UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $51.
Here’s a pretty good price on a Baier Lighter.
“This is a Vintage aluminum Jeep Willy cigarette lighter incised Baier on the front and Ges Gesch beneath and manufactured in Germany. In heavy cast aluminum, this unique WWII lighter measure 2 3/4″ long, 1 1/2″ high and 1 5/8″ wide. The lighter is in good condition with 4 rubber tread tires that spin and the rubber is appears unused. There are very small/short, shallow cracks radiating from the hubs on the front tires and on the spare.
The aluminum is a heavy guage and is in good condition for its age with some scratching, a few knicks and minimal tarnishing. The lighter does need some cleaning however I’ve left it untouched. The bottom panel slides out to reveal a clean compartment holding cotton material and allowing acces to the wick and filling with fluid.
In the actual lighter cavity on top of the lighter you will find a relatively clean compartment. The flip lid on this compartment operates easily. I have not tested the lighter and cannot speak to its usability.
This lighter was owned by only one gentleman, a WWII vet who acquired it while stationed in Germany.
These lighters were manufactured during WWII. The lighter is a 1948 design by Walter Baier who also patented. These lighters were meant as souvenirs for soldiers stationed primarily in Germany. It was designed to commemorate the Berlin airlift/blockade.”
Sounds like another sellers story to me. It’s a different design than I have seen in the past.
“Manufactured during WWII”
“1948 design”
“commemorates the Berlin Airlift” (which ran through 1949)
I bet he failed High School History class.
I guess I should have vetted the information a little more closely. I just saw the lighter and thought someone might like it π
Gee Dave, don’t take it personally. What I meant is that I see so many ads where the sellers just flat out make up stories and/or lie about what they are selling just to attract buyers. Why can’t they just tell the truth. It’s so frustrating to make a 500 mle round trip drive just to find out that the seller exagerated the condition of their Jeep-car-truck or what have you, and you come home empty handed.
From what I have been able to find out about the Baier lighters from the googler is that they were made as German souvenirs after the war. Obviously Germany was in ruins and I would assume that this company started making lighters because it could be done in a small space. I have seen these Jeep lighters with all kinds of decals and personalized emblems for various towns and places in Germany. They apparently came in two sizes and this looks to be the smaller of the two. They were sold as cheap souvenirs just like you would find in airports today.
I just wish I had the ash tray trailer for mine which I found at the Hershey AACA fall show about 10 years ago. Of course the seller where i got mine also had a bogus story about the jeep lighters being sales awards for Willys dealers. I guess I fell for that sales pitch since I bought it. Oh well I like mine and would not sell it, but let me know if you find a loose ash tray trailer anywhere !