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Vintage Cigarette Lighters

& Ashtrays, too!

This site does not support or encourage tobacco use. This site is a reference for collectors or others researching antique cigarette lighters and ashtrays.
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Scripto Lighters

Scripto was founded in Atlanta, GA in 1923 and was known as the M. A. Ferst Company. It was a major supplier of graphite leads. The following year the company name was changed to Scripto. This is Latin for "I write."

Scripto entered the cigarette lighter market by making their Scripto Vu-Lighter in the mid-1950s. Scripto used a see thru tank which allowed for advertisement to be placed inside the petrol tank. When the tank was either full or empty the advertisement could be seen.

The Vu-Lighter also had a very clever mechanism which would allow just a small amount of fluid to enter the wick which dramatically cut down on evaporation. Even today, Scripto lighters can be found full of fuel after being put away for over 50 years. Many famous companies used Scripto lighters for their advertising medium and, like Zippo, they made Scripto lighters available in a sports series.

In 1957 Scripto acquired Anja Engineering Corporation, an international company that supplied writing instruments. Tokai-Seiki of Japan partnered with Scripto in 1974 to sell disposable lighters. These were produced and marketed by Tokai with the Scripto name.

In 1977 Scripto quit making lighters.