Owing a lavish lighter was a style statement in the bygone era. But although the days of smoking in style have faded, those old, vintage lighters are still considered precious—thanks to their unique craftsmanship and the stories they hold.
If you’re looking for such a valuable, luxury vintage lighter to expand your collection, this article is just for you! Here, I’m going to unravel some valuable vintage lighters worth their weight in gold and tricks to spot them!
Key Takeaways
- Luxury lighters from brands like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Dunhill, & Ronson are extremely popular and pricey.
- Signed and marked rare branded lighters can cost up to thousands of dollars if in mint condition and even more if unused.
- Among others, vintage Art Deco and Mid-Century lighters are most sought after by antique collectors.
- A unique Chimpanzee-shaped table lighter from Fabergé was sold at a whopping price of $200K.
List of 15 Rare & Valuable Vintage Lighters to Find!
Got thousands of dollars to spend on your antique collection? Here are 10 exquisite vintage lighters that you can own today!
1. Alfred Dunhill Aquarium Table Lighter
The unique table lighter is one of the most popular and attractive ones from Dunhill. You can spot it with the beautiful aquarium painting on its body.
Notable Features to Spot:
- Original marked Dunhill Lift Arm lighter from the 1950s collection
- Intricate carving & lucite painting
- Miniature aquarium on lucite panels on both sides as well curved edges
| Estimated Cost | $8,000 |
| Brand/Maker | Dunhill |
| Origin | England |
| Manufacturing Year | 1950s |
| Material | Brass, Lucite |
| Item Height | 7mm |
2. Vintage Ronson DeLight 14k Yellow Gold Lighter
Popular and sought-after for its 14K yellow gold body, this Ronson lighter looks stylish due to its small thin body. And the shine of pure gold makes it a luxury to own!
Valuable Features to Look For:
- Decorated with black paint
- “14K,” “Ronson De-Light, Patented (with No.) marked at the bottom
- Ronson De-Light, Patented 127
| Estimated Cost | $2,000 – $3,000 |
| Brand/Maker | Ronson |
| Origin | N/A |
| Manufacturing Year | 1929 |
| Material | 14K Yellow Gold |
3. 4 Barrel Art Deco Kendall Zippo Lighter
This patented Zippo lighter is built out of a rectangular steel tube with a soldered base. It has four barrel hinges, which means it’s one of the earliest of Zippo’s models.
Key Identification Features:
- Rare 1930s model with whole-case oil can
- Two slanted lines incised on the left bottom and top right corner (on the cap)
- “KENDALL THE 2000 MILE OIL” painted in red with the Kendall logo
- “ZIPPO MFG. CO. BRADFORD.PA,” PAT NO.,” and MADE IN USA” marked at the bottom
| Estimated Cost | $1,500 – $2,000 |
| Brand/Maker | Zippo |
| Origin | USA |
| Manufacturing Year | 1930 – 36 |
| Material | Steel (Black Crackle Finished) |
4. 1950s Hermes Gold Plated Lipstick Lighter in Original Box
This two-in-one lipstick lighter from Hermes is undoubtedly a rare find. And more than its gold-plated body, it’s popular for its use by German-American actress Marlene Dietrich in her films in the 1950s.
Key Identification Features:
- A beautiful ribbed cylindrical brass body with a shiny gold-plated finish
- Ingenious mechanism
- A carved circular thumb ring
- Patented by Jean Feuera in 1950 in France
| Estimated Cost | $1,500 |
| Brand/Maker | Hermes by La Nationale |
| Origin | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Manufacturing Year | 1950s |
| Material | Brass, Gold-Plated |
| Item Height | 6.6 cm |
5. Antique Nassau Sterling Silver Lighter
An antique lighter from 1905, this Nassau lighter is valuable because it’s over a century old. Besides, it’s one of the earliest automatic lighters and is made of Sterling silver, making it worth a lot.
