Maltese Falcon Ronson Touch Tip Lighter
- Thread starter Captain Dunsel
- Start date
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Yeah, too bad I can't find any for sale.
I tried to see what touch tip was used in the movie Conflict, but AFAIK Conflict is only available in SD resolution and it's hard to tell which model it is. I think it might just be an octet, but I can't be sure. It sure makes a loud click when he lights it. I really don't know why they can't get all these Bogart movies in HD by now.... Conflict wasn't a huge hit, but it did feature Sydney Greenstreet and it's not a bad movie (a return to Bogie being a bad guy for a change). I did finally find The Desparate Hours in HD, but only on Prime streaming (still a HUGE resolution increase from the SD version and quite watchable on my 92" screen now).
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Well, I haven't found the New Yorker lighter, but I did just buy this 1930s Ronson lighter from Bullets or Ballots (1936) (excellent condition in original case with new wick ready to go including built-in cigarette case). I ordered a mini-poster from the movie to go with it. I have just enough space next to my Bogart "movie theater" poster. It's about 39 minutes into the movie.
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
I think I'm wrong there. I think the one in that scene is actually a Ronson "Twenty Case" not a "Master Case" (neck is slightly different and the stripes are metal on metal (2 stripes on metal between). I've seen a few on eBay, but none have the correct moniker badge. It's hard to really tell, though. The little "grate" on it looks like it's there in the picture above, but it doesn't look like a continuous curve or even a different tone of grey like the example below and it's missing the little visible case opening hinge. It might be something slightly different from either, even. Ronson seemed to make a lot of case lighter variations back then.
Edit: I found a frame that shows the curve on top. It's definitely a twenty case lighter. I've found ZERO that match design wise online. Well, there's over $50 down the drain.... (Yeah, I could try to sell it).
Here's an example:
Edit: I found a frame that shows the curve on top. It's definitely a twenty case lighter. I've found ZERO that match design wise online. Well, there's over $50 down the drain.... (Yeah, I could try to sell it).
Here's an example:
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
I think I'm wrong again. I think it's a Ten-A-Case lighter (main visual difference other than holding 10 cigs instead of 20 I suppose is there's no grill on the top part; it's just open (earlier model slight change, I think). It's REALLY HARD to see the fine details in the movie even in 1080p HD.
10-case example (looks the same except it should be a dark color in the middle):
10-case example (looks the same except it should be a dark color in the middle):
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
I entered the video into a movie editing program to go single frame at a time. I think it is the 20-case one (I can see three grates). I found one like that for sale, but the enamel is a bit worn and it's brown, not black and there's no way to tell in black and white which it was for real.
VonMagnum
Sr Member
I found one for sale that is brown tortoise with gold trim and converted to black and white it looks like this:
In the movie, it looks flat black. The lighter tones at the bottom aren't a reflection; they're the lighter shades of brown. So I suspect the movie one is a flat color tone, whether brown or black.
In the movie, it looks flat black. The lighter tones at the bottom aren't a reflection; they're the lighter shades of brown. So I suspect the movie one is a flat color tone, whether brown or black.
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Two more lighters on the way ("Memory of Japan" Twentycase and another Twentycase that matches Bullets or Ballots). Eying a third lighter auction for a ten-a-case as well. Still no Touch tips or New Yorker Baronets, though....(latter is in both the Maltese Falcon and Bullets or Ballots).
VonMagnum
Sr Member
There's a black clock face version of the Maltese Falcon Touch Tip at the RonsonRepair web site right now. He's asking $900 (personally I think wrong color is wrong color so I don't think it warrants that price tag, especially with touch-ups and reproduction parts added to "fix" it into decent condition, but maybe someone is desperate for something close that's in good working order).
Hell, I don't know I'd pay $800 for one in good shape at this point as they're not that hard to fix (the lighter part; the clock might be more difficult, but for a display I don't really care that much if the clock works as I'm certainly not going to use it/wind it) and "broken" ones go for closer to $200-400 depending on condition. I think what bugs me is this guy is probably one of the bidders that drives them up to that $400 high end and then cleans the thing, throws a new 25 cent flint in and maybe a new $40 reproduction wand and resells it on his site for $900+ for a nice 200+% profit.
Hell, I don't know I'd pay $800 for one in good shape at this point as they're not that hard to fix (the lighter part; the clock might be more difficult, but for a display I don't really care that much if the clock works as I'm certainly not going to use it/wind it) and "broken" ones go for closer to $200-400 depending on condition. I think what bugs me is this guy is probably one of the bidders that drives them up to that $400 high end and then cleans the thing, throws a new 25 cent flint in and maybe a new $40 reproduction wand and resells it on his site for $900+ for a nice 200+% profit.
