Vintage Cigarette Lighters

Ronson Lighters

Ronson

Ronson De-Light Lighter - Is there such a thing?

There seems to be an opinion among many collectors that there was no 'Ronson De-Light' lighter.The 'Ronson Book' doesn't list one, but, instead, lists various lighters with the 'De-Light fitment'.

I believe there was a De-Light lighter. Ronson marketed and marked lighters as 'De-Light'. Several variations were made (e.g. Standard, Princess, Jumbo), but they were all De-Light. It seems to be later that 'De-Light' was dropped and the variations became models (e.g. Standard, Princess, etc.) and were marked and marketed as such. The De-Light variations were not marked 'Standard', 'Princess', etc. - they were marked only 'De-Light'.

From Ronson Instruction Sheet: "De-Light: Standard, Princess, Junior, Standard Sport, Junior Sport, Tabourette, Tablelighter". This seems clear that there was a De-Light lighter with various models of it. Also, advertisements from 1928 through 1933 specified 'Ronson De-Light' and some 1934 ads did the same while others no longer used 'De-Light'. By 1935 De-Light seems to have become history.

Standard & Princess models: Same height; Princess is narrower. Junior De-Light - same width and shorter than Princess. Junior Sport - well taller than Princess, same width.

The De-Light Patent

Ronson De-Light Watch Lighter

First manufactured 1928.

Ronson De-Light Duplex

First manufactured in 1929 the Duplex was so named because of the 2 piece construction. This is a relatively tall lighter - like the Banker. The bottom was removed for filling and changing flint.

Ronson De-Light Jumbo

Interestingly, this lighter lists a patent for the method of casting used to make parts of it (US1290011) as well as the original "Banjo" patent for the mechanism. One of the additional images shows how much larger this lighter is compared with a De-Light Standard. First manufactured 1929.
KWK-0DE

Another View    Another View    Another View    Casting Patent

Ronson De-Light Junior

First manufactured 1928.

Ronson De-Light Junior Sport

First manufactured 1928.

Ronson De-Light Princess

(Below Center) This particular example is the oldest version of the De-Light Princess. The bottom of the oldest Standard De-Light version does not have any notches for loosening the bottom screws and it says "Pat. Pend." while this version does have the notches on the same old style screws and the patent number as it and the Princess line came slightly later. (Below Right c. 1930) Later De-Light Princess versions had the screws made smaller and moved inward with a slot - the style found on all subsequent lighters.

Another View    Another View    Casting Patent

c. 1929-1930

Ronson De-Light Speed Nymph

First manufactured 1928. The 'LVA' stamped on the base is for Louis V. Aronson the designer of the Speed Nymph which was used in different items including, possibly most prominently, the LeJeune car mascot (for radiator caps) popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Another View   Another View   Another View

Ronson De-Light Standard

The the oldest version of the Standard De-Light does not have any notches for loosening the bottom screws and it says "Pat. Pend." Note that the fuel and flint screws extend out to the side of the base plate. The next change was almost the same, with the screws then having notches for a coin to loosen them.

Ronson De-Light Superba Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1929

Another View    Patent

Ronson De-Light Tabourette Table Lighter

First made in 1927

Ronson Debonair Lighter

First manufactured about 1933 and running on through the 1930s.

Patent    Patent

See the article: The Ronson Debonair

Ronson Decanter Silver Plate Table Lighter

Several slightly different versions of the decanter table lighter were produced from 1936 through the early 1950s. There were 4 different models made over the years.

   Patent    Patent

Ronson Decor Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1954 - The "Do it yourself" lighter had a transparent dome that lifts off and you put whatever you want below it to create your own design on the lighter - such as a piece of material to match your drapes.
BMM-0B0

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Ronson Diana Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1950

Another View

Ronson Dodo Striker Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1934

Another View

Ronson Dutchess Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1936

Ronson Elephant Striker Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1940. This version has a howdah on the back of the elephant while a somewhat similar 1935 version does not.

Ronson Essex Lighter

The Essex, introduced in 1954 was an all-new style of Ronson and the general look and styling gradually migrated to the other models.

JHK-00H Golden Essex

Ronson Essex Table Lighter

The brass version of the Essex table lighter was introduced in 1956 along with a silver version which has a somewhat different design.

Ronson Fantasy Table Lighter

1951 - 1959 The Fantasy was introduced with a petrol and flint model and later used a butane and flint lighter insert. Pictured is the earlier petrol and flint model with the Ronson Essex insert. A different version of the ceramic base with the same name and a Varaflame lighter shows up in 1960.
HBK-0BG

Another View    Another View    Patent 1 pg 1    Patent 1 pg 2    Patent 2 pg 1    Patent 2 pg 2   Patent 3

Ronson Fine Line Lighter

First manufactured 1934 this lighter was made with fine lines and art deco enamels.
ILL-0BI

Ronson Flight of Fancy Table Lighter

First manufactured in 1954 as part of Ronson's "Award Series" in Rosenthal China with this design signed by Harold Sitterle. Made in 2 versions: White w/ black top and Black w/ white top. This lighter is very similar to the Sundial model, also part of the "Award Series".

Another View    Another View    Patent

Ronson Flo-Line Lighter

The Flo-Line was made only in England, beginning in 1960. The lighter is more rounded than most Ronsons and was made in two sizes, a "Princess" size and a "Standard"; this example is the Standard.
JPK-0BE

Another View    Patent   

Ronson Futura Varaflame Table Lighter

This butane table lighter shows up in 1959 and, on eBay at least, is often described as a "boat" lighter.