Vintage Chrome-Plated Dark Water Dunhill Aquarium Lighter

During the early post-war period lucite was eagerly sought and widely used by artists, designers and joailliers thanks to its plasticity. These miniature aquariums were created by using carved and painted lucite panels, these panels would be assembled and applied to the body of a lighter in four sections. Ben Shillingfold (1904 - 2000) was the Creator of the Dunhill Aquarium Lighters. He commenced to work for Dunhill in the late 1940s as a Master Engraver. The 'Aquarium' Collection was launched in 1949 and it ceased at the end of the 1950s following Ben Shillingford's retirement, simply because his mastery could never be equalled. No two Aquarium Lighters are the same, each and every piece was uniquely hand-made, carved, painted and assembled by Ben Shillingford himself. The vast majority depict fish and various aquatic scenes, however, other subjects such as ships, birds and hunting scenes were produced in very small numbers. 'Aquarium' Lighters were made in four different sizes, namely the 'Giant', the 'Half-Giant', the 'Standard' and the 'Service' with three kinds of metal finishes available: gold-plated, silver-plated, and chromium-plated

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