Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Scripto began making lighters in 1955 and produced its last model in 1977. The company recently restarted lighter production, but it mainly sells disposable lighters. During those 22 initial years, Scripto produced literally hundreds of reusable lighter models, often with slight variations from year to year. To start the process of determining when your Scripto was made, you first need to ensure you have a genuine Scripto lighter. The brand name will be written in cursive with a red dot over the i.
The most popular Scripto Lighter model was the Vu. The Vu had a clear body into which an advertisement was placed. Look up the date that the advertised company or product was founded or released. The answer will not give you the exact age of your lighter, but can help you narrow down a time period.
Many Scripto lighters have a U.S. Patent number on the bottom of the casing. A search through the archives of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office archives (see Resources) can help you locate the date the patent was filed for.
If you still have questions or want to know more about the history of your model, a number of books such as "The Golden Age of Cigarette Lighters," "The Handbook of Vintage Cigarette Lighters" and "Collectible Lighters" offer detailed information on lighters.
If you have the lighter's original packaging, check it for a copyright date.