Museums & Institutions - , ,
The largest collection of historic cigarette lighters, presently on display at Xinhai electric Co Ltd in Ningbo china. One of the foundations of civilization as we know it is the ability to make and transport fire. Ever since our cave-dwelling ancestors rubbed sticks and stones together, humankind has pursued a quest for an efficient and reliable fire-making device - a quest that has inspired some of the most innovative inventions in history. The collection of the Dutch Lighter Museum Foundation traces this fascinating journey from the fire steels of the ancient world to the tinderboxes of the seventeenth century up to the modern cigarette lighter, which is carefully collected in an astonishing variety of designs. The numerous unique, distinctive, and whimsical lighters chart the voyage of the lighter from an important scientific discovery to a treasured collector's item. Along the way, we learn about the history of the pipe, the popularization of smoking, and the growth of today's global marketplace, as well as other significant events and wondrous inventions that have played a role in the history of the lighter.