 grams

Dimensions:

• diameter: 6.7 cm 
• height: 13 cm (tall), 9 cm (short)

Mylflam - 1000 Zünder - table lighter Model 111, 1948

This table lighter Modell 111 was manufactured between 1948 and 1953 in Frankfurt am Mein in Germany by Mylflam Metallwaren GmbH. This semi-automatic petrol lighter was marketed in many different finishes like: silver, nickel plate, brass, lacquer, various types of leather etc. Below an example of the Mylflam Model 111 in nickel plate and mother of pearl finish.  

The wick lighter was generally made of brass. Marked on the underside of the base:

MYLFLAM 

The patented mechanism gave the owner the possibility to hand it over without extinguishing the flame. The table lighter was advertised as a "Present-article much in demand for offices, conference- and dwelling-rooms"

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon–rare (depending on type of the finish)

Value for very good–mint condition: $80.00–160.00 (approx €70.00–140.00)

Weight: 230 grams

Dimensions:

• height: 7.4 cm
• width: 4.3 cm
• length: 8.9 cm

Karl Wieden KW 650/G Table Lighter, 1932

The KW type 650/G was first manufactured by Karl Wieden (KW) in 1932 in Germany. It was a very successful and robust semi-automatic table lighter produced in various finishes till the early 1950s.

The photos present an example of the KW 650/G made in brass with green artificial oxide. Except this sailing ship, also a version with dragons and elephants is known. Horses were used in a similar design combined with the later KW Capri version. Usually marked KW on the bottom. Other markings are possible (but rare). 

The removable lighter insert is a standard brass KW in normal size. There were also available smaller units in the size 3/4 and 1/2 of the normal KW (see dimensions). The lighter model was patented in Germany in 1936 although the design was introduced into the market in 1952.

Type: wick (petrol) lighter

Marked on the underside of the lighter base:

Scarcity: uncommon–rare

Value for good – mint condition (dependent on finish): $60.00–120.00 (approx €50.00–100.00)

Weight: 260 grams (0.57 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 7.2 cm (2.83")
• width: 8.4 cm (3.3")
• length: 2.8 cm (1.1")

"Oh, for my lighter!" postcard, Canada, 1942

Here we have an example of a color postcard from the WWII era. It depicts a small boy handing the Canadian soldier a can with petrol (fr. essence) for the jeep. In reply he gets this: Oh, for my lighter! A bit of humor in the very unhappy times. The postcard was printed in Belgium.

Advert: Ronson Rondelight and Touchtip lighters, 1940

A black&white 1/4 magazine advertisement published in the USA on November 1940. It features three Ronson table lighters:

1. Cigarette Box and "Touchtip", model no. 16353. Chromium and black and white or tortoise-shell and ivory enamel.
2. "Touchtip", model no. 2104. Enameled table lighter in black, white, turquoise, maroon, green or tortoise.
3. Rondelight, model 14407. Table or desk lighter in black with chromium or colored bands.

Beney Lighters Catalog, England 1950s

Below some miniatures of the newly digitized Beney Lighters Catalogue from the 1940s/1950s. It covers the  whole Beney lighter portfolio:

1. Beney Saville Super in Baron, Knight and Lady sizes (pocket lighter).
2. Beney Strikalite (pocket lighter).
3. Beney Thada (table lighter).
4. Beney Saville Globe (desk lighter).
5. Beney Alfresco (pocket lighter).

If you make a donation of $5 and you get this and couple of other publications on lighters (for instance: Lighter Repair Manual) in PDF delivered to you by email! Thank you!

LektroLite Flameless Lighters Postcard, 1930/1940s

This humorous "LektroLite Flameless Lighters" postcard was in circulation in the late 1930s/ early 1940s mainly in the United States. What a good way to promote products!

Advert: Evans Promotional Leaflet, 1949

This six-page promotional leaflet was found in a box from a table lighter made by Evans Case Company in the late 1940s. It features "smart new designs" of table lighters, Liter-Case combinations and pocket lighters.

FAQ: Evans How to Fill and Replace Flint, ca 1945

This small instruction leaflet was added to all new Evans lighters in the mid 1940s.

Ritepoint Roman Classic Liter, Vu-Lighter, 1949

The "Roman Classic Liter" Table/Desk Lighter was manufactured by Ritepoint Co. in St. Louis, USA between 1949 and 1954. Sylvester G. Lipic was the inventor of this futuristic looking lighter which was available in four colors. It was the first table lighter with a transparent fuel reservoir (today known as the see through "vu-lighter") which was a lucrative invention as it was widely used in the advertising sector. 

The Ritepoint Liter was advertised as the lighter that "signals the eye — before it's dry". The body was made of a transparent plastic whereas the top and the bottom were made of brass and chrome-plated. The bottom of the lighter is padded with black felt and marked:

RITEPOINT LITER

PAT'S PEND'G

(C) RITEPOINT CO.

ST. LOUIS, MO. U.S.A.

Sylvester G. Lipic Pres.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for very good–mint condition: $30.00–40.00 (€25–30)

Weight: 148 grams (5.2 oz)


Dimensions:

• height: 11 cm (4.3")
• diameter: 4.9 cm (1.9")

Early American Trio Lighter Set, 1946

This lighter set called "Early American Trio by Davis" was made in the late 1940s in the United States. It contains two cast iron ashtrays (wheelbarrow ash tray & coal scuttle ash tray) and a plastic table lighter (lantern cigarette lighter). All parts have a painted flower design on a rich black background.

