Posted 9 years ago
CHYP
(2 items)
Hi.
I have a lighter