Flame & Shine Collectibles Brought To You By GotaLight.net

Introduction To My Show Case


Welcome to my little space on the web... Flame & Shine Collectibles. I'm a collector of vintage flashlights, old lanterns and old cigarette lighters. I'll be showing these collections in different galleries for your viewing pleasure. I'm more of a collector of vintage flashlights. Hope you enjoy.

vintage victor flashlight

Vintage Flashlights

I started collecting vintage flashlights a few years ago and as of 2012, I have over 90 old flashlights to my credit. I'm only showing some of my better and most interesting vintage flashlights. Maybe you'll see one you've never seen before? I hope to keep adding to my collection as I'll be going to yards sales and estate sales in search of that one great find. When all else fails, there's always eBay. The Hunt Continues....

pepsi lighter

Old Cigarette Lighters

I used to collect Old Cigarette Lighters, now you can view some my collection which I started collecting back in the early 70's and continued in the 80's and 90's as an active collector. I know I have hundreds of old lighters and just don't remember the count but I'm thinking somewhere between 500-700, could be more as I still have most of my lighters packed away in storage at a friends place. I'll be showing my old vintage lighters in four categories such as old pocket lighters, table top lighters and a few old cigarette case lighters.

Pepsi lighter

Old Lanterns

My last collection will show some of my old lanterns that was used by miner's working in the mines way back when or railroad workers working the night shift along the railroad tracks. Most take one 6 volt battery and I have one that takes two of the big batteries. To me that's one of two draw backs about collecting lanterns is the 6 volt batteries because they do cost more and don't last. The second is they take up a lot of space.

  1. •   Web Site News & Updates •

    • April Updates! I added another gallery of old Flashlights and they are ready to view in Gallery #9

    • Flashlight Collectors! You don't want to miss this. Stop by my Show & Tell section and see a rare flashlight and short story about a great find. I also have a few tips and comments to share.

    • The Cool thing about a flashlight collection is, if you keep looking, you keep hunting, sooner or later you'll find some great lights to add to your collection or maybe that big find. The $$$ flashlight you've been hoping to find.

    That's all for now folks! Happy Hunting!


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The Name Flashlight

The term Flashlight comes from the limitations of the early batteries and bulbs. The first zinc dry-cells were very expensive and had a very low capacity, and the early carbon filament bulbs drew so much power, that the first battery powered torches could not sustain long periods of continuous light. To ensure those pricey batteries lasted as long as possible, users would just flash the light on and off for brief periods to see enough to get by, and this is where the name Flashlight actually originates.

First Cigarette Lighter

The first lighters were invented in the 16th century and were converted flintlock pistols that used gunpowder. One of the first lighters was invented by a German Chemist named Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner in 1823 and was often called Döbereiner’s Lamp. This lighter worked by a reaction of hydrogen to platinum sponge, which gave off a great amount of heat. The device was very large and highly dangerous and fell out of production by the end of the 19th century.

The patenting of Ferrocerium (often misidentified as flint) by Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1903 has made modern lighters possible. When scratched, it produces a large spark which is responsible for lighting the fuel of many lighters, and is suitably inexpensive for use in disposable items.
(Source - Wikipedia)

old lighters