Topic: 'Italian' table lighter and ashtray, more info please

[glassobsessed]

I am trying to find out a little about these two items, a matching table lighter and ashtray. They both have labels on the bottom which indicate the retailer (Jewellers still in business) in Foggia, southern Italy. There are similar impressed marks on both but I can not make sense of the smaller mark.

I would guess that they date from the 50s or 60s but can anyone confirm or deny this or point towards a possible maker?

I could contact the retailers but thought the GMB might help provide a quicker answer.

They almost make me wish I had not given up smoking years ago.....

John.

[Pip]

They're fabulous!  I can't give you any info other than to say that yes I agree with you about them being probably late 1950s production - looking at the ashtray stand in particular which reminds me of Eero Saarinen furniture design of that period.

[glassobsessed]

Pip, thank you, I see what you mean about the shape of the base and Eero Saarinen designs. I did not find the lighter and ashtray so captivating at first but they are growing on me.

I forgot to give dimensions, the lighter is around 23cm tall and the ashtray about 12.5cm high.
As can be seen the glass is acid etched/sand blasted apart from the pattern of circular cuts. The metal sections are not of 'high quality' and the lighter still works, it can be turned up to a 'James Bond' type blow torch (mind your hair).

John.

[Lustrousstone]

I would bet they are neodymium glass, but can't help you with anything else

[obscurities]

It can be tough to tell from pics, but they appear to be Alexandrite glass (Neodymium). I would generally agree with the time line, but the "inexpensive" brass bases would lead me away from the 50's to the mid to late 60's and maybe even early 70's. Brass production in the 50's, with that type of glass would most likely have been higher quality. (possibly cast, as opposed to the machine stamped thin sheet stock they appear to be. I would lean towards production in the Bohemian region, due to both glass color and the style of surface treatment and cutting..... I would be interested if the lighter body has a brand on it anywhere?  Not that it necessarily indicates region of production, but may help to narrow it down or point in the right direction..... 

[glassobsessed]

Although the term neodymium is familiar I know little about neodymium glass. So after a little research I can confirm that they are made with neodymium glass. As it is supposed to appear blue under fluorescent light I decided to take a suitable photo and almost dropped them with surprise when I saw the colour change.
This also forced me to learn about setting the 'white balance' or tone on my camera to shoot under artificial light, so this thread has turned out to be doubly educational for me, thank you.

The metal fittings are not brass they are stamped from thin sheet. There is no brand marking on the (gas) lighter at all and looks to me to be a 'standard' type of item.

John.

[obscurities]

Hello again, With that type of inexpensive "brass look" metal production, I would tend to believe that late 60's or early 70's would be correct. The glass is very cool, and I would be interested if anyone else thinks a region for the glass other than Bohemian. 

[Lustrousstone]

Why not Italy? Italian neodymium glass is quite common. They have that Italian style factor. They were purchased in a classy Italian shop. And the Italian certainly made a lot of glass lighters. You could actually email the shop.

[DeanK]

The metal fittings are not brass they are stamped from thin sheet. There is no brand marking on the (gas) lighter at all and looks to me to be a 'standard' type of item.

John.

Being that this is a glass forum, I hesitate to suggest this, but, the marks on the metal appear to possibly be silver markings....is that possible?  You mention the metal is not brass which I thought might mean they are "silver" color to the metal.  If the number in your detail photo is "800" and an additional hallmark these could be 800 grade silver.  Silver, especially sterling, was quite common for quality table lighter sets of the period.

I apologize if this is not the case but your detail photo of the metal markings is quite hard to read but that is what it looks like to me (the actual color of the metal is also quite hard to tell from your photos).  Just wanted to clarify that if that was the case for you.

This would make sense, also, due to the fact that the set was retailed by a jeweler.

regards,

deank

[obscurities]

The numeric mark on the underside appears to me to be 300 and a small mark I can not see, even when enlarged. I would venture it to be a model number or stamping number for the metal. The "parts" of the lighter were most likely produced and assembled by at least 2 different companies, possibly 3 or 4 (metal, glass, lighter manufacturer, and final assembly / branding). The color of the metal on my computer is quite brass looking, but I may have made an assumption about the metal based on what I saw in the image.  I thought Bohemian, simply due to the style of the glass work not striking me as necessarily very Italian...