ASR, Colibri, Dunhill, Dupont, Evans, Negbaur, MTC, Rolstar, Ronson, Rowenta, Zippo and many others... Price guide included! You will also find books, catalogs, patents and magazine advertisements on lighters!
Vintage magazine advertisements and catalogs are the most reliable source of information on lighters. Ronson is the best example for a broad variety of great adverts - the best years are the 1940s and 1950s. Below a Ronson magazine advertisement from LIFE published on 24 November 1947 depicting:
The Ronson Queen Anne Set was manufactured in 1949 till 1954. The set consists of theQueen Anne wick lighter, matching cigarette holder and tray. The three-piece table lighter set is silver plate and quite heavy. All of them are marked Ronson.
The lighter as well the cigarette urn is padded with green felt and covered with a transparent lacquer to prevent silver from tarnish.
Scarcity: uncommon
Value for good–mint condition: $75.00–140.00 (approx €55.00–105.00)
Ronson Queen Anne was a very popular wick lighter, especially in the United States in the 40's and 50's. It was named after Queen Anne of Great Britain, who reigned from 1702 to 1714. This model was first manufactured in 1936 in Newark, New Jersey, USA, than also in the United Kingdom. The production ceased in 1961 when the new Queen Anne with the Varaflame insert was introduced into the world market.
The lighter has a very robust construction which made it very durable and widespread. It is silver-plated and the base is padded with green felt. The lighter has three different patterns: a tulip scroll around the top, pearl like bead around the middle and fan like pattern going down the edge. Good work of craftsmanship - a not expansive must have for your collection.
There are two different versions of this wick lighter. First produced between 1936 and 1949 (USA, Canada, England) had a radius on the top of the snuffer cap next to the flint wheel. The second one had a flat top snuffer cap and was produced from 1950 till 1961 (Canada, England, USA). The Queen Anne was advertised as: "A gift that will last a lifetime". The newer Queen Anne was also available in rhodium plate finish which is rare.
The Mk2 version made in Great Britain differs in some details from the Canadian and American versions.
Many rip-offs were produced in the 1950s, mainly in Japan like the Kensington Omsco Lite.
Type: petrol (wick) lighter
Markings on the underside (examples):
RONSON (R)
NEWARK.N.J.U.S.A.
U.S. PATENT 2.481.195
(R)
RONSON
QUEEN ANNE
or
REG: No 850882
RONSON
MADE IN ENGLAND
BRITISH PATENT 291695
US. PAT.RE.19023-CANADA PAT. 28814
RONSON
"Queen Anne"
TRADE MARK
Scarcity: common; rhodium plate (uncommon)
Value for good–mint condition: $15.00–60.00 (approx €12.00–40.00)
Ronson Queen Anne was probably the best selling table lighter in the world. It was manufactured since the late '30s - first as a wick lighter than in the '60s the design was changed and the Varaflame fitment with fingertip flame adjustment was introduced.
This described butane lighter was manufactured for approx 20 years from 1961 to 1980 only in England. This was one of only few table lighters which despite of rapid changing trends kept its XVIII century Anglican style. The base of the lighter is made from a heavy metal covered by a thick layer of silver. The base is padded with green felt and the silver plate is protected by a transparent lacquer which often is partly deteriorated (spots, white, yellow or brown tint). The lighter insert –Ronson Varaflame– is chrome-plated, unfortunately, not as durable as the wick lighter (no gas leaks etc.).
The Queen Anne was also available in gold-color finish.
Type: butane (gas) lighter
Writing on the underside:
Ronson Varaflame
Made in England
Reg Trade Mark
Patented RD DES
Scarcity: common (silver plate), rare (gold plate)
Value for very good–mint condition (silver plate finish): $15.00–40.00 (approx €12.00–30.00)
Value for very good–mint condition (gold plate finish): $30.00–60.00 (approx €22.00–45.00)
The Ronson Queen Anne Set was manufactured in 1949 till 1954. The set consists of the Queen Anne wick lighter, matching cigarette holder and tray. The three-piece table lighter set is silver plate and quite heavy. All of them are marked Ronson.
Ronson Queen Anne was a very popular wick lighter, especially in the United States in the 40's and 50's. It was named after Queen Anne of Great Britain, who reigned from 1702 to 1714. This model was first manufactured in 1936 in Newark, New Jersey, USA, than also in the United Kingdom. The production ceased in 1961 when the new Queen Anne with the Varaflame insert was introduced into the world market.
Ronson Queen Anne was probably the best selling table lighter in the world. It was manufactured since the late '30s - first as a wick lighter than in the '60s the design was changed and the Varaflame fitment with fingertip flame adjustment was introduced.