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
Well, it's not The Sam Spade Touch Tip, but it's an Octette Touch Tip (There's an octette in Mary Astor's (Ms. Wonderly) cigarette tray in her apartment with the included cigarette box in The Maltese Falcon and one in CONFLICT with Sydney Greenstreet and Bogart).
But this one is special. It's a WWII wedding gift (June 1943) of a 1930s black Octette with signatures engraved from the Central Electricity Board (two went on to be in British Parliament apparently). Meanwhile, the guy it's gifted to (on a silver engraved bottom that was added to replace the felt lined normal bottom) was a chairmen in some bank before the war, worked for the electricity board during it and went on to be head of some railroad gig after the war (where a train was named after him that broke a world record so the "Walter K. Whigham" train is more famous than the person it's named after.... I got this thing in an auction for $200 (shipped from England). I can't believe it didn't go for more (maybe eBay isn't the best place to sell historical items), especially given it's a 1930s Touch Tip in MINT condition (barely looks used at all, no paint chips missing or anything). So British history is coming home to...America?
I found some famous estate/house thing his family/descendants still own in England (they own some massive estate there). I wonder how much they'd pay to get his wedding gift back.... (god I'd probably find out the guy who sold it to me stole it or something or there's some law against historical items being shipped out of country or who knows what if I contacted them. I mean you have to wonder how this guy's wedding gift ended up on eBay if his family is loaded rich; you'd think they'd want to keep it next to his picture frame or a picture of that famous locomotive). I think I'll just put it in my Maltese Falcon display for now as Ms. Wonderly's Touch Tip sold to this guy at the Electricity board after she goes to jail...
But this one is special. It's a WWII wedding gift (June 1943) of a 1930s black Octette with signatures engraved from the Central Electricity Board (two went on to be in British Parliament apparently). Meanwhile, the guy it's gifted to (on a silver engraved bottom that was added to replace the felt lined normal bottom) was a chairmen in some bank before the war, worked for the electricity board during it and went on to be head of some railroad gig after the war (where a train was named after him that broke a world record so the "Walter K. Whigham" train is more famous than the person it's named after.... I got this thing in an auction for $200 (shipped from England). I can't believe it didn't go for more (maybe eBay isn't the best place to sell historical items), especially given it's a 1930s Touch Tip in MINT condition (barely looks used at all, no paint chips missing or anything). So British history is coming home to...America?
I found some famous estate/house thing his family/descendants still own in England (they own some massive estate there). I wonder how much they'd pay to get his wedding gift back....
(god I'd probably find out the guy who sold it to me stole it or something or there's some law against historical items being shipped out of country or who knows what if I contacted them. I mean you have to wonder how this guy's wedding gift ended up on eBay if his family is loaded rich; you'd think they'd want to keep it next to his picture frame or a picture of that famous locomotive). I think I'll just put it in my Maltese Falcon display for now as Ms. Wonderly's Touch Tip sold to this guy at the Electricity board after she goes to jail...
VonMagnum
Sr Member
The Touch Tip above (similar to the one in the tray/box set in Ms. Wonderly's apartment) has arrived. It's in nearly mint condition. It sparks, but I have to wonder how old that flint is in it; I should probably replace it). I've put it in my Maltese Falcon display next to Bogart's gold stamp for now. I also noticed a bottle of whiskey in Sam Spade's apartment, but you can't see the label (facing away), so rearranged my Raiders display to set the Belle of Lincoln (similar bottle) next to the Falcon to share the space instead as it makes more sense and I have to share the space to fit everything. It looks like this now:
VonMagnum
Sr Member
I should have the Maltese Falcon Touch Tip Watch lighter in the next couple of days. I might have to reorganize the display a bit. It is by far (by over 2x) the most expensive prop I've ever purchased (a little over $800 with tax and shipping). Someone just had to bid against me. I was hoping to get it for $500 plus tax and shipping. No such luck.
On the plus side, it's in excellent condition (not quite mint like the WWII wedding gift engraved lighter above). The only marks on the chrome I see are some dots near the strike button and some tiny bits around the clock face. The clock supposedly works and the lighter appears to have minimal signs of use for being close to 85 years old. The white ring around the clock has some micro cracks, but that's to be expected for its age. Now all I have to worry about is possible damage during shipping).
On the plus side, it's in excellent condition (not quite mint like the WWII wedding gift engraved lighter above). The only marks on the chrome I see are some dots near the strike button and some tiny bits around the clock face. The clock supposedly works and the lighter appears to have minimal signs of use for being close to 85 years old. The white ring around the clock has some micro cracks, but that's to be expected for its age. Now all I have to worry about is possible damage during shipping).
VonMagnum
Sr Member
I've sent my drone sized Delorean time vehicle to pick up the Maltese Falcon lighter from Sam Spade's desk in 1941 shortly after his case of The Maltese Falcon and my automated Delorean did not disappoint as you can see here as it's returning with the lighter in tow!
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