joberg
Legendary Member
The first one (left) seems to be simple enough with the text at the right hand side filling the void. The martini glass makes it too crowded
Lighters to collect that were used in movies
- Thread starter VonMagnum
- Start date
VonMagnum
Sr Member
The very first one can't be used as it won't fit. The 2nd from left could be used, but I don't like the '20s reference when I changed it to 2020s as it IS the '20s. They're also aligned from the 2nd one on to have the lid open between the "Presents" and "Roaring 2020's" so it doesn't cut anything off at all. I can't really scrap the martini glass on the far right one as it's then advertising the martini mix. I guess I could just scrap the whole thing and look for something else.The first one (left) seems to be simple enough with the text at the right hand side filling the void. The martini glass makes it too crowded
VonMagnum
Sr Member
IMCO Funkmeister Camping Firestarter (1949)
Oh yeah. The Funkmeister is ready to light some fires and get down with its funky self!
This lighter was apparently made for camping and was often sold under the name Coghlans Winnipeg Sparking Camping Firestarter. It's not so much a lighter (it doesn't appear to take any fuel) as a spark creating device to light a fire from a safe distance (assuming lighter fluid on the fire that would catch with a spark). I could use this with my natural gas fireplace to manually light it, for instance.
This one just needed the flint cleaned out (easier said than done given there's no easy way to get a drill bit in there or anything. I used a bent bottle brush and fortunately it was in such bad shape it disintegrated. Now it sparks like a champ. I cleaned it all up with Flitz polish (lots of crap on the end and under the button and other spots now cleaned up and ready to display or use with my fireplace). They came in different colors. I've seen green and blue versions also. This one is a pink/red color.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
Oh yeah. The Funkmeister is ready to light some fires and get down with its funky self!
This lighter was apparently made for camping and was often sold under the name Coghlans Winnipeg Sparking Camping Firestarter. It's not so much a lighter (it doesn't appear to take any fuel) as a spark creating device to light a fire from a safe distance (assuming lighter fluid on the fire that would catch with a spark). I could use this with my natural gas fireplace to manually light it, for instance.
This one just needed the flint cleaned out (easier said than done given there's no easy way to get a drill bit in there or anything. I used a bent bottle brush and fortunately it was in such bad shape it disintegrated. Now it sparks like a champ. I cleaned it all up with Flitz polish (lots of crap on the end and under the button and other spots now cleaned up and ready to display or use with my fireplace). They came in different colors. I've seen green and blue versions also. This one is a pink/red color.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
joberg
Legendary Member
Something else or making the martini glass the main feature by placing it in the middle of the lighter
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Everyone at work liked it the way it is. No one else thought it was too busy and I asked that specifically. Personally, I think it fits the previous motif like it's an updated ad to fit the Camel ad motif. Some liked Elizabeth Olsen too, but I think it needs a different header (e.g. The Scarlet Witch). Maybe the Wandavision version on front and evil Multiverse of Madness version on the back. I have a nice cherry apple red Zippo lighter I could put her on, regardless. They're easily removed if they don't look right so I might just do some testing as the lighter is here now.Something else or making the martini glass the main feature by placing it in the middle of the lighter
VonMagnum
Sr Member
IMCO "Okum" Lighter (1923->1925?)
German for okay, this lighter is a bit of an enigma. I haven't seen it in any IMCO historical listing. It has the patent of the early 1920/1922 grooved "bottlecap" model lighters, but yet it has the smooth snuffer cap of the 1926 IFA lighter. The fuel cap fits the 1926 model, not the 1920/1922 models. The outer jacket is shorter than the typical IFA lighter and has two sets of metal bumps to stop the outer jacket from going lower or higher than the two upper/lower bump limits (without bending or whatever like I did to remove it to clean/polish it). I don't recall any bumps on any other version or the shorter outer jacket.
