Gorham Lighter just marked "Gorham Sterling 780" D

[13utterfly]

My husband recently found this little gem at a secondhand store. When I was doing research as to what the age could be, I became stumped. Since you guys seem to be the experts on this stuff, I thought I'd toss this one out for you.
I read http://owlbridge.com/gorham_marks.shtml and http://www.925-1000.com/Gorham_Date_Code.html and only came to the conclusion that since it doesn't have a date, it must have been made before 1868. But they didn't make holloware until 1850, so it seems odd that it doesn't have the normal cartouche, or say Gorham & such-n-such. Did they produce anything like this in the 1900s, after they stopped the date marks?
Also, any clue as to what this lighter would have screwed into would be great. I saw a candlesnuffer with a built in lighter, but it looked different.
Thanks in advance for your interest and help!





The actual lighter drop-in piece seems to be a newer replacement. Feel free to use the mark picture for your online identification guide, since you don't have one like that.

[admin]

Hi,
Your item would fall into the "sterling novelties" category rather than "holloware", and would generally not carry a date mark. The trademark it carries would date to the mid to late 20th century.

Regards, Tom

[13utterfly]

Thanks for the info. A little disapointed, but undaunted in the search for something really fantastic. Still curious as to what this would have screwed into.... Any ideas? If not, thanks for your help, anyway!

[tdrow]

The object you have is a table cigarette lighter. It has threads on the bottom to facilitate its' being threaded into a sterling candlestick base on a formal dining table.