Lighters to collect that were used in movies

[VonMagnum]

I've found it's actually difficult to quickly locate famous lighter models and/or designs used in movies, especially 1930s and 1940s classics so I thought I'd start this thread where people could identify lighters as they notice them in various classic movies (obviously the more classic the movie, the more desirable the lighter might be to someone looking to collect them for movie purpose). Some are more well known than others.

For example, there's the Ronson Touch Tip lighter with white tortoise watch/clock used in the 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon:

There's also the Gutman lighter in the Maltese Falcon (also used in Bullets or Ballots by Bogart) which is a 1929 Ronson New Yorker Baronet lighter set:

I just located a replica of the Ronson Twentycase lighter found in Bullets or Ballots (1936):

Then there's the IMCO Super 4700 Lighter Marion used in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Elsa's Lucky Lighter (Zippo with cloverleaf pattern graphic) used in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:

(Edited for clarity/accuracy and to differentiate the novels from the movies)

James Bond apparently used a Ronson (plain gunmetal no art) in the original Ian Fleming novels, mentioned over the course of several of them (e.g. discussed here: The James Bond lighter) and at least one site speculates it could be a Whirlwind as in the attached graphic below) (he was apparently given a Zippo to use in the US by the CIA to appear less conspicuous in the Live and Let Die book; the movie doesn't show the lighter where you can see it from what I can recall). The movies typically show him using Dunhill lighters (e.g. a silver Dunhill Broadboy MKII in Dr. No and a gold version in Goldfinger and what looks like a Dunhill "Unique" lift arm wick lighter in From Russia with Love and he's given a wedding gift of a newer Dunhill Unique in License to Kill with the inscription, "To James from Della and Felix" (Felix Leiter giving a "lighter" as a gift is kind of funny) and in Tomorrow Never Dies he has a gold Dunhill arm lighter (apparently a Dunhill QL 1402 in one shot and a much newer sports turbo (gas lighter with blue flame) in another that looks the same at a glance). (You can see the examples on that site; I don't currently have my own Unique or Broadboys to display so I'll leave them to that site to display).

The Ronson Whirlwind is a model started in 1941 with a wind cover that pops up in the front; see left graphic as shown on the quoted web site and one I own on the right with a slightly different pattern and then edited later with a newer one below that closely matches the one from the web site (e.g. see the wind cover on my Whirlwind after it. Same model, different face/graphic pattern):

Edit: Much closer match I obtained more recently:

I'm curious if the Ronson Whirlwind was used in more 1940s and later Hollywood movies, for example. I'll be keeping an eye out for it and others as I rewatch these movies. Feel free to add your own observations from movies with lighter models and types.

For example, a Ronson Touch Tip was also used in Ms. Wonderly's apartment (Cigarette box tray version) in The Maltese Falcon.

 

[Treeman]

Our Man Flint / In Like Flint used a Cupid lighter

 

[VonMagnum]

I believe the Dunhill/Parker Service lighter was used in the opening sequence of Tales of the Gold Monkey (short lived TV series) where Jake Cutter lights Bon Chance Louie's cigarette. You can tell it from the similar pop top IMCO because the head pops open past 90 degrees and in the footage you can just make out the spark wheel above Jake's thumb which is hidden in the IMCO.

 

[VonMagnum]

There's definitely a Ronson "ball lighter" known as the Rondelight (came in a few variations; I think that's the Rondelight junior) in The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938 with Edward G. Robinson & Humphrey Bogart).

There's another scene with a lighter where Edward G. Robinson lights the one guy's pipe with and it looks like it's a Dunhill lift arm lighter, but it's hard to be 100% certain it's a Dunhill.

 

[VonMagnum]

All Through The Night (1942) with Bogart shows a pocket lighter I don't recognize offhand. It appears as if the top pops up/down with pressure to the side of the lighter (it shows him lower it without touching anything on the top). The closest models I've seen so far are from Thorens. If someone knows what model it is, feel free to let us know.

 

[parfaitelumiere]

The Man With The Golden Gun 1974.
Scaled up gimmick and real

 

[Oxford]

Kingsman Dunhill grenade

 

[Oxford]

Bond used a Dunhill Broadboy in the films. Not a Ronson. It was custom made along with his cigarette case. In later films he used a Dunhill Unique and Dunhill Sports Unique. He never used a zippo although several villains did.

 

[VonMagnum]

Bond used a Dunhill Broadboy in the films. Not a Ronson. It was custom made along with his cigarette case. In later films he used a Dunhill Unique and Dunhill Sports Unique. He never used a zippo although several villains did.

I was actually referring to the original Ian Fleming novels, which described Bond as carrying a Ronson across several novels as discussed on some other sites (e.g. https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/james-bond-smoking/james-bond-lighter.htm & James Bond's lighter (Page 1) - James Bond Literature - Absolutely James Bond), not the movie version which typically used a few different Dunhill lighters. I've edited the post to reflect that.

