Paul wadsworth

Rare Douglass Art Deco Desk-Table Petrol Lighter, Circa 1926–1930s This is a highly collectible Douglass desk-table petrol lighter, designed in Menlo Park, California, by the American inventor Leon Douglass during the Art Deco period. Executed in polished silver plate and embellished with elegant geometric patterns, this sophisticated industrial object combines exceptional mechanical ingenuity with the streamlined aesthetic of American skyscraper-inspired design of the 1920s and 1930s. The Douglass Lighter Company introduced its luxury petrol lighters in the United States in 1926. Leon Douglass, an accomplished inventor and one of the founders of the Victor Talking Machine Company, conceived his lighter with a remarkably simple philosophy: to create a practical and dependable lighter without unnecessary gadgets or conventional thumb wheels. The resulting mechanism was ingenious. A long, narrow arm positioned above the flint wheel is released by pressing the trigger, snapping backward with considerable force and showering sparks directly onto the fuel-soaked wick. Douglass was granted his lighter patent on October 12, 1926, establishing one of the most distinctive automatic ignition systems of its era. Douglass's commitment to quality extended to the manufacture of his lighters. He commissioned the Wadsworth Company, renowned for its fine watch cases, to produce the elegant metal bodies, while Hargraft & Sons of Chicago handled distribution and promoted the invention with the memorable slogan “The Matchless Age.” This example remains in excellent original condition, retaining its polished silver-plated finish, crisp engine-turned decoration, solid construction, and fully functional mechanical system. Its sophisticated appearance and ingenious automatic ignition mechanism make it a particularly desirable representative of early American lighter engineering. A superb collector's piece for enthusiasts of American Art Deco, mechanical lighters, industrial design, and early 20th-century inventions, this Douglass desk lighter is a rare and historically important conversation piece, beautifully combining the elegance of a luxury object with the ingenious simplicity of Leon Douglass's celebrated automatic lighter mechanism. Country: Menlo Park, California, United States. Period: Circa 1926-1928. Designer: Leon Douglass. Manufacturer: Wadsworth Watch...