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, vintage battery operated 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 with a small collection of battery operated lanterns. Hope you enjoy.

vintage flashlight

Vintage Flashlights

I started collecting vintage flashlights a few years ago and I have over 100 old flashlights to my credit. I'm only showing some of my better and most interesting vintage flashlights. Some of the flashlights I got when I first started collecting are nothing special, just got me started so I will not be showing them. Chances are we all have'em. My two oldest dates back to 1915 and I have a few others in the teens.

Maybe you'll see one you've never seen before in the galleries? 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....

justrite road flare

Old Lanterns

My next collection will show some of my old battery operated lanterns, emergency lanterns with flashers and a couple of railroad lanterns. Some use a 6 volt battery and others use either D or C cell batteries. One thing for sure, they take up a lot of space.


pepsi lighter

Old Cigarette Lighters

I used to collect Old Cigarette Lighters way before I started collecting vintage flashlights. 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 600-800, 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 lighters in four categories such as old pocket lighters, table top lighters and a few old cigarette case lighters.

  1. •   Web Site News & Updates •

    • Who wants a FREE flashlight? NOT a vintage flashlight. Sorry! 2004 Eveready twist on & off Penlight. This is a nice little task light and I will be giving it way. Not opened and still in original display card. Comes with 2 AAA batteries. (exp date; 2011) I won a package deal off eBay and will be giving'em all away but one or two. You need to enter to win! All you need to do is send in an email no later than May 31-2013. Be sure to type, 'FREE Flashlight' in the subject line. The winner will be notified the first week in June. Send it to: (david at gotalight dot net) I will NOT save your email address and you will only hear from me if you win. Good luck. David & Dave.

    Be sure and stop by in June to see Vintage Flashlight Gallery #12

    • More Sections Below
    The Collectors Corner Read about worth over value and find out what some flashlights really sell for.

    View my Show & Tell section and see some interesting vintage flashlights that's seen here first before added to a flashlight gallery! This section has been updated with some new old flashlights.

    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