Rare Finds - Very Rare S.T. Dupont Andalusia Lighter & Pen Set

S.T Dupont’s reputation as the very pinnacle of craftmanship and luxury in leather goods and collectibles is no better illustrated than with their very limited annual releases. Before the company’s high-profile collaborations with well known brands, designers and franchises (notably 007), Dupont adopted the tradition of reserving a very limited quantity of exclusive pens and lighters united under a special theme or abstract motif. Since 1989, each year for Dupont corresponded with a new source of inspiration for the company’s finest wares.

Replete with the grandeur we have come to expect from Dupont, the inaugural 1989 “Revolution Francaise” series celebrating the bicentury of the French revolution, came in two designs: one series with a classic tricolor theme, the other a contemporary mosaic design. These two designs perfectly summarize a defining impulse of the Dupont brand that actively pays homage to the past, while boldly anticipating the future. This introductory series featured 3 lighters numbered out of 2000, and a ballpoint and fountainpen each numbered out of 1500.

With each passing year the allure of these one-of-a-kind objet d’arts increase, fueling furious bidding wars online amongst the most serious pen and lighter collectors. Perhaps no surprise, as some items from these series are as few as 100 in circulation such as 2001’s stunning “Afrika” Series Jeroboam lighter. The Jeroboam, an early 20^th century style table lighter was re-introduced by Dupont in 1996’s “Maharadjah” series. Fittingly launched in homage of the Maharaja of Patiala, the high-profile client that would become the recipient of the world’s first luxury lighter in 1941, by virtue of his loyalty to the Dupont brand. The Jeroboam table lighter, named after the unit for 3 liters of champagne, is an imposing 4” tall, 3” wide, and 1 ¾”, an exquisite canvas brought into existence by Dupont for the sole purpose of artistic exploration by the company’s premier craftsmen. As the centerpiece item of the annual limited-edition series, it is no exaggeration to claim that these long-disappeared table lighters are amongst the very finest Dupont products.

Notable, limited-edition pieces include 1996’s “Art Deco” Jeroboam; striking in its simplicity, the lighter magnificently channels the zeitgeist of the 20s. Its design invokes New York’s most enduring landmarks, the symmetry and form capturing the glamour, and modernity of the period. The following year’s “Teatro” 1997 Jeroboam features an elegant harmony between Chinese lacquer and Gold-trim, in a timeless design harkening back to the golden era of Italian opera.

Considering the high esteem these pieces have quietly earned over the past few decades, you can imagine our elation with our store recently acquiring Dupont’s 2003 limited Edition Andalusia series. The lot in question is the ultra-rare 5-piece kit, of which there are 50 in existence; featuring a fountain and ballpoint pen, complete with a Jeroboam, Ligne 2, and pocket Ligne 2 lighter.

Drawing inspiration from the Azulejos ceramic tile tradition, the “Andalusia” series’ design is one that is steeped in history dating back to the 13^th century. Initially introduced by Moors with the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the captivating geometric patterns invoke the ancient traditions of Arabic arithmetic. The regal blue and turquoise colour palettes conjure up stories of Vasco da Gama and the Age of Discoveries, thanks to the Azulejos’ most ardent supporter, King Manuel I in the 15th century. At the confluence of these many centuries of intercultural exchange is the Southern Spanish region of Andalusia, Seville the incubator of the gargantuan Hispano-Moresque legacy of the Azulejo. For the past few centuries, the Azulejo as a marriage of mosaic tile, and striking geometries have become a key feature of the Andalusia and beyond adorning public spaces, churches, and residential buildings. An efficient way of rendering the ordinary extraordinary, Dupont has immaculately adapted this tradition to their lighters and pens, in 2003’s Andalusia series. An area in rich in artistic contribution, Dupont pays homage to the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, a dear collaborator who in the early 1960s engraved 3 Ligne 1 lighters with his iconic line drawings. Originally intended as gifts for his son and daughter, the ongoing entanglement of Dupont with the mythology of this great mind continues with this latest rare 5 piece set available at our Fourteen Ninety Two online shop.

As one of the more complex limited-edition designs, the Andalusia series stands out. The craftmanship is apparent the more one closes in on the complex tessellation of shapes and vectors. This exceptional series unites, platinum, 3 gradients of blue Chinese lacquer, and inlaid turquoise stones. A set that is sure to pique the interests of the most serious Dupont aficionados, the jewelled enamel of these timeless objets d’arts will only appreciate with time, an exquisite product of the worlds’ finest craftsmen destined to be become a family heirloom.

This set is available exclusively on our online shop FourteenNinetyTwo.com

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