Vintage Bronze Fisherman Wall Lighter

I’m very excited about this unique vintage item found at a flea market in Medford New Jersey for just $5.00.  When I saw it, I had no idea what it was, but learned from the vendor that it was an old fisherman wall mount cigar/cigarette lighter.  The fisherman had a  pipe in his mouth and a button on his chin. 

What drew my attention to it initially was the quality and uniqueness of the piece.  I had never seen anything like it during any of my flea market travels before.

The seller did not seem to know much about the lighter except that, she didn’t know whether it worked or not.  In flea market world, that usually means that it doesn’t.

Since I don’t smoke anyway, the fact that it didn’t work had no sway on my decision to purchase it.

The old fisherman’s face was beautifully detailed.  My thought was that it would make a great wall art piece in my foyer.

I could see by the cord and bronze patina, that the lighter had some age to it and I couldn’t wait to go home to research the piece.

You won’t believe what happened then.  During my research, I found one like it in working condition, listed on Ebay for $500.00.  That particular seller dated it to around the 1920-s. 

Not only that, there was a different person selling two heating elements for this particular type of lighter and was only asking $20.00 for both. Needless to say, I purchased them.

After inserting one of the heating elements in the fisherman’s pipe, I pushed the button on his chin. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and his electric pipe got hot.  You can imagine how excited this made me.

In the end, I spent a total of $25.00 for a unique vintage bronze fisherman wall mount cigar/cigarette lighter, that turned out to be one of my favorite flea market finds.

Please share some of your favorite and unique flea market finds with me.  

Unique Flea Market Finds

I love spending my weekends at the flea market.  Flea markets tell beautiful stories of an era gone by.  Many flea markets are filled with unique treasures that are key in building an admirable collection.

My interest in antiques, collectibles, memorabilia, and vintage items began several years ago when my husband and I went to an auction with an old friend who owned an antiques shop. 

That day, he showed us around the auction house and gave us an education in how to tell the difference in high quality items (mainly furniture) from items that he called junk. 

I never forget him saying “just because an item is old, doesn’t mean that it’s high in quality.  Some things made years ago was junk then, and it’s just old junk today.”

Although I didn’t know it at the time, that day at the auction would revolutionize the way that I would shop forever.

The decline of quality consumer goods in our country over the years, also convinced me that it was time to start searching for solid pieces, that had been discarded by previous owners.  I shared my thoughts with a friend, who explained that flea markets were the perfect place to begin my search, because they have just about everything one could imagine.

He was right. However, I learned that searching for that special piece required patience.  Still in the end, the satisfaction of finding a special piece is well worth the time. 

Many people have the misconception that only people who can’t afford new things, shop at flea markets.  But, it’s often quite the contrary.

I recently read online about several celebrities (actors, actresses, rock stars, supermodels, fashion designers, etc.), who were spotted treasure hunting at the popular Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena California. These are people who can afford just about anything they want.  Still, they often choose to search for that unique quality piece at a flea market.  

In this blog, I’d like to discuss my unique flea market finds with others who have experienced the type of excitement that I have, when they’ve not only found that special piece they’ve been searching for, but found it at a bargain price.

Let’s share our beautiful and exciting stories, about the unique pieces we find on our flea market adventures.  A selected few of my favorite flea market finds are below.

Antique Hall Rack/Stand  found at Columbus Flea Market 

Wedgewood pieces found at Berlin Flea Market

Wooden Figural Floor Stand (complete with bakelite ashtray and box of matches) found at Columbus Flea Market

Victorian Clock found at a flea market in Woodbury NJ

Vintage stained glass - One of a pair found at Mullica Hill Flea Market