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A very fine Dunhill Aquarium Lighter, the top with raisable arm stamped Dunhill, above the lucite body carved with two large fish on the front and a single fish on the back. The scenes are all well composed and colourful, the fish are well proportioned and the whole design is well composed. The metal mounts are all silver plated, the plate is quite soft and has rubbed through to the brass.
Length 10cm
Ben Shillingford worked for Dunhill in the 1950's, he perfected the art of carving and painting lucite panels to resemble miniature aquariums, these panels were then applied to the lighter bodies in four sections. Lucite was developed in world war II and used by the American and royal airforce as an alternative to glass which would shatter when under fire. Following the war, the lucite that remained was eagerly sought by artists, designers and Jewellery makers. It could be carved and painted, resulting in highly decorative shiny objet d'art. Each Dunhill Aquarium lighter is unique, having been hand made the decoration of each varies considerably. Of the few that have survived, one sold at auction for $14,000.
