Vintage Cigarette Lighters

Catalytic Lighters

Catalytic lighters typically use methanol as a fuel and a platinum catalyst that heats up in the presence of the vapors of methanol and, when air is added, ignites a flame.

See articles:
Making Lektrolite Lighters Work
Making Catalytic Lighters Work

Airflam Windproof Catalytic Lighter

Advertised as the lighter with no moving parts. The lighter was fully automatic - open the top and a flame was produced - sometimes necessary to use a wave of the hand to move some air into the chamber. The lighter worked because there was a tiny air hole in the chamber which used Methanol as fuel. A framework with platinum catalyst and fine wires is embedded in the chamber. As soon as air and Methanol vapors combine in the chamber, the catalyst heated, heating the wires, and igniting the fuel vapors. c. early 1950s this example and other models produced through the 1960s.
LYK-0B0-S

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Airflam Magique Catalytic Lighter

c. early 1950s through the 1960s. Imported from Germany and distributed by Murphy Reier, Inc,Barrington, IL the lighter came with a second tube with the catalytic insert in it and a bottle of fluid (methanol)
BLM-00F

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B-H Catalytic Self-Starting Lighter

c. 1907 One of the earliest self-starting catalytic lighters of the dual-tube style.

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Lytic Catalytic Lighter

c. 1910 marked C.E. Marshall Has unusual (as compared with other catalytics) mechanism for holding wire and platinum balls.

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GloLite Midget Catalytic Lighter

The lighter is sitting on a penny, to give an idea of size. This is a very small Lektrolite-like lighter that is, for all intents and purposes, the same as the Lektrolite GloPoint. Filling this lighter is accomplished by pulling out the element which has a wick (much larger and more than a standard lighter wick) attached to the bottom. The wick material is soaked with Methyl alcohol and placed back in the bottom part of the lighter. Air flow is assured by presence of a spring in the bottom to keep the wick material away from the bottom of the container and to make certain the little tube at the bottom of the wicking material can get air drawn through it. c. late 1930s - early 1940s

Ideal Platinum Igniter

This is an early catalytic lighter, though the approximate date has not been determined. It is known to be early because the instruction sheet specifically mentions using the lighter to ignite gas lights!

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Janus Catalytic Lighter

While appearing very much the same as the Jiffy-Lite, Master-Lite, and New Method lighters, this lighter has the element riveted into the cap; the other brands had an element that was easily removed and could, therefore, be easily replaced. The lighters are marked DRP and DRGM, which simply means they are registered and patented in Germany. c. 1920s
ALL-0AG

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Jiffy-Lite Catalytic Lighter

A comtemporary of the New Method Self-Starting lighter and, for all purposes, exactly the same. From the late 1930s
LVK-0AG

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Lektrolite

PATENTS
1933-2-28
1933-11-28
1934-6-19
1935-6-18 1

Lektrolite GloPoint Lighter

1930s through 1940s. A very similar tiny lighter was made by GloLite, as well.
ILK-0BE

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Lektrolite Pipe Lighter

1930s - 1940s. This is simply a GloPoint with a rubber fixture added to seal it to the top of a pipe in order that air can be drawn through the pipe bowl (no heat is produced if air is not drawn through bringing with it the methanol vapors).
KAK-0AF

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Lektrolite Autograph Plastique

Mid-1930s

Lektrolite Fuel (left & right)

Lektrolite GloPoint Unopened Box
contained GloPoint Lighter and can or bottle (depending on package) of fuel - this particular example was for WW2 overseas shipment

Master Lite Pocket Lighter

Self-starting catalytic lighter. Typically the lighters have no brand name on them. Chrome over brass and brass finishes. c. 1928

Master Lite DeLuxe Wonder Lighter

c. 1915 Fancy design and also includes a little "gemstone" in the top.

New Method Self-Starting (Catalytic) Lighter

From the early 1930s
KHK-0BG

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Ray-O-Lite (Catalytic) Lighter

c. 1920s. This is one of the forerunners to the much more common New Method Self-Starting lighters.
KAK-0AB

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Shell Fire Catalytic Lighter

While there is no real difference between this and many other catalytic lighters in the inner works, this is very unusual in the bullet design of the case.
CGL-0B0

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