A vintage S.T. Dupont Gatsby in gold with fine vertical stripes, carrying reference 18237 and offered complete with its original red box, papers, service booklet and a filled-in guarantee card — and with a genuinely strong, clear ping.
S.T. Dupont produced its first luxury lighter in 1941, and the Gatsby is its most elegant pocket form: a notably slim case that sits flat in a jacket pocket and gives a pattern room to breathe. Vertical striping suits it better than almost any other finish. The lines run the full height of the narrow body and continue across the fluted roller, so the lighter reads as one tall, uninterrupted object rather than a case with a mechanism attached.
The paperwork is what sets this example apart. The guarantee card was completed by the retailer at the point of sale, with the reference and the lighter’s own serial number written in — and that serial matches the one stamped on the base. The lighter therefore comes with its documented history from new, something most vintage Duponts lost long ago. The original red box, the service booklet and the illustrated literature are all present.
The ping is the other thing collectors will notice. It is the first quality to soften on a well-used lighter, and on this one it is still loud and clean. The lighter is in good vintage condition, with the light, even signs of use you would expect from a piece that was carried and enjoyed; the striping remains crisp and the gold bright.
A slim, complete and characterful vintage Dupont with its paperwork intact. Serviced and in perfect working order.