It's also interesting despite clearly having the IMCO/JMCO look and patent numbers, the name "IMCO" or "JMCO" isn't anywhere on the lighter (1920/1922 models say JMCO and the 1926 onward models of the IFA style say IMCO on them somewhere, either on the back of the flint tube or the body or both). It just has "Made In Austria" on one side of the flint tube and the 89538 patent number on the other side with "OKUM" written on the outer jacket.
Thus, I'm guessing it's some intermediate model, possibly a prototype short run between the 1922 and 1926 versions. That is a long stretch between models compared to the rest of IMCO's history, so it's conceivable that they had some intermediate experimental models that have sort of been forgotten, but without any historical data to confirm it either way, it's just a guess based on the earlier 1920 model patent (actually a 1912 patent I think), newer snuffer cap and fuel cap that fits the 1926 IFA, but still missing the extra hook that removes the snuffer cap when you pull down on the bottom ring. Given its potential extreme rarity (I obtained it from a gentleman in Turkey), I couldn't pass it up.
A search on Google for "IMCO OKUM Lighter' shows that it's certainly not the only one made. The IMCO/JMCO "Hurricane" labeled lighter has the same height outer jacket. I've seen versions with the old grooved cap and the newer cap. Information, such as it is, places it all over the place year-wise. I don't trust any of the data to be correct.
Unfortunately, it was both heavily tarnished and as it turns out, the flint spring mechanism was broken (the end of the rod is supposed to have a little nail-like head on the end that holds the spring in place as you pull on it to stretch the spring in reverse motion (compared to say Dunhill screws that push on the spring instead) and it was seemingly broken off so it the rod would just fall out when you pulled on it.
This is a recurring problem with older lighters. They often have broken parts that are hard to obtain without buying another potential pricey lighter to trash as parts. I keep an eye out for messed up lighters that have usable parts on them, but once I took apart another IMCO to see what was missing on the lighter flint rod mechanism, I had a crazy idea. Brass isn't the hardest metal on earth so I took a pair of pliers and squeezed the ever living hell out of the end of the rod with the spring pulled back on it with my fingers to get it out of the way. I'm no Arnold Schwarzenegger (from Austria like this lighter no less), but I was able to deform the round end of the rod into a flattened ellipse instead which holds the spring in place.
I also made a ring out of a paper clip to replace the missing "key ring" on the bottom fuel cap. So it's fully working now. Clearly, from the photos, I also polished it (and sanded it where dark marks were, etc.). I also removed the old wick/packing and put a new one and new cotton packing in using the largest wick size I have. It lights right up now.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
Example of JMCO "Hurricane" Lighter found online (same outer jacket, but with "Hurricane" on it and the grooved cap on top with JMCO on the inner body):
German for okay, this lighter is a bit of an enigma. I haven't seen it in any IMCO historical listing. It has the patent of the early 1920/1922 grooved "bottlecap" model lighters, but yet it has the smooth snuffer cap of the 1926 IFA lighter. The fuel cap fits the 1926 model, not the 1920/1922 models. The outer jacket is shorter than the typical IFA lighter and has two sets of metal bumps to stop the outer jacket from going lower or higher than the two upper/lower bump limits (without bending or whatever like I did to remove it to clean/polish it). I don't recall any bumps on any other version or the shorter outer jacket.
It's also interesting despite clearly having the IMCO/JMCO look and patent numbers, the name "IMCO" or "JMCO" isn't anywhere on the lighter (1920/1922 models say JMCO and the 1926 onward models of the IFA style say IMCO on them somewhere, either on the back of the flint tube or the body or both). It just has "Made In Austria" on one side of the flint tube and the 89538 patent number on the other side with "OKUM" written on the outer jacket.
Thus, I'm guessing it's some intermediate model, possibly a prototype short run between the 1922 and 1926 versions. That is a long stretch between models compared to the rest of IMCO's history, so it's conceivable that they had some intermediate experimental models that have sort of been forgotten, but without any historical data to confirm it either way, it's just a guess based on the earlier 1920 model patent (actually a 1912 patent I think), newer snuffer cap and fuel cap that fits the 1926 IFA, but still missing the extra hook that removes the snuffer cap when you pull down on the bottom ring. Given its potential extreme rarity (I obtained it from a gentleman in Turkey), I couldn't pass it up.
