Lighters to collect that were used in movies

[VonMagnum]

Ronson New Yorker Lighter (1929) (Catalin "Skyscraper" base in Green with New Yorker Fitment)

I got a lower than typical price for this lighter because the lighter was in "broken" condition with heavy pitting in the chrome. I figured I could eventually swap the fitment or whatever at some point if I couldn't get it working as it would probably look bad. I was dead WRONG. After a mere two hours of polishing and swapping a few parts from an extra fairly cheap by comparison "Rondette" lighter I have that uses the same mechanism (I can't figure out why its own didn't work offhand, but they weren't quite as shiny so I didn't ask questions and will try to make its work in the Rondette), I ended up with a much better outcome than I ever imagined.... It's probably in better shape than the New Yorker fitment in my "Baronet" lighter shown previously now. I might swap them since that lighter is worth vastly more than this one being much rarer (and from the Maltese Falcon aka "Gutman's Lighter").

Several of my books say the plastic version of this lighter is Bakelite (first made in 1904), but I've since learned that Bakelite was typically dark brown or black and became brittle over many decades. Catalin was invented about 23 years later (1927) and featured bright colors like the green one here and its not very brittle considering it's approaching 100 years old.

Click to see larger slideshow:

Before photos (from eBay listing):



After photos (restored) without flash:



With Flash (shows color detail on body that needs bright lighting to see):

 

[joberg]

Art Deco is my favourite style and that lighter is way cool

 

[VonMagnum]

IMCO 4000 Streamline (1934)

Very similar to the updated 1926 version of the JMCO/IMCO 1000 (1920/22/26), but "flattened" like all their future "streamline" models, which takes up a bit less space in pockets. I polished this one several times (very dull tarnished brass before) and made my own little metal hook to pull the snuffer down as it was missing on the lighter (I recently did the same thing for my Harley Davidson lighter that is an IMCO 1000 copy). It now works as it should once again.

 

[VonMagnum]

I finally got my Ronson Scandia lighter (1955) fixed (bought a Nordic lighter and used the snuffer/wheel from it to fix the mechanism and used its perfect plume lever (that the Scandia doesn't need) on my wooden Nordic lighter that had a heavily pitted lever to make it now near perfect condition and kept the rest for spare parts.

Click for larger slideshow:




Meanwhile, I tried Flitz™ polish on my Nimrod Pipeliter and I think it now looks much nicer/cleaner.

 

[VonMagnum]

Ronson Vera Table Lighter (1953?)

This one was hard to pass up seeing I won the auction at a mere 75 Cents (with shipping and tax, it came to under $10).

It's hard to find information on the Vera, but apparently there were five "V" lighters released around the same time (Vernon, Viceroy, Victor, Vera and Viola). All were early gas lighters with a disposable gas tube (that seems to be refillable based on my Vera and Viola). The flame is adjusted with a wrench (well I saw one in a NIB version; I used pliers here). Amazingly, this one seems to work fairly well (better than the Viola as I could adjust the flame to various heights whereas the Viola seemed to gas out most of the gas, leaving only a tiny flame to eventually leak out). I wouldn't even know how to get at the tube offhand to try and change the seals, but I assume there's a way as they were supposed to be disposable. OK, I just read some instructions from a photo of a box of them online and it appears they were simply mini-butane tanks to fill the lighter, not something that was actually inserted into the lighter so a modern butane tank working makes sense. I still wouldn't know how to get to the seals offhand. It'd probably need a special tool to remove the tank/tube inside. I have the more or less standard tools for newer lighters, but this one looked odd). I also had to fix/adjust the lever action, remove a stuck flint and I polished the silver on the top and bottom lips of the jar (the actual lighter is a rhodium plated removable insert).

Vera facing right with the Viola lighter in the background to compare

Vera Facing Left

Vera ready to light a cancer stick or incense stick or a bottle rocket for that matter....

 

[VonMagnum]

Three more IMCO lighters coming (Buddy, 4500 Barrel and a 3500 bullet (marked IMCO this time)...

 

[VonMagnum]

IMCO "Buddy" Lighter (1936)(USA)

While the IMCO 4700 was starting to be made in Austria (to be implied to be the actual Marion lighter for Raiders of the Lost Ark), the IMCO "Buddy" lighter was being manufactured in the USA for IMCO. It's basically the same as the IMCO 4400 made in Austria (also in 1936) other than the markings on the lighter. It features an octagon shaped body instead of a cylinder (round for the 1000 and oval for the 4000). Otherwise, it's very similar. This one appears to have some welding repairs in a few key spots done on it and has an actual screw for the fuel cap (instead of the ring based screw) and has a little hook for the flint spring instead of the (missing) knob. The examples I've seen were silver. This one appears to be brass or possibly zinc (It didn't seem to want to polish to a more mirror-like shine and seems kind of a dull copper color, but it does look much cleaner than it did when it arrived.

 

[VonMagnum]

Ronson Typhoon Lighter (1960+)

The Ronson Typhoon is a bit of a Zippo competitor with its "Windproof" design (along with their non-Ronson brand yet Ronson made "RamaSpin" lighter from 1947 that preceded it that varied in appearance, but is still similar in function and overall design). Ronson Japan is still making it today from what I've seen (i.e. Current anime themed ones are for sale on oxidized lighters today).