Special Features:
- Features the classic, automatic push-button mechanism
- A lid hinged to one side of the lighter
- “Sterling” and “NASSAU PAT. DEC 26. 1905,” and the brand logo carved on the base
- Overlapping cursive letters engraved on the front face
| Estimated Cost | $700 – $1,000 |
| Brand/Maker | Nassau |
| Origin | USA |
| Manufacturing Year | 1905 |
| Material | Sterling Silver |
6. Antique AKO Lift Arm Sterling Silver Watch Lighter
A multipurpose antique lighter, this AKO model features a clock on its body. You can also identify it with its black porcelain side panels.
Key Features to Look For:
- Hinged lid with octagonal clock window on the front
- Brand name “AKO” marked on the back on the lift arm
- Lined groovy pattern on the body
- A single-slotted round wheel at the bottom
| Estimated Cost | $1,000 |
| Brand/Maker | AKO |
| Origin | USA |
| Manufacturing Year | 1920s |
| Material | Sterling Silver |
7. Ronson 1920s Banjo Lighter
One of the earliest and Ronson’s most unique models, this Banjo lighter features a body shape that looks similar to a guitar’s body. It’s a valuable item being a patented model with a patented automatic mechanism.
Key Features to Identify:
- Automatic lighter with Ronson’s patented mechanism
- “Ronson Lighter. The Art Metal Works” marking engraved on the snuffer
- The brand name and logo marking on the inside of the original box lid
| Estimated Cost | $500 – $600 |
| Brand/Maker | Ronson |
| Origin | N/A |
| Style | Automatic |
| Manufacturing Year | 1920s |
| Material | Silver-Plated |
8. Chinese Turtle & Dragon Table Lighter
This lighter looks like it’s built on the top shell of a tortoise. Featuring intricate Chinese lettering and designs, the shape of this 900 silver lighter grabs the eyes of collectors.
Notable Features to Identify:
- Intricate snake-skin-shaped carving with Chinese marking on the lid
- Turtle-shaped base with details silver work
- Chinese letters and Chinese dragon border on the body
- Signed Chinese markings
| Estimated Cost | $500 – $700 |
| Brand/Maker | Unbranded |
| Origin | China |
| Manufacturing Year | 1920s – 30s |
| Material | 900 Silver |
| Item Height | 13 cm |
9. Ronson Art Deco Rondelight Junior Table Lighter
This lighter is so unique that it may not look like a lighter at first glance. This Ronson vintage Art Deco piece can be spotted with its round black enameled body and flint mechanism.
Valuable Features to Look For:
- Flint Table Lighter by Ronson featuring
- Round-shaped lighter with lift-arm
- Enameled black ball with chrome accents
| Estimated Cost | $500 – $600 |
| Brand/Maker | Ronson |
| Origin | USA |
| Style | Table Lighter |
| Manufacturing Year | 1929 |
| Material | 14K Yellow Gold |
10. Rare Antique Ed’Argy Pre-Flint Lighter
This friction lighter from Ed’Argy is an antique piece! Patented in France and England, it works on the flint mechanism and has an extractable activator.
Notable Features to Identify:
- Pre-Flint Lighter with sulfur or amorce caps
- Extractable activator
- “ED’ARGY,” Bte S.G.D.G,” “EN FRANCE ANGLETERRE,” & “ET” inscribed on the top
- Very detailed carving on the top (also on the cap)
| Estimated Cost | $400 – $500 |
| Brand/Maker | ED’ARGY |
| Origin | Belgium |
| Manufacturing Year | 1850s |
| Material | 900 Silver |
| Item Height | 13 cm |
5 Most Pricey Antique Lighters Ever Sold!
Apart from the models above, there are a few more extremely rare antique lighters! And for these, collectors didn’t hesitate to pay even over a hundred thousand dollars!