A search on Google for "IMCO OKUM Lighter' shows that it's certainly not the only one made. The IMCO/JMCO "Hurricane" labeled lighter has the same height outer jacket. I've seen versions with the old grooved cap and the newer cap. Information, such as it is, places it all over the place year-wise. I don't trust any of the data to be correct.
Unfortunately, it was both heavily tarnished and as it turns out, the flint spring mechanism was broken (the end of the rod is supposed to have a little nail-like head on the end that holds the spring in place as you pull on it to stretch the spring in reverse motion (compared to say Dunhill screws that push on the spring instead) and it was seemingly broken off so it the rod would just fall out when you pulled on it.
This is a recurring problem with older lighters. They often have broken parts that are hard to obtain without buying another potential pricey lighter to trash as parts. I keep an eye out for messed up lighters that have usable parts on them, but once I took apart another IMCO to see what was missing on the lighter flint rod mechanism, I had a crazy idea. Brass isn't the hardest metal on earth so I took a pair of pliers and squeezed the ever living hell out of the end of the rod with the spring pulled back on it with my fingers to get it out of the way. I'm no Arnold Schwarzenegger (from Austria like this lighter no less), but I was able to deform the round end of the rod into a flattened ellipse instead which holds the spring in place.
I also made a ring out of a paper clip to replace the missing "key ring" on the bottom fuel cap. So it's fully working now. Clearly, from the photos, I also polished it (and sanded it where dark marks were, etc.). I also removed the old wick/packing and put a new one and new cotton packing in using the largest wick size I have. It lights right up now.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
Example of JMCO "Hurricane" Lighter found online (same outer jacket, but with "Hurricane" on it and the grooved cap on top with JMCO on the inner body):
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
Ronson Savoy Table Lighter (Trio) (1953)
I purchased a 3rd Ronson Savoy 24K Gold plated "Decanter" Style lighter as I got it for under $100 in an auction. It turns out there was a reason the owner let it go despite being one of those that will buy back their own lighter rather than let it go for less than they will accept.
The reason is on top of several nicks (including some under the thumb lever that took the gold plating off a bit) and it needing a wick and cotton packing, the part of the mechanism that grabs the gear was not quite reaching it and slipping under it. This meant it would not open close, let alone spark/light.
After changing the wick/packing and discovering this issue, I thought maybe it was a lost cause as I couldn't see anything that would explain why it wouldn't reach, but there was that weird stuff under the lever and a slight look of compression in the middle at one point. But that just didn't explain it. I looked into the tops part and the only thing I could come up with is the "jaw/teeth" part somehow got bent downward slightly. I had a heck of a time, but I think I finally managed to pry them upward a bit.
I must have succeeded as it didn't slide under anymore, but then it didn't want to come back down so it took a bit of wearing it in and lubricating it a bit. It seems to work fine now....
The Trio (new one on far right):
I purchased a 3rd Ronson Savoy 24K Gold plated "Decanter" Style lighter as I got it for under $100 in an auction. It turns out there was a reason the owner let it go despite being one of those that will buy back their own lighter rather than let it go for less than they will accept.
The reason is on top of several nicks (including some under the thumb lever that took the gold plating off a bit) and it needing a wick and cotton packing, the part of the mechanism that grabs the gear was not quite reaching it and slipping under it. This meant it would not open close, let alone spark/light.
After changing the wick/packing and discovering this issue, I thought maybe it was a lost cause as I couldn't see anything that would explain why it wouldn't reach, but there was that weird stuff under the lever and a slight look of compression in the middle at one point. But that just didn't explain it. I looked into the tops part and the only thing I could come up with is the "jaw/teeth" part somehow got bent downward slightly. I had a heck of a time, but I think I finally managed to pry them upward a bit.
I must have succeeded as it didn't slide under anymore, but then it didn't want to come back down so it took a bit of wearing it in and lubricating it a bit. It seems to work fine now....