This one has a USS Long Beach (1959-1995 cruiser famous for being top of the line and nuclear powered in 1959) theme with attached ship medallion on one side and the ship logo and motto on the other. It was vintage unused (possibly from 1960 even) and rated New In Box (yet still managed to have a stuck flint in it). Once cleared, it works like brand new since it technically is brand new.

 

[VonMagnum]

IMCO 4200 "Safety" Lighter (1935)

This appears to be IMCO's first "squeeze" lighter (Made In Austria) followed by the somewhat larger sized IMCO Solo (made in the USA in 1939). It has a removable fuel tank that like many other IMCO lighters can be set on a table and used like a candle. I assume it's called the "safety" lighter because the wick/flame isn't exposed on the sides so you're less likely to catch something on fire from that direction (including your finger). This one has embossed palm trees on it and appears to be unused until now. I gave it a quick polish with FLITZ metal polish anyway and it looks even more mirror-like.

Out of the box

Polished and looking good

The bottom verifies it's IMCO model number

It's on fire! (The fuel tank only looks right in one direction, but that's not the reason here as squeezing it changes the body angle)

The fuel tank removed while lit

 

[joberg]

Really nice design. The palm trees are adding a Miami Art Deco feel

 

[VonMagnum]

Really nice design. The palm trees are adding a Miami Art Deco feel

I've recently seen a similar design for the IMCO "Solo" lighter that actually says "Florida" on it. I'd prefer one in better condition, however (they wanted way too much money given the shape it's in).

 

[VonMagnum]

Ronson Cadet Adonis Table Lighter (1952)

Made In England only and covered with Copeland Spode artwork of a scene of a certain bridge near Rome known as the Bridge of Salaro on the porcelain outer body, I thought this was a particularly nice looking lighter body. But I had to buy a pocket lighter version (from a seller in England) to get the spring to fix this lighter, but then it turns out the pocket version pulls out of its case exactly the same as the table version so all I had to do was remove the stuck flint, replace the missing felt cover on the bottom (similar to Zippo and taken from the table lighter that had it intact), add a new flint and fuel it up...well and add some electrical tape to the insert to increase the friction fit (it was a bit loose compared to the other one). Voila.

 

[VonMagnum]

The metallic purple leather I ordered and De-Light lighter I bought (without its leather) arrived yesterday and today, respectively, so I'll hopefully soon have a new unique leather version of a 1928 lighter to show....

 

[VonMagnum]

The flint tube is damaged facing the wick on that De-Light lighter so the flint moves out of position and won't spark. I've tried some JBWeld, but I don't know if that stuff really works as well as I once thought. I could try solder, but it would be harder to build a specific shape and it'd have to be pretty hot to stick to the body and tube right there and the gear holder might be in the way.

 

[VonMagnum]

There's another one of these De-Light lighters with this guy on the front with the "M" shield coming up for auction. I guess that proves it's not just a one-off lighter modification made for a specific person, but someone made at least two, possibly more. I've been unable to find out the meaning of the monogram plate brass symbol/drawing. Mine is in slightly better condition (leather piece on button is still there and no damage to the body; that one has slight corrosion at bottom and missing leather on button).

 

[VonMagnum]

Ronson De-Light Pocket Lighter (Leather with Cameo)(1929)

The JBWeld didn't hold. I ended up using solder instead, which worked much better. It's sparking fine now, but I have to let the cement dry fully or it might catch on fire with lighter fluid.

Here's the purple metallic leather so far....

 

[VonMagnum]

I've cleaned it up better (the leather). I'll get new photos with a lit version later. I also got a new Ronson Typhoon in from the 1966 5th Asian games in Bangkok, Thailand (think Asian continent olympics) signed by a general (engraving) and never used....

 

[VonMagnum]

Ronson De-Light Princess (1929)(Metallic Purple Leather Refit)

The lighter had no leather on it when I got it, but all cameo lighters originally had leather. It also had a damaged flint tube. I had to add metal (via solder) to the tube and smooth it out to accept the flint (sparks like crazy now). The spring it came with also didn't work with it, at least with the new altered flint tube (didn't seem to press on it, yet even a steel brush could make it spark pressing manually). So, I changed it to one that did (I had to cut part of it off to fit). I wanted to see a lighter in metallic purple. The leather is thicker than the original type so I added a little black liner color to the "side" of the part that wraps around the cameo. It's not perfect, but not terrible for a 1st attempt at leather on a pocket lighter. It's a bit "grape" looking. I'm kind of glad I went with blue for the pricey Banjo table lighter, although I think it would have still looked interesting.

 

[VonMagnum]

Ronson Typhoon Lighter (5th Asian Games 1966 signed by a Lt. General -- New In Box)

 

[VonMagnum]

I ran across this Ronson Touch-Tip Lighter + Cigarette Box while watching Loony Tunes.... It's from 1940's "You Ought To Be In Pictures" short where Porky Pig is talked into trying to get into feature films out of his "cartoon contract" by Daffy Duck. Notice the Touch Tip lighter and box with handle on the desk. I've attached a picture of the same model off one I've seen for sale on the Internet.