Sell your S.T. Dupont

Send us a few photographs and we will tell you what you have and what we will pay for it. Free, within two working days, with no obligation to sell.

Most people who write to us do not know what they are holding. It arrived in a drawer after a parent died, or it was a gift twenty years ago, or it simply says S.T. Dupont on the base and nothing else makes sense. That is the normal situation, not an awkward one — identifying it is our job, not yours.

What we buy

Any S.T. Dupont. Ligne 1, Ligne 2 in both sizes, Gatsby, Ligne D, Montparnasse, the limited editions. Gold-plated, solid gold, silver, palladium, laque de chine.

In any condition. It does not need to light. A seized cap, a leak, a flame that will not hold — servicing is part of what we do, and a non-working lighter is still worth buying.

Complete or not. The original box, papers and guarantee card add real money, but a loose lighter with no history is perfectly saleable.

With honest wear. Plating worn through at the edges, a chipped lacquer panel, a dented case. These change the figure, not whether we are interested.

Other makers too. Dupont is our speciality, but we buy other quality lighters — Dunhill in particular, and anything well made. If you are not sure whether it is worth asking about, ask.

What we pay

We buy at a wholesale price, and it is worth being plain about why. Every lighter we take on is stripped, cleaned and serviced, photographed properly, and sold with a one-year warranty — then it has to sit in stock until the right buyer finds it. The figure we offer leaves room for all of that.

Typical ranges, for a piece in sound condition:

Where you land inside a range comes down to condition, how complete the set is, and how scarce the model is. A heavily used piece, or one of the smaller Ligne 1 models, may sit below it.

Rare pieces go above these ranges. Solid gold, the scarcer laque de chine colours, limited editions and the short-run collaborations are quoted individually, as are Gatsby, Ligne D and anything unusual — there is no useful range to print for them. If what you have is exceptional, the offer will reflect that.

How it works

1. Send photographs. The six shots listed below, to info@avenueofaesthetic.com.
2. We identify it and make an offer. Within two working days. You get the model, an approximate date, an honest read on condition, and a figure — whether or not you go ahead.
3. We send you a shipping label. If you accept, we cover the postage and we insure the parcel. We buy worldwide.
4. Photograph the parcel before it goes. This matters more than it sounds: without photographs of the packed parcel we cannot insure it. A few shots of the lighter wrapped, in the box, and the sealed box with the label on it. Send them to the same address.
5. We inspect, confirm and pay. If the lighter matches the photographs, we confirm the purchase and pay within 24 hours by bank transfer or PayPal. If it does not match what was described, we return it to you free of charge — no argument, no cost to you.

Before you post it: emptying the gas

Lighters are treated as dangerous goods in the post, so the lighter has to be empty before it ships. It takes a minute.

Work in a well-ventilated room, away from any flame, spark or lit cigarette. Turn the flame regulator to its lowest setting. Hold the lighter upside down and press in the refill valve on the base — the tip of a small screwdriver, a pin, or a ballpoint will do it — and hold it until the hissing stops. Wait a minute and do it again, because a little more gas will have worked its way down. Do not try to light it afterwards to check.

If you would rather not, say so and we will talk you through it.

The six photographs we need

This is the part that decides whether you get a firm offer or a cautious one.

1. The front, straight on, filling the frame.
2. The back, the same way.
3. The base, sharp and well lit. This carries the reference and serial markings and is the single most useful photograph you can send — it tells us the model and roughly when it was made.
4. The cap open, showing the hinge and the top of the case.
5. Inside the refill-valve cap. Unscrew the small cover on the underside. There is often a colour painted inside — red, blue, green or yellow. Photograph it.
6. Any damage, close up. Worn plating, chipped lacquer, dents, a loose hinge. Showing us the flaws gets you a firm figure instead of a hedged one.

Daylight near a window beats a flash, which blows out the finish and hides exactly what we need to see. Photograph the box, papers and guarantee card too, if you have them.

Our reference number decoder explains what the markings on the base mean, if you want to work it out yourself first.

What actually decides the figure

In roughly the order that matters.

Model and size. A Ligne 2 Grand Modèle and a Ligne D are not in the same bracket, and nor are two Ligne 1s of different sizes.

What it is made of. A solid 18k case has a floor set by its gold content. A 20-micron gold-plated case does not — it is judged on condition, model and finish, and worn plating cannot be put back. Our value guide goes through this properly.

Condition, and the finish above all. Crisp engraving on a vertical-stripe or Prince of Wales case means light use. Plating worn through at the high points, or a chipped lacquer panel, is permanent and shows in the figure.

