Ronson Whirlwind Lighter

This silver Ronson Whirlwind lighter comes complete with its original box, documentation, and assorted accessories. It stands 5.3 cm tall, and is 4.3 cm wide. Although an exact date of manufacture cannot be determined this piece is an estimated 55-60 years old, and, despite minor signs of use, still in very good condition. The Whirlwind model was added to the Ronson line in 1941. These lighters have wind shields which can be pulled up from the body of the lighters for outdoor use. It is likely this was the model writer Ian Fleming had in mind when, in the novel Casino Royale, James Bond "snapped his oxidized Ronson to see if it needed fuel."

The Ronson lighter company started as The Art Metal Works in 1886 by Louis V. Aronson, a gifted man who at 16 years old received a U.S. patent for a commercially valuable metal plating process he developed. In 1926 he released an "automatic operation" lighter, which offered both ignition and extinguishment in a single push. It was a great success, demand shortly exceeding supply, spurring Aronson to patent it and design other products around the invention, which were marketed under the Ronson brand name. This example of the Ronson Whirlwind was acquired recently for an extremely reasonable $23.56 CAN.

Conversion of assets III

The bibliophilia department made a recent conversion of assets utilizing a first printing of Kathe Koja's 1991 debut novel 'The Cipher'. Thought-provoking as it is horrifying, Nicholas and his friend Nakota discover a black "Funhole" in the floor of an abandoned storage room in his apartment building. The hole becomes both a physical and psychic phenomenon that forces them to face their miserable, aimless lives. Winner of the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award, and somewhat difficult to find, this edition was sold for $43.69 CAD.

The income was used to acquire a first printing of a Signet Books paperback edition of Ian Fleming's 'For Your Eyes Only'. Published in June, 1961, this collection of James Bond short stories was the only edition published with this cover. A change of format for Fleming, who had previously written James Bond stories only as full-length novels, the collection contains "From a View to a Kill", "For Your Eyes Only", "Quantum of Solace", "Risico" and "The Hildebrand Rarity". Four of the stories were adaptations of plots for a television series that was never filmed while the fifth Fleming had written previously but not published. Total cost of the purchase was $28.67 CAD, the profit being held for the bibliophilia department.

James Bond 'Live and Let Die' View-Master set

This View-Master set is adapted from the movie 'Live and Let Die' featuring Roger Moore as Ian Fleming’s James Bond. Released in 1973, this full color packet contains a booklet, three reels, and protective envelope. Made before GAF switched to inferior film in 1977, these images are still sharp and colorful. Everything is near mint, except for the packet, which is missing one of its four flaps. With it's long history, and treatment of many icons from popular culture, View-Master remains popular and affordable among collectors to this day.

View-Master is a device for viewing seven 3-D images (also called stereo images) on a paper disk. Although the View-Master became considered a children's toy, it was originally marketed to enjoy stereograms of picturesque tourist attractions. Retail sales of View-Master viewers and disks started in 1939, with a patent on the viewing device issued in 1940. In 1966 the company was acquired by the General Aniline & Film (GAF) Corporation, and now classic television series and movies began to be featured on View-Master disks.