AFAIK at this point in the movie versions, Bond has a Dunhill Broadboy MK2 in Dr. No (silver) and Goldfinger (looks silver to me, but many sites like to show a gold version probably because of the movie name), he's shown with what appears to be a Dunhill unique arm lifter in From Russia with Love (he cups his hand over most of it, but you can clearly see the lift arm). As you say, he receives a gift of a newer Unique (plain with inscription) in License to Kill and in Tomorrow Never Dies he's shown with a gold Unique (apparently two different lighters were shown, a QL 1402 and a newer Sports Turbo) as one has a blinking LED installed in it as the two lighters look extremely similar to each other. Live and Let Die the novel mentions Bond being given a Zippo by the CIA to look less conspicuous in the US, but all I can see in the movie version the last time I scanned it is the scene where he lights a cigar and uses that with a can of cologne/aftershave to kill a snake. You can't tell what lighter he uses in that scene as his hand is covering it completely except for the flame sticking out at the top.

I haven't had time to go back and watch every movie to see if there are other variations (one of the reasons for the thread). So collectors have to choose between Dunhill movie versions or a Ronson as described in the books (which never mention the model, but theres only two or three models to consider). I listed it as I have two Ronson Whirlwinds, one of which that James Bond site showed/described as from the novels.

I probably can't afford a Broadboy (they seem to sell for $800 on the low side to $5000 on the high from what I've seen so far) and even the older unique models are often $150+ with the newer License To Kill ones typically over $200 (and finding a plain one is extremely difficult as it wasn't made very long in favor of fancier designs, although I've seen several "mirror" finished ones that could be oxidized to look more like it) and it would need engraved with a good forgery to look like the movie lighter regardless. Gold uniques from the '20s and
'30s like in Tomorrow Never Dies are also hard to come by (the newer Sports Turbo version is easier to locate, but often over $400 just the same)

 

[ed-209]

Back in the 80's I saw this cool Military styled lighter in a smoke shop. To my surprise, I saw it was used in my favorite film 'ALIENS' It can be seen taped to the shoulder strap on the right side of Cpl. Hick's armor. Love it when you see a prop that you already have. --Ed

 

[Lear60man]

Ahhhh, the Bronica Savanna. I thought I had two but cleaned out a drawer.....and a third popped out. One is as pictured above, the second one has a later leather case and the third is just naked. Great lighter and basic multitool.

 

[VonMagnum]

I was the only bidder on this Dunhill "Unique" wick lighter (1924+). I think because it had stains and was kind of dirty and what not it must have turned other bidders off. I find that hard to believe given most of these go for $150+ online (I got it for $50). I spent about an hour cleaning it up with a Q-Tip bit-by-bit and put a new flint in it and fueled it up. I think it looks pretty good now and works great.

I'm pretty sure THIS is the lighter used in From Russia With Love (movie version) as you can see the size of it in his palm and the lift arm in the movie scene. It was also used in The Amazing Doctor Clitterhouse (as the snap above showed) and I'm sure I'll find several more movies as it was Dunhill's primary lighter in the '30s to the '50s when the Rollagas was created. They had a few different sizes and a longer pipe lighter (not the one used above as you can see the flame is well above his pipe). I'll keep an eye out for more movies with it. I put it side-by-side with the Ronson lighter I think Ian Fleming had in mind in the Bond novels.

 

[joberg]

The Dunhill grenade was probably used by Rachael in Blade Runner (the Voight-Kampff scene at Tyrell's)

 

[VonMagnum]

What's a Dunhill "grenade"? I assumed in the Kingsman post above he meant the Dunhill Rollagas lighter was a disguised grenade gadget.

I looked at the footage there and whatever it is, the top doesn't move at all when she lights it (i.e. I don't think it has a lift arm or pop up snuffer cap or lid to it). I can see art deco like lines near the top on the side as she holds it, but not much else. It produces a pretty tall flame, so I assume it's a butane lighter of some kind, but I'm not sure which. Most Dunhills I'm familiar have a lift-arm (Unique) or lift top (e.g. Rollagas) (or pop top on the old Service lighters).

 

[VonMagnum]

I found these pictures of Rachel's lighter (doesn't say what it is). It certainly matches what I see in the movie (I think "Dolly" is the engraving, not the brand or model). Maybe someone recognizes it? (I'm still looking):

 

[userd1402]

it’s a Colibri electro-quartz.

 

[Oxford]

What's a Dunhill "grenade"? I assumed in the Kingsman post above he meant the Dunhill Rollagas lighter was a disguised grenade gadget.

That’s right, it was a standard gold plated barley pattern Rollagas they used. One without the D logo for static non FX shots and in the armoury, while the light up FX one had the D logo at the bottom, that was slightly obscured in post production. Same for the sequel.

 

[VonMagnum]

Lit photos versions of my movie/tv lighters (click for larger photo):



Left to right:

Elsa's lucky lighter (Zippo) from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Ronson Twentycase from Bullets or Ballots
IMCO Super 6700 from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Dunhill Unique from The Amazing Doctor Clitterhouse and From Russia With Love
Ronson Whirlwind as described in the Bond novel versions
Dunhill Service lighter seen in Tales of the Gold Monkey

(some of these may be in several other movies as well for all I know)

 

[Maverick313]

This one should be easy to add to the collection.

 

[VonMagnum]

That’s right, it was a standard gold plated barley pattern Rollagas they used. One without the D logo for static non FX shots and in the armoury, while the light up FX one had the D logo at the bottom, that was slightly obscured in post production. Same for the sequel.

Good deal. I've got one on the way.