Marconi Disc Discharger Lighter 1912
By Ira Pilossof

Here is an historical and very special lighter produced in limited addition for Guglielmo Marconi in 1912. Marconi was born in Bologna, Italy in 1874 and became known as the “Father of Radio”.

In 1897 Marconi was granted the patent for the first wireless telegraphy system. This same year he founded the “Wireless Telegraphy and Signal Co. Ltd.” In London. Bear in mind he was only 23 years old at the time. In 1899 wireless telegraphy was adopted by the British Royal and Merchant Navies and in 1909 it was credited with saving 4000 lives when the USS Republic collided with the SS Florida off the shores of Nantucket.

Ten years later in 1897 Marconi invented the “disc discharger” which was directly responsible for 712 lives saved in the famous sinking of the Titanic in April of 1912. Two months later on June 22nd of 1912 the “Third Telegraphic Conference” was held in London. This was an important conference attended by delegates from over 40 countries. Its significance had been particularly underscored by the Titanic disaster and the 712 people saved.

This newspaper article appeared in the London Times and talks about this sterling silver lighter modeled after Marconi’s invention and given to 200 male guests:
“A SILVER SCENT BOTTLE FOR THE LADIES AND A SILVER CIGARETTE LIGHTER FOR THE GENTLEMEN”
The Times of London reported the Conference events. The edition of 12th June 1912 informed readers that Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. Marconi entertained a group of more than forty prominent persons at Claridges for dinner.

Souvenir Of The International Radiotelegraphic Conference LONDON 1912 FROM MARCONI’S WIRELESS TELEGRAPH COMPANY Ltd. A silver cigarette lighter hallmarked London 1912 on a marble base formed as a model of Marconi’s Disc Discharger The First Means Of Producing Musical Notes In The Transmission Of Wireless Telegrams. These were given away to the 200 male delegates who attended the conference along with a silver scent bottle for the female guests.

“The memento for the men was a suitably inscribed 3.75 inch silver Disc Discharger lighter on a marble base made by Alfred Foster, assayed in London and housed in a leather case stamped ‘Souvenir of the International Radiotelegraphic Conference’. Assuming an equal number of male and female guests, there must have been approximately 200 lighters presented to the men and a similar number of silver scent bottles for the ladies that were dispersed across the globe when the delegates returned to their respective countries.”

The lighter operates by turning the black Bakelite knob clockwise. This is a ratchet mechanism which when wound up strikes a stationery flint. This lighter is included in the Marconi collection in the Museum of History of Science in London. When the Marconi family donated it they responded with “This is a very exciting acquisition for the museum, which already houses a unique collection of early scientific instruments.”