An extremely stylish and rare novelty table lighter in the form of a 6 inch ruler calibrated in both inches and centimetres. Marked Dunhill, Made in England, it was made around the late 1950s and is finished in silver plate.

Some history about the world renowned maker: Dunhill. Alfred Dunhill Limited was developed by Alfred Dunhill after he inherited his father's saddlery business on London's Euston Road at the age of 21 in 1893. Alfred Dunhill developed a line of automobile accessories called "Dunhill's Motorities". This first collection included car horns and lamps, leather overcoats, goggles, picnic sets and timepieces, which provided the company with the strap line of "Everything But The Motor". Within a few years, the business moved towards the luxury market with the opening of two Dunhill Motorities stores in Mayfair. In 1904 Dunhill had patented a "Windshield Pipe" to help a driver smoke while driving. Dunhill's first tobacconist and pipe shop opened in 1907 on Duke Street. Dunhill retired from the business in the 1920s, leaving the position of managing director and president to his brother Alfred-Henry, then daughter Mary, and finally his grandson Richard.

In the mid-1950s, Dunhill produced one of the first butane gas lighters. This design has remained relatively unchanged since and was regularly used by James Bond in both print and on the screen. By the late 1970s, Alfred Dunhill was offering a range of 3,500 luxury products in more than 20 stores round the world.

Condition: excellent (lacking gas and flint)

Dimensions: 16.5cm wide, 2cm deep, 1cm high