identifying a retro lighter

[shub]

i recently bought a lighter off ebay, I thought it looked cool, but now I am a bit curious about it's history.

here are some pics (sorry they came out a bit blurry, the text on the lighter reads "FOX/MINI/MADE IN/AUSTRIA/PAT PEND"):




it's called a Mini Fox "Trench Lighter" made in Austria. i can't find any info about it online. i was wondering if anyone here on the forum is an expert on older lighters, and can perhaps tell me how old this might be. if not, even if someone can give me an e-mail address to someone who might know.

thanks for any help everyone!

[godfather]

Hey shub,

Welcome to cigarsmokers, good to have ya here. I did a quick search on google, and this is the closest piece of info I could fine (luckily the page was cached because when I clicked on the link it was dead...must have been sold).

Rubylane.com had THIS to say about it (I found a pic too, see attached):

SALE Art Deco Enameled Lighter MINI FOX Made in Austria

Collectibles:Tobacciana:Vintage Lighters

You're looking at an interesting old lighter in silver metal and green and yellow enamel. It was made in Austria, probably in the 1930s. It measures 2 1/2" long. It takes flints and lighter fluid. Seems to strike well but needs fluid. The design is very Art Deco, with small squares of green enamel on one side and yellow enamel (some worn off) on either side. One end is marked PATENT MINI FOX MADE IN AUSTRIA. $15 dollar offers considered.

Didn't say how much it sold for, the pic (I know it's small, best I could do), looks A LOT like yours. Hope this helps.

[Roham]

I seen these too. Can't remember where. It looked like a Zippo, only Austrian style. I think they still make them to this day actually but I am not sure. It caught my attention because I am Austrian too.

[shub]

thanks guys for the posts. i did a bit more google searching after i looked at the lighter on the ruby site.

i noticed my lighter bears incredibly similar features to the IMCO "Triplex" Lighter. that lighter made since 1918 in austria, and apparently, is still made today.. so maybe that's why you recognized it.

here's a pic.



so i guess the fox is either a special edition of the imco, or an imco lookalike. sadly, it doesn't give me much hope of how old it is, if it's still potentially being made :-/.