The Trio (new one on far right):
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Ronson Decanter Lighter (White Gold) (1947-1950)
This one doesn't appear to have been used with a white wick and the original tag on it, yet that didn't stop the white gold finish from deteriorating. It also had the original factory installed flint stuck in it (had to take apart snuffer/spark wheel mech and drill out). It then worked fine. I had another one as part of a lot, but this one looked almost perfect in the photos, but photos can be deceiving as it wasn't that much better looking.
There's actually 4 versions of the lighter starting in 1936-1950+. Both of my white gold ones are version 4. The Savoy is similar (gold trio one above), but considered a separate model from 1953. There's also the Puritan from 1936 that was similar as well, but had four separate feet. One recently went for auction, but since the guy didn't get whatever astronomical figure he wanted for it, I believe he bought back his own lighter (and then weaseled out of it most likely since eBay makes ZERO effort to go after sellers that bid on their own lighters with multiple accounts (I think some of these guys have over 12 fake accounts, maybe over 20 in some cases after observing them for several years). In any case, most of the differences are minor (flat rim 2nd version, beaded rim 3rd version, rounded rim 4th version and the first version didn't have any leaf and berry base but just had layers of silver).
Click for larger view/slideshow:
This one doesn't appear to have been used with a white wick and the original tag on it, yet that didn't stop the white gold finish from deteriorating. It also had the original factory installed flint stuck in it (had to take apart snuffer/spark wheel mech and drill out). It then worked fine. I had another one as part of a lot, but this one looked almost perfect in the photos, but photos can be deceiving as it wasn't that much better looking.
There's actually 4 versions of the lighter starting in 1936-1950+. Both of my white gold ones are version 4. The Savoy is similar (gold trio one above), but considered a separate model from 1953. There's also the Puritan from 1936 that was similar as well, but had four separate feet. One recently went for auction, but since the guy didn't get whatever astronomical figure he wanted for it, I believe he bought back his own lighter (and then weaseled out of it most likely since eBay makes ZERO effort to go after sellers that bid on their own lighters with multiple accounts (I think some of these guys have over 12 fake accounts, maybe over 20 in some cases after observing them for several years). In any case, most of the differences are minor (flat rim 2nd version, beaded rim 3rd version, rounded rim 4th version and the first version didn't have any leaf and berry base but just had layers of silver).
Click for larger view/slideshow:
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Evans Classic Table Lighter (1950)
Brass Spitfire mechanism on a beautiful red table lighter with what looks like some kind of flowering tree design overlaid in brass or gold plating (the design wasn't tarnished at all, unlike the mechanism that was only mildly tarnished brass), possibly cherry blossoms. It also came in other colors from what I've seen. It was difficult to find one with the enamel fully (or very close to it) intact. After polishing the brass bits, next came replacing the wick.
This is like the 4th or 5th lighter where instead of cotton inside, there's sawdust or some kind of seeds with only a little cotton at the bottom. It's absolutely bizarre. I can't explain it and I've yet to read about anyone mentioning such a thing inside lighters. I mean who would fill these full of sawdust and then cap them off with a bit of cotton? I honestly thought maybe someone was smuggling some kind of illegal plant seeds inside the lighter the first time I saw one. But I've run into it at least three other times and they were all different lighters and this one is a different brand as well! Anyway, it makes it easy to remove the contents (as they just pour out).
Unfortunately, that's where the easy part stopped. I had a heck of a time getting a wick through the opening. I wanted to use a larger wick, but there was no chance of that. Finally, I used an IMCO wick with a needle I bent into a curve to get that part through and finally I was able to grab it with tweezers and pull it through (while holding the button down to keep it from stopping the wick from pulling into it further). After that, it was just stuff with cotton as usual and slowly work half the wick back into the bottom (I save the other half for another lighter with the needle as they are quite long). There was also rubber washers on the fuel cap and wick opening that had turned into hard crusty things. I removed both of them. I was able to locate Ronson sized washers, but I don't have any that fit Evans offhand. I'll need to look into it. They just slow lighter fluid evaporation. I've found many a Ronson table lighter still last months without them.
