Vintage Cigarette Lighters

"States" Lighters

A series of lighters featuring the states was made in the mid-1950s - it is unclear whether they were made late enough to include Alaska and Hawaii (as states), both admitted in 1959 - though lighters were produced for both Alaska and Hawaii - possibly before statehood. The series did include at least two possessions - Guam, Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico. A number of lighters were also produced for various special tourist destinations, and some of those are included here, as well. Some states had differing variations produced under different brand names and while they are much the same, there are subtle differences.

These lighters all had raised metal surfaces outlining the contours and enamel painted in the details - rather like a low grade cloisonne. Some map lighters were made bo other companies, such as Shalco, with a cheaper plastic covering and the printing mimicked the raised and enamel work on the slightly earlier states series.

These lighters were made under a number of brand names that include: Albert, Charco, Continental, Dura-Lite, Field, Gibson, Master Craft, Omega, Penguin, SMS, Wales, and others - all Japanese manufactured.

Often more than one manufacturer made a lighter for a given state. Sometimes they are the same; more often there are at least subtle differences and occasionally dramatic differences. So, a California lighter, for example, can have several variations and if you are working on a complete collection you will want all of them.

JFM-00H (Mambro) Atlantic City

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IHK-0A0 (unbranded) Cape Cod
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Shalco Florida Lighter

While this is a state lighter, it isn't part of the "states" series of lighters produced by several companies in the early to mid-1950s. This one has a plastic type wrap with the state pictirals on it; the "real" states series lighters had raised metal work and enamel painting on them. c. late 1950s.
KNK-0AI

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