The lighter is stamped on the bottom:

MADE IN U.S.A

13

The lighter insert is a simple wick and wheel type lighter made of brass. It is not marked.

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon–rare

Value for very good–mint condition (set): 135 zł–60.00 (approx 125 zł–45.00)

Weight:

• lighter – 70 g (2 3/8 oz)
• set – 455 g (1 lb)

Dimensions of the lighter:

• height (with handle): 13.0 cm (5.1")
• diameter: 5.5 cm (2.2")

Patent: Ronson Juno Table Lighter, 1949

The "Juno" table lighter model was first manufactured by Ronson  in 1950 in Newark, New Jersey, USA although the design of the lighter (F. Kaupmann) was patented earlier by the United States Patent Office on 23th August 1949 (patent no. 154,929).

Negbaur 75 Cannon Table Lighter Instruction, 1940

The U.S. 75 mm Cannon Lighter was manufactured by Negbaur between 1940 and 1949 in Allbright, New York in the United States. Below the instruction leaflet for it.

Advert: Evans table lighters in silver plate, 1949

This full size magazine advertisement was published in Beautiful House Magazine in June 1949. It promotes five silver-plated Evans table lighters:

1. The Future
2. Famous Magic Lamp
3. The Victorian
4. The Georgian
5. The Contempora

 

Negbaur Cannon 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). The two carriage wheels spin on their axle and the carriage elevates up and down.

It presents a reproduction of a 75mm field canon gun. This quick-firing artillery piece is simply called "Canon de 75 modèle 1897". It was in service in several countries since 1898 and used during both World Wars among others by France, United States, Poland, Belgium, Germany and United Kingdom.

The semi-automatic wick lighter is removable from the canon base. In order to lit the lighter one need to press the button in the back of the cannon barrel. The top opens and the wick burns.

Negbaur was well known for their other solid built figural lighters, like planes, knights, golf bags, chess figures or planes made in the earlier years (1930s and 1940s). The Canon Lighter 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 condition. This flint cigarette lighter was also manufactured for Demley with a small alteration – an added metal base for example.

Marked on the bottom of the base:

Negbaur
Made in U.S.A.
Pat. Pending

Type: wick (petrol) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon–rare

Value for very good–mint condition: $75.00–125.00 (approx €50.00–90.00)

Weight: 453 grams (15 7/8 oz)

Dimensions:

• length: 21 cm (8.3")
• width: 7.6 cm (3")
• height: 8 cm (3.1")

Advert, Elgin American Lighters, 1949 & 1950

These two full page vintage magazine ads depict some of the smoking products manufactured and/or sold by Elgin American like: Table Lighter 'Ensemble' Set, few 'Case-O-Matics' Combination Lighters, 'Director' Lighter Set and the 'Clubman' Lighter Set, 'Socialite' Pocket Lighters, 'Litter Case' as well the Ronson 'Adonis' Set. The first advert was published on July 1950 in the Esquire magazine and the other in an unknown magazine in 1949.

Advert, Evans Duchess Table Lighter, 1949

This magazine advertisement published in LIFE Magazine on 24 October 1949 shows the all new and "sensational" Evans Duchess Table Lighter.

KEM Bowling Pin Lighter, 1946

The Bowling Pin Lighter was manufactured in the 1940s in Detroit, Michigan in the United States by Kem Inc. Beside these lighters KEM was famous for manufacturing advertising lighters in shape of bullets, bottles and cans made both of metal and plastic.

This figural lighter was made of ivory/cream colored plastic and advertised as "air tight, leak proof, small and compact". It was sold between 1946 and 1949 for only 39 cents or given away as advertisers by hundreds of companies which decided to include this lighter in their marketing strategy. A similar lighter bowling pin only with two red stripes was also made by Atlas Bowling in Japan.

The lighter is marked on the bottom:

KEM (INC.)

DETROIT, MICH.

PAT. PEND.

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

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for good–mint condition: $15–25 (approx. €10–15)

Weight: 19 grams (0.6 oz)

Dimensions:

• height: 7.2 cm (2.8")
• diameter: 2 cm (0.8")

Evans Duchess Table Lighter, 1949

The production of this fully automatic cigarette lighter started in 1949 and finished in 1954. It was completely manufactured by Evans Case Co. in Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA. The Evans Duchess has a chased design available in gleaming silver electroplate finish. A. F. Reilly – the author of the lighter design – received the patent (no. 153,635) from the United States Patent Office in 1949 (filled in 1948).

This wick lighter has very often minor abrasions on the plated surface even if it is boxed and new (old stock). The lighter is padded with green felt.

Marked on the bottom:

U.S. PAT.
RE.19023
EVANS

Type: petrol (wick) lighter

Scarcity: uncommon

Value for good–mint condition: $40–60 (approx. €30.00–45.00)

Weight: 130 grams (0.25 pounds)

Dimensions:

• height: 8.9 cm (3.0")
• width: 5.6 cm (2.2")
• depth: 3.5 cm (1.4")