Next, I found it wouldn't spark. That usually means a stuck flint. It has a very long flint tube tunnel on this lighter and I didn't want to take the top off as it's not a simple screw mechanism, but some kind of rivet thing or push pin. I have a longer drill bit, but my stupid drill won't grab it. I ended up turning it by hand. Fortunately, there wasn't much left to it.
Now it's fully working once again.... Setting it on the shelf, it's obvious it's a very pretty lighter design as it kind of stands out even next to the Evans Windsor I set it next to that I put (removable) gold stripes on.
Click for a larger view/slideshow:
Brass Spitfire mechanism on a beautiful red table lighter with what looks like some kind of flowering tree design overlaid in brass or gold plating (the design wasn't tarnished at all, unlike the mechanism that was only mildly tarnished brass), possibly cherry blossoms. It also came in other colors from what I've seen. It was difficult to find one with the enamel fully (or very close to it) intact. After polishing the brass bits, next came replacing the wick.
This is like the 4th or 5th lighter where instead of cotton inside, there's sawdust or some kind of seeds with only a little cotton at the bottom. It's absolutely bizarre. I can't explain it and I've yet to read about anyone mentioning such a thing inside lighters. I mean who would fill these full of sawdust and then cap them off with a bit of cotton? I honestly thought maybe someone was smuggling some kind of illegal plant seeds inside the lighter the first time I saw one. But I've run into it at least three other times and they were all different lighters and this one is a different brand as well! Anyway, it makes it easy to remove the contents (as they just pour out).
Unfortunately, that's where the easy part stopped. I had a heck of a time getting a wick through the opening. I wanted to use a larger wick, but there was no chance of that. Finally, I used an IMCO wick with a needle I bent into a curve to get that part through and finally I was able to grab it with tweezers and pull it through (while holding the button down to keep it from stopping the wick from pulling into it further). After that, it was just stuff with cotton as usual and slowly work half the wick back into the bottom (I save the other half for another lighter with the needle as they are quite long). There was also rubber washers on the fuel cap and wick opening that had turned into hard crusty things. I removed both of them. I was able to locate Ronson sized washers, but I don't have any that fit Evans offhand. I'll need to look into it. They just slow lighter fluid evaporation. I've found many a Ronson table lighter still last months without them.
Next, I found it wouldn't spark. That usually means a stuck flint. It has a very long flint tube tunnel on this lighter and I didn't want to take the top off as it's not a simple screw mechanism, but some kind of rivet thing or push pin. I have a longer drill bit, but my stupid drill won't grab it. I ended up turning it by hand. Fortunately, there wasn't much left to it.
Now it's fully working once again.... Setting it on the shelf, it's obvious it's a very pretty lighter design as it kind of stands out even next to the Evans Windsor I set it next to that I put (removable) gold stripes on.
Click for a larger view/slideshow:
From a movie or his personal lighter?
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Ronson Gem Lighter (1934)(Rhinestone)
Gem Lighters were slightly smaller than the "standard" pocket models and one wonders whether they were called "Gem" because early versions featured gem stones (even if worthless paste). They certainly all didn't feature gems in them, but this one has a load of rhinestones in it. They don't seem quite as large or sparkly as the two Evans lighters I have with rhinestones, but they seem to sell for more than the Evans models online for whatever reason. They shouldn't according to the books I have and I got this one very reasonable. It had a stuck flint. I polished the bottom, lighter mechanism and nameplate with Flitz™ and I'm done.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
Gem Lighters were slightly smaller than the "standard" pocket models and one wonders whether they were called "Gem" because early versions featured gem stones (even if worthless paste). They certainly all didn't feature gems in them, but this one has a load of rhinestones in it. They don't seem quite as large or sparkly as the two Evans lighters I have with rhinestones, but they seem to sell for more than the Evans models online for whatever reason. They shouldn't according to the books I have and I got this one very reasonable. It had a stuck flint. I polished the bottom, lighter mechanism and nameplate with Flitz™ and I'm done.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
VonMagnum
Sr Member
I bought another IMCO Buddy lighter, thinking it looked like it was in great condition for $40. I ended up having loads of problems getting the snuffer to move automatically for some odd reason and it might be because it doesn't fit quite right over it. Looking closer, the body says IMCO Buddy Made In The USA on the flint holder, but the fuel cap doesn't match the other IMCO Buddy I have at all (similar to 1926 IFA), but rather it fits my 1920 Patent A (89538) that I've been looking for!
