233 - Set of two Ligne 1 lighters. S.T. DUPONT, France, ca. 1970.

Set of two Ligne 1 lighters. S.T. DUPONT, France, ca. 1970. Gold-plated metal and black lacquer. Signed “S.T. Dupont Paris. Made in France” on the base. One of them is numbered. They show scuffs and wear on the gold finish, more pronounced on one of the pieces. Measurements: 6 × 3.5 × 1.5 cm each. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. The combination of fluted gold surfaces and black lacquer panels gives these two lighters the elegant material hallmark characteristic of S.T. Dupont during the second half of the 20th century. Both feature the rectangular shape and the characteristic side roller of the historic Ligne 1, though they exhibit small ornamental variations that distinguish each piece. The design alternates vertical metal bands with broad black surfaces, reducing the decoration to the geometry of the materials and the ignition mechanisms. The Ligne 1, developed by S.T. Dupont as one of its flagship luxury lighter models, became particularly popular during the 1960s and 1970s. S.T. Dupont, founded in Paris in 1872 by Simon Tissot Dupont, began its operations specializing in travel goods and luxury leather goods. During the 20th century, the company expanded its production to include lighters and writing instruments, making the combination of precious metals, lacquers, and guilloché work one of the brand’s hallmarks.