A Lighter (length 2 5/8 ins) of white-metal

PART OF:
Bryant and May collection of fire-making appliances.
Made:
Bow
A Lighter (length 2 5/8 ins) of white-metal

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A Lighter (length 2 5/8 ins) of white-metal
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

A Lighter (length 2 5/8 ins) of white-metal, nickelled; consists of two small parallel tubes; one tube holds a length of match-cord tinder; the other (closed completely at bottom and at top by a small hollow cup with a pin-hole in its bottom) holds a glass tube containing amorphous phosphorus; a thin steel pin, nearly as long as the tube and with a large ball-head which closes the top of the cup, passes down through the pin-hole; the cup is intended to hold a small quantity of caustic soda; when he pin is withdrawn, the phosphorus adhering to it, coming into contact with the caustic soda, produces phosphoretted hydrogen, which ignites; the pin, being then rubbed on the cord-tinder, ignites it; stamped on head, "No. 97,534, S.F.T." ? France. [Ignites purely by chemical action].

Details

Category:
Firemaking
Object Number:
1937-682/1420
type:
lighter - fire-making equipment
credit:
Wilkinson Sword Ltd.