| Rare Lighters | Key Features | Time Period | Estimated Price (Auctioned/Sold) |
| Fabergé Chimpanzee Table Lighter | Sculptural lighter in the shape of a seated Chimpanzee, Made of fine silver, Intricate & realistic details | Early 20th century | $200,000 |
| The Original Zippo Lighter | One-handed lighter, Features a metal case & a wind-resistant chimney | 1933 | $37,000 |
| Gene Allen’s My Fair Lady Lighter | Wrap gift for Gene Allen’s film, My Fair Lady, Ribbed body made of pure Gold, Film’s name engraved on top | 1960s | $26,000 |
| Signed Baseball Lighter | Lighter made with a signed baseball body, Related to Japanese Tour, Signed by popular Yankees outfielder, Babe Ruth | 1934 | $8,500 |
| Elvis Presley’s Cigarette Lighter | Gifted by the Presley to a former maid, Displays an ornate diamond-shaped comb pattern, Made of Golden-colored metal | 1960s | $4,600 |
6 Important Factors to Identify a Valuable Vintage Lighter
1. Age & Markings
Tracing the age of an old lighter is the key one of the most effective ways to find out if it’s vintage and worthy. You can date an old lighter with the help of manufacturing years, serial numbers, and patent number markings.
Here are the spots you can find the numbers:
- Bottom of the lighter
- Inside the cap of the lighter
- Either side
Besides, lighters were not actually manufactured in mass production before the 1920s. And that’s why vintage lighters dating before this period are seen as valuable collectibles today!
The font and style of the brand’s name or logo can also help you trace the old lighter’s age. For instance, Zippo’s name logo was different in 1933-1954 from the one from 1955-1979 and 1980 – 2011.
2. Condition (Functioning)
If an antique lighter is still in mint condition, it can fetch decent returns. But if it’s an unopened or unused vintage model, most probably inside its original box with all the labels intact, it can be worth even more.
On the other hand, if the vintage lighter has been used for years, bears dents or scratches, or has broken or missing parts, it loses its significance and value.
3. Luxury Brands
If you want really expensive and precious vintage lighters, look for these prominent vintage brands:
- Ronson (1886): Starting the lighter production in 1913, the company is known for its models like Wonderliter, Banjo, Comet, and Varaflame.
- Dunhill (1893): Dunhill started making lighters after the success of its motoring accessories. Its aquarium lighters are one of the most demanded models.
- Zippo (1932): Though not for antique ones, this company is popular for its wind-resistant and US Forces-partnered lighters.
- Dupont (1800s): This brand is known for its vintage high-end lighters with the distinctive “flint and wheel” mechanism.
Lastly, unique vintage lighters from Hermes, ED’ARGY, Nassau, Colibri, Scripto, and Evans Case Company are also worth a lot.
4. Type of the Lighters (Mechanism)
Since the invention of lighters, four main types of lighters have existed, which you can identify as follows:
- Striker or Flint Lighter: The oldest lighter type, it works with a flint (a strip of ferrocerium) which is rubbed on a rough steel surface to generate the spark.
- Manual-Striker: These ones feature a small handle that spins the flint wheel to create sparking and lit the fueled wicks or gas.
- Semi-Automatic Lighters: Mostly operating on gas, this type has a valve to allow the ignition gas to flow to the burning duct. Then, it has a button that sparks the fire.
- Automatic Lighters: These are an upgrade to semi-automatic lighters. It only operates with a single button that not only opens the gas valve but also creates the spark by spinning the wheel.
5. Limited-Edition Models or Rarity
If an old lighter is one of the special limited-edition collections, it’s likely worth a lot. You can identify your lighter as rare if
- It features a unique design or pattern which wasn’t used again.
- It was owned or used by a famous celebrity or actor.
- It is a promotional item for a specific company or branded collection.
- It was used in Hollywood.
- It was given as VIP gifts or prizes./mementos. (e.g., Gene Allen’s 1960s Lighter for My Fair Lady)
Look for a serial number on the vintage lighters, as the limited edition models are usually marked/engraved with serial numbers.
6. Materials
Vintage lighters composed of exquisite materials, like brass, silver (sterling), and gold, are always quite valuable. But in the case of Gold and Silver, always look for purity marks and other hallmarks.
If you’re into collecting old lighters, this guide is your one-stop solution for identifying and picking a highly valuable one! And if you’re looking for rare vintage lamps or need help with antique oil lamp identification, I’ll be glad to help you!
