Cigarette smoking

[dav19390]

I remember Turf cigarettes from the 1950's. As children, we used to collect cigarette cards (small picture cards on various themes that were given away inside the packets) - the art work on some was magnificent. These stopped being issued during WW II, but there were so many around they survived in large quantities long afterwards.

I think that Turf ciggies were the first to re-introduce cards after WW II and, as the brand name suggests, the theme of the cards was famous footballers. The print quality was rubbish, not like the glossy, full colour sets of previous years.

I also used to collect the fronts of cigarette packets _ I had a collection of about 50-60 different brands in the early 50s. Passing Cloud was my rarest - I'm sorry to say I used to pick them up in the street - this just goes to show there were litter bugs in those days, too. Luckily, (I used to think) most of my adult relatives smoked and mixed with other smokers, so I always had them on the lookout for rare brands.

 

[Stitcher]

I was born in 1940 so this must have been from the late forties onwards. We used to wait at The Gospel Oak terminus for the 31A and 32 buses to pull in and ask the driver or conductor for permision to search the upper deck for fag packets to add to our collections.

 

[oldbrit]

My Dad (God Bless Him) Bert Crump a chain smoker all his life, but still lived to be 81, gave me small alloy, bomb shaped lighter, it is only about 2 1/2" long, I can not find any make or stampings on it, The wheel post seems to come out of the shell I assume to put fluid in it?. Does anyone have one like it or any info on it?

 

[Radiorails]

One unusual lighter I once had was a brass one shaped like a bottle.
Not exactly the same as mine, but very similar.

It would be good if this thread was confined to lighters and other smokers requisites that we once owned.

 

[Pedrocut]

One unusual lighter I once had was a brass one shaped like a bottle.
View attachment 139977 Not exactly the same as mine, but very similar.

It would be good if this thread was confined to lighters and other smokers requisites that we once owned.

I also, it was a Guiness Bottle.

 

[oldbrit]

I did find that on Ebay there are a few shaped like shells German made also one in NZ like a bomb but neat to have,

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

I had a shot gun shell, no clue as to where it went.
Pretty sure we all have seen a gun as a lighter, funny all appear to be masculine.

 

[Vivienne14]

WEre there any lighters made in Brum ? Seems to me to be the sort of item to be made in Birmingham. Viv.

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

WEre there any lighters made in Brum ? Seems to me to be the sort of item to be made in Birmingham. Viv.

Yes loads as well as cigarette cases and holders
My lovely wife has bought hundreds she always bought Birmingham silver when ever she got the chance.
The problem of course is a lot has gone out of favor because of the decline of cigarette smoking along with the places you can smoke.
Most of these wonderful lighters are now confined to a draw somewhere in the house.

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

John thank you for waking my memory up, I am sure the lighter from your dad is petrol fueled.
This was not the same petrol you purchased at the Esso station, it was more refined as not to smoke when burnt, it came in a small can from the newsagents and was about the size of a 3 in 1 oil can, but could also be purchased in a single refill charge that was a capsule with a teat at the end you cut off.
My pop had a Ronson gas lighter for ever a slick almost aero inspired.
I think the fuel was called Ronsul came with adapters so you could fill whatever make and style of lighter you owned
Most people there days use some kind off disposalable lighter, gone are the times of fags being high times and fashionable.

 

[Radiorails]

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

An old favouriteView attachment 139984View attachment 139985View attachment 139986

Curious on all the fag study's did they ever include sucking on ignited lighter fuel ?, That first drag must have been heavily laden.

 

[Lumpammer]

An old favouriteView attachment 139984View attachment 139985View attachment 139986

Also sold in waxy/plasticy sachets that always contained too much for one fill, but would evaporate before second fill.

 

[Spargone]

Oldbrit's lighter might be based on the WW2 RAF 1,000lb High Explosive Medium Capacity bomb (larger of the two shown). Given the absence of maker's marks and the materials used I wonder if it is a piece of so-called 'trench art' produced by an RAF armourer? These hand-crafted items never seem to be valued as much as rare examples of mass produced items by 'famous names' even though they carry 'real' history.

 

[nickcc101]

John thank you for waking my memory up, I am sure the lighter from your dad is petrol fueled.
This was not the same petrol you purchased at the Esso station, it was more refined as not to smoke when burnt, it came in a small can from the newsagents and was about the size of a 3 in 1 oil can, but could also be purchased in a single refill charge that was a capsule with a teat at the end you cut off.
My pop had a Ronson gas lighter for ever a slick almost aero inspired.
I think the fuel was called Ronsul came with adapters so you could fill whatever make and style of lighter you owned
Most people there days use some kind off disposalable lighter, gone are the times of fags being high times and fashionable.

I stil buy Ronson lighter fuel for cleaning oily marks off the carpets.

