Various Vintage Info

ASR

Named after the manufacturer, American Safety Razor, this company produced many different models during the 1950’s using their same mechanism in various styles of lighters. One of their most famous series was the Pagoda series using colorful plastics for their decorative bases.

Beattie Jet

This popular pipe lighters was made during the mid 40’s through the 60’s. It used an ingenious method of producing a horizontal flame hot enough to do light soldering jobs. This system was ideal for pipe use as the flame was angled so that it would not burn the users hand when trying to light their pipes. To this day, pipe smokers enjoy using their Beattie Jet lighters.

Capital Lighter

-This amazing feat of table lighter ingenuity used a complex system of levers and springs to produce ignition to light the wick. Produced during the early to mid teens, this mechanism was incorporated into floor standing ashtrays and table ashtrays.

Cartier

-Known for their precious metal and gemstone lighters, Cartier began producing lighters after World War 1 as part of their accessory division. High quality and beauty was shown in their craftsmanship. Cartier is still making lighters to date.

Clark

This Massachusetts company was popular during the 1920’s to 40’s making high quality lighters for all budgets from simple nickel plated brass lighters to sterling and gold lighters. They were similar in style to Dunhill and produced some beautiful enameled lighters.

S. T. Dupont

The S.T Dupont Company, located in Paris France first established themselves in the lighter manufacturing business in the mid 1920’s but did not become popular until the 1940’s when they began producing beautiful and highly functional lighters in fine enamel and engine turned finishes. Using the master enamellers of China, Dupont began offering various designs which quickly gained popularity amongst those who could afford such workmanship. With the advent of butane lighters, Dupont quickly began producing butane models of extremely high quality and became one of the best known lighter manufacturers of high quality and beauty. S. T. Dupont to this day produces some of the most beautiful lighters in limited and regular editions.

Elgin-Otis

This company, formed by the Elgin Watch Company and the Otis Manufacturing Company began making art deco styled pocket and table lighters during the late 1920’s through the early 1940’s. Their lighters are highly sort after.

Golden Wheel

This 1920’s to 40’s manufacturer is known for their wide array of lighters to fit any budget. Their styles range from the typical lift arm system to the automatic models. They also produced some novelty lighters sometimes used for prizes at fairs.

Imco

This Austrian company began producing lighters as early as the 1920’s using a very unusual mechanism. Mostly made from brass, their lighters became known as trench style lighters as many service men carried them. After WW1, Imco started manufacturing various styles with beautiful deco designs. Imco is still in existence today.

Marathon

This USA company produced lighters during the late teens through the 1940’s. They produced various models using the lift arm style in various permutations and progressed to the automatic systems similar to Evans during the mid 30’s. Their deco enameled designs are highly sought after by collectors.

Negbaur

This American company produced mostly table model lighters during the 1930’s through the 50’s in various shapes such as airplanes, cannons and golf bags.

Parker Beacon

This subsidiary of Alfred Dunhill produced similar style lighters to Dunhill but for the more price conscience consumer. Parker produced many different models from the late 1920’s through the 40’s.

Thorens

This Swiss company began producing lighters as early as the 1920’s and continued until the 1960’s. Their unusual mechanism became very popular and was incorporated in many decorative table and pocket models. It wasn’t until the late 40’s that Thorens designed lighters using totally different mechanisms as styles and tasted changed, and the bulky mechanism used previously would not fit the slimmed down styles that smokers were going for. The Thorens lighter continues to be popular with collectors.

The Triangle Company

During the 1930’s the Triangle Company began making lighters with their distinctive beveled shape which worked well with incorporated watches. The company made lighters until the early 40’s.