That's very odd that a 1936 lighter Made In The USA has the fuel cap for a 1920/1922 JMCO lighter Made only in Austria when the cap seemed to change after 1922 as my 'Okum' lighter from '24 or '25 uses the 1926 IFA fuel cap (wider). It's downright bizarre given all the markings otherwise match the other Buddy lighter I have (which has 1926 style fuel cap width, but it is missing its fuel cap too and has a placeholder screw). I got the new Buddy working finally (at least it has its original flint spring; the other one has a hook system installed because it was missing or damaged, but frankly both the Buddy lighters have a very weak spark wheel on them. I'm thinking it might be a bad design or it needs a softer (red) flint or something as it's odd they would both look and behave the same while the flint wheel looks OK in appearance.
Anyway, I'm not thrilled with it so I stole its fuel cap and used it to complete my JMCO 1920 Patent A back to original condition (save the cheesy key ring I made to use on it for now until I find a nice style one) and I put the screw from that one onto the Buddy.... I previously stole a flint spring off another IMCO lighter to fix that aspect (someone put a screw in there to push on the spring like a Dunhill. That didn't work very well. It works great with a new flint spring. I had to polish (and sand) the living heck out of the Buddy to get it to look fairly decent.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
Now fully complete and fully functional JMCO 1920 Patent A Lighter (89538):
IMCO Buddy (1936)(2nd One with fuel cap)
That's very odd that a 1936 lighter Made In The USA has the fuel cap for a 1920/1922 JMCO lighter Made only in Austria when the cap seemed to change after 1922 as my 'Okum' lighter from '24 or '25 uses the 1926 IFA fuel cap (wider). It's downright bizarre given all the markings otherwise match the other Buddy lighter I have (which has 1926 style fuel cap width, but it is missing its fuel cap too and has a placeholder screw). I got the new Buddy working finally (at least it has its original flint spring; the other one has a hook system installed because it was missing or damaged, but frankly both the Buddy lighters have a very weak spark wheel on them. I'm thinking it might be a bad design or it needs a softer (red) flint or something as it's odd they would both look and behave the same while the flint wheel looks OK in appearance.
Anyway, I'm not thrilled with it so I stole its fuel cap and used it to complete my JMCO 1920 Patent A back to original condition (save the cheesy key ring I made to use on it for now until I find a nice style one) and I put the screw from that one onto the Buddy.... I previously stole a flint spring off another IMCO lighter to fix that aspect (someone put a screw in there to push on the spring like a Dunhill. That didn't work very well. It works great with a new flint spring. I had to polish (and sand) the living heck out of the Buddy to get it to look fairly decent.
Click for larger view/slideshow:
Now fully complete and fully functional JMCO 1920 Patent A Lighter (89538):
IMCO Buddy (1936)(2nd One with fuel cap)
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
I just located an IMCO 4100 lighter. I didn't know that it even existed. The only difference I can see between it and the IMCO 4000 Streamline is that it has 3 ridges on it for grip rather than just one and it's round like the original IFA, not streamlined. Is that an Incremental improvement that didn't really catch on? No idea.
Edit: I see there's one shown on Worthpoint that has two ridges (not the three as I saw on the other one) and it also says No. 4100 on it.
Given its seeming rarity in searches, it's hard to say if they could be prototypes, short runs or I just wasn't looking for them.
Edit: I see there's one shown on Worthpoint that has two ridges (not the three as I saw on the other one) and it also says No. 4100 on it.
Given its seeming rarity in searches, it's hard to say if they could be prototypes, short runs or I just wasn't looking for them.
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