 

[Vivienne14]

We had one of those table sets made of marble; it had a very heavy cigarette box and a heavy lighter. The lighter was round and solid. They had felt on the bottom so as not to scratch the table. Viv.

 

[ade]

My man had a lovely big ronson lighter on her "smoking table " and her cigarettes in a very posh silver cigarette box

 

[Morturn]

I did recall seing a few lighters that were home made. People who worked in tool rooms oftern made their own novelty style lighters. I once had one that was just a plain brass tube and have seen one made from a 303 cartridge

 

[mw0njm.]

I also, it was a Guinness Bottle.

and me we bought them in Ireland. in 1954....as gifs

 

[mw0njm.]

Mosda was started in Birmingham, England in 1946 by Maurice Davis and Louis Heaps. This was the successor company to their previous company of Davis & Heaps which mainly manufactured lighters

 

[Bob Davis]

I had a Ronson, then a Dunhill, but finished up with an electric cigarette lighter (early 1960s), a strange beast you slid at the top a wire ignite, which lit the wick, but for the life of me I can remember very little about it. I think it also had a light in it. I also craved a Zippo, but by the time I could get round to buying one, I had given up smoking. Nowadays there seems to be no elegance or design in lighters because they are all these throw away ones. For a while I had a cigarette case with a built in lighter (I think it was a Ronson), but it was to heavy to carry around and also tended to crush the posher cigarettes. At an antique fair recently I was horrified to see a Ronson Variflame for sale at £60.00. Aaaah!!!! you've all done it again, memories are made of this, do you remember those big Ronson Queen Anne table lighters?
I still have a tin of lighter fuel for emergency paint, grease and other assorted spill cleaning.

Bob

 

[maypolebaz]

John thank you for waking my memory up, I am sure the lighter from your dad is petrol fueled.
This was not the same petrol you purchased at the Esso station, it was more refined as not to smoke when burnt, it came in a small can from the newsagents and was about the size of a 3 in 1 oil can, but could also be purchased in a single refill charge that was a capsule with a teat at the end you cut off.
My pop had a Ronson gas lighter for ever a slick almost aero inspired.
I think the fuel was called Ronsul came with adapters so you could fill whatever make and style of lighter you owned
Most people there days use some kind off disposalable lighter, gone are the times of fags being high times and fashionable.

I had a brass lighter, early 60s, I seem to remember it was called a Tommy Lighter. Anyway it pulled apart so that fuel could be poured onto the cotton wool inside. The army used a leaded petrol in those days, MT74, which gave off a black smoke. Of course we refuelled our lighters with it, god knows what harm it did us. Squaddies eh ?

 

[mw0njm.]

I had a brass lighter, early 60s, I seem to remember it was called a Tommy Lighter. Anyway it pulled apart so that fuel could be poured onto the cotton wool inside. The army used a leaded petrol in those days, MT74, which gave off a black smoke. Of course we refuelled our lighters with it, god knows what harm it did us. Squaddies eh ?

if i could not get petrol,i used spirits.

 

[RobT]

At an antique fair recently I was horrified to see a Ronson Variflame for sale at £60.00. Aaaah!!!! you've all done it again, memories are made of this, do you remember those big Ronson Queen Anne table lighters?
I still have a tin of lighter fuel for emergency paint, grease and other assorted spill cleaning.

Bob

Here's a Ronson Queen Anne Varaflame

Now who flicked a Varaflame to light your cigarette, and a flame 12 inches high shot up, and shocked you, as the adjuster had turned to the high setting!

 

[Radiorails]

However, those of us who smoked pipes usually used good old Swan Vesta or Englands Glory matches. Lighter fuel was considered detrimental to the flavour of the tobacco, as it contaminated it.

 

[mw0njm.]

However, those of us who smoked pipes usually used good old Swan Vesta or Englands Glory matches. Lighter fuel was considered detrimental to the flavour of the tobacco, as it contaminated it.

Unless you let the match burn a bit. before use, there was a horrible taste from it.what ever you was smoking

 

[maypolebaz]

View attachment 139996if i could not get petrol,i used spirits.

Blimey, that's the one ! Mine was much battered though.

 

[Robert Ensor (bob)]

We had one of those table sets made of marble; it had a very heavy cigarette box and a heavy lighter. The lighter was round and solid. They had felt on the bottom so as not to scratch the table. Viv.

All us posh people had a set, mine was a shade of green

 

[Banjo]

I still have my Stepmom's musical cigarette box & table lighter. As you would probably expect, it plays ' Smoke gets in your eyes' when the lid is opened.

 

[Smudger]

Also sold in waxy/plasticy sachets that always contained too much for one fill, but would evaporate before second fill.

As an idiot growing up, i would pin prick a hole the waxy sachet, quirt some in my mouth & blow it out to a naked flame & whoosh. Just one of the many daft things of growing up! Do not try this indoors!!