Spade's Desk Lighter in The Maltese Falcon: Ronson Touch Tip

[Andykev]

Sam Spade had a TOUCH TIP lighter on his desk. Here is a link to one site that shows the many beautiful art deco lighters made by Ronson.

http://members.tripod.com/~Transporter/TT.html


Here is the lighter:

And here is the lighter I just got off of Ebay:

 

[Mycroft]

Beatiful lighters, all of them on the site, thanks for the info and link Andykev.

 

[matei]

Thanks for the response... Very cool - even though I don't smoke there is always a use for a lighter!

 

[Raffles]

Thanks for the info. I've always wondered what kind of lighter that was.

 

[Bogie1943]

That is one of my favorite items Spade has in that office, well I love everything in that office, as well as that office, lol. I have been looking for one of these for a long time. I have yet to run across one in any of the antique shops I have been in. I should perhaps start looking on ebay, maybe I would have some luck there. If I find something I will be sure to post pictures!

 

[zeus36]

I picked up a Ronson Touch Tip model called the Octet in black off Ebay and my gal thought that it was one of the most impressive purchases I've made on the auction site. It is the model pictured in white in Andykev's post.

There is a gentleman who sells replacement wicks for the wands on Ebay and also does repair work on most Ronsons. I went through the mechanicals myself and cleaned the internal linkages, but I had him re-wick my touch-tip with a extra large wadding for pipe lighting. It now sits on my coffee table next to several humidors and pipes. I filled it up several months ago when I received it, and it has not needed another top-off yet.

 

[VegasMike]

Bogart's Lighter in Maltese Falcon

Ok, in The Maltese Falcon, Bogart had a cigarette lighter on his desk that was insanely cool, and I've never seen any like it before. It was some kind of metal match, where he popped it down, then pulled it out and it was lit. Really really cool, but I don't know exactly how it works or whats it called, so I don't know how to look for it on Ebay. Anyone know what that is exactly?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

It's a touch tip lighter : http://transporter.tripod.com/tt-combo.html

 

[The Reno Kid]

It's a Ronson Touch Tip. The one in the movie had a clock in it. I don't remember what the specific model is called, but they come up on ebay pretty regularly. In fact, I just checked and there's one there right now. If memory serves, there are at least three similar models. I think the one in The Maltese Falcon was the one with the white rim around the clock (like the one now on ebay), but I don't remember for certain. There was also a model with a black rim around the clock and another with a larger, rimless clock face.

 

[VegasMike]

Fantastic, now I know what to look for, thanks!

 

[scotrace]

They don't go cheap. The one on eBay right now is slightly different from the one in the film (if I found the same one). The film lighter has a larger clock. They seem to come in large and small clock versions.

Andykev has one of these, I believe. Let me see if I can find the thread...


Ah. Here it is.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

I picked up a Ronson Touch Tip model called the Octet in black off Ebay and my gal thought that it was one of the most impressive purchases I've made on the auction site. It is the model pictured in white in Andykev's post.

There is a gentleman who sells replacement wicks for the wands on Ebay and also does repair work on most Ronsons. I went through the mechanicals myself and cleaned the internal linkages, but I had him re-wick my touch-tip with a extra large wadding for pipe lighting. It now sits on my coffee table next to several humidors and pipes. I filled it up several months ago when I received it, and it has not needed another top-off yet.

what kind of fluid do you put in them?

 

[Girl Friday]

Wow you really had to go back a ways to find that thread!

Thanks though, I've always wondered about that lighter.

 

[B R A N D X®]

Maltese Falcon lighter??????

[Edit] I found info already here on the forum and I apologize for not searching before posting.....

In the movie, Bogart lights his handrolled's a couple of times with a big, table top lighter that has, what appears to be, a permanent match that when pulled or *struck* out of the base creates a flame/light similar to a match.

Anyone know what kind of lighter this is?

 

[Dinerman]

Ronson Touch Tip Lighter.
They come up on ebay, but they can get expensive


http://cgi.ebay.com/Ronson-Touch-Ti...goryZ595QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/VERY-RARE-RONSO...ryZ11680QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ronson-Touch-Ti...ryZ11680QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[SamMarlowPI]

very, very expensive...

 

[ScionPI2005]

Really expensive, but nice. I definitely like that Ronson clock one.

 

[DavidScott999]

Ronson Touch-Tip Wick Replacement

May I ask who on ebay supplies the wicks for the wand? I'm trying to find something suitable for my Ronson Touch-Tip - conventional wicks don't work very well. Thanks for any info. I searched "Ronson Touch-Tip Wick" and various other ideas, but cannot locate anything. Thanks again.

 

[scotrace]

From a 2004 thread:

For those of you who, like me, keep finding REALLY nice 30's/40's Art Deco styled Ronson lighters that, for all intents and purposes, are gorgous, but are mechanically in dire need of attention, the following address was supplied to me by the Ronson factory as their factory independent repair facility...

Ronson Service
P.O. Box 9480
Glendale, CA 91226
818-543-7621

Regards. Michaelson

And I am going to merge numerous threads on this topic. It comes up often.
Welcome to The Fedora Lounge, DavidScott999 from Ohio. It so happens my name is Scott David, from Ohio!

 

[DavidScott999]

Scott: Interesting twist on the name. I've run into a few "Scott David"s along the way, here and there. Thanks for that info - I may send my lighter off for a tune-up. I don't get a nice, robust, shower of sparks (I have another vintage lighter that lights every time, and the sparks guarantee that light). I think maybe my touchtip's wheel is worn, or maybe must dirty - I brushed it, but we'll see... and the wick is definitely an issue. Thanks again for the info - DS