A vintage S.T. Dupont Ligne 2 in gold plate, inlaid on every face with panels of dark hardwood, and carrying one unusual detail: where the serial number is normally struck, the base is engraved MODÈLE.
S.T. Dupont produced its first luxury lighter in 1941, and the Ligne 2 that followed in 1977 became the model the maison is known for. Almost all of them left Paris with a serial number on the base, alongside the S.T. Dupont — Paris — Made in France engraving. A lighter marked MODÈLE instead did not go through that step. In French industrial practice the word denotes a model or sample piece: something made to be shown, assessed or demonstrated rather than sold across a counter. Collectors usually describe these as factory demonstration models or prototypes. I got the lighter myself from a Belgian collector, who in turn bought it off a family that worked as engineers for Dupont themselves.
The inlay is what makes it worth looking at twice. Wood is rare on the Ligne 2 and it behaves differently from the engine-turned metal finishes Dupont normally used — the grain runs its own way across each panel, so no two faces read alike, and the gold frame around each panel gives the case its structure. The wood is in excellent condition and this is where on has to pay most of his attention to. All too often corrosion causes the wood panels to seperate from the metal. This is not the case for our lighter, which makes it an excellent purchase.
The lighter is in good vintage condition, with the wood panels intact and the gold plate showing the light wear of age. It is offered as the lighter alone, without box or papers. The lighter serviced and in fully functioning condition.
More in our Vintage S.T. Dupont Lighters For Sale. For the background, see our A Collector's Guide to S.T. Dupont Finishes and Patterns.