Rarity. Limited editions, the scarcer lacquer colours and the short-run collaborations sit well above the standard range.

Whether it is complete. Box, papers and guarantee card add real money, particularly on a piece that has never been used.

Personal engravings. Someone else's initials cut into the case affect the value seriously — more than most people expect, because they narrow the buyers for the piece to almost nobody. We will still make you an offer; it will reflect that.

Mechanical condition. It matters least of all. A lighter that needs servicing is a routine thing for us to buy.

Trade-in and consignment

Trade-in works exactly like a sale, with one step changed: we value your lighter, you send it in, and we deduct its value from the price of the piece you want from our current stock. It is usually the best value you can get out of a piece you no longer carry.

Consignment is possible on request, and makes most sense for exclusive items where the right buyer is worth waiting for. Ask and we will tell you honestly whether your piece suits it.

Should you sell it at all?

Sometimes not, and we would rather say so than talk you into it.

If it was your father's and you would regret letting it go, keep it — a service costs a fraction of what the lighter is worth and will have it working again. If you want the absolute maximum and have the patience, a private sale to a collector may beat a dealer's offer, though it takes months and carries the risk of a dispute with a stranger.

What we offer instead is a firm figure in two working days, postage and insurance covered, payment within 24 hours of arrival, and a free return if it turns out not to be what either of us thought.

Who you are dealing with

We are a specialist vintage S.T. Dupont dealer based in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Every lighter we buy is inspected, serviced where needed, photographed as it actually is, and sold with a one-year warranty.

You are welcome to come in person. If you are near Heerhugowaard and would rather hand the piece over and talk it through than post it, email us and we will arrange a time.

For a collection, we will come to you. Several lighters, or a single piece of real value such as a solid gold case, is worth a journey — we travel within Europe for those.

You can see what we currently hold in vintage and used S.T. Dupont lighters for sale, and what we have already placed in the archive of sold lighters.

Common questions

How much is my Dupont worth?
A Ligne 1 in sound condition typically brings €100–250 and a Ligne 2 €200–350, with rare and solid gold pieces quoted individually and higher. Condition, completeness and rarity decide where you land. Anyone who gives you a figure without seeing photographs is guessing.

Will you buy one that does not work?
Yes. Servicing is routine, and a non-working lighter is still worth buying.

Do I have to sell if I ask for a valuation?
No. Most people who write to us are simply curious about something they inherited.

Do you buy from outside the Netherlands?
Yes, worldwide. We send the shipping label and insure the parcel.

Who pays the postage?
We do, once we have agreed a figure.

Why do you need photographs of the parcel?
Because the insurer requires them. Without photographs of the packed parcel we cannot insure it, and we would rather not ship anything valuable uninsured.

How soon do I get paid?
Within 24 hours of the lighter arriving and matching its photographs, by bank transfer or PayPal.

What if you decide it is not what I described?
We return it to you free of charge.

How do I know mine is genuine?
Send the photographs and we will tell you. To check yourself first, our authentication guide covers the markings, including the colour inside the refill-valve cap.

What if I have several?
Send them all in one email. We buy collections as readily as single pieces — and for a collection, or a single piece of real value such as a solid gold case, we will travel within Europe to you.

Can I come to you in person?
Yes. We are in Heerhugowaard and visitors are welcome by arrangement — email first so we know to expect you.

Do I get an invoice?
Yes, always.

My lighter has someone's initials engraved on it. Does that matter?
It does, more than most people expect. A personal engraving affects the value seriously, because it narrows the buyers for that piece to almost nobody. We will still make you an offer — it will simply reflect that.

Can you repair mine instead of buying it?
We do not take in repairs. We service the lighters we sell, not other people's — but we know who does good work and we are happy to recommend a service centre. Just ask.

Will you beat what I would get on eBay?
That depends entirely on the lighter, so the only honest answer is to ask. Some pieces genuinely do better at auction, and we will tell you when yours is one of them. Others sell faster, more safely and with less hassle to us. Send the photographs and you will get a straight answer either way.

Is it really safe to post?
We have shipped hundreds of lighters. We send an express label and insure the parcel — and the photographs you take before sealing it are exactly what makes that insurance stand up if anything goes wrong.

Do you buy S.T. Dupont pens?
No — lighters only.

Do you only buy S.T. Dupont?
No. Dupont is our speciality, but we buy Dunhill and other quality makers. Ask.

Send your photographs

info@avenueofaesthetic.com

Six photographs, two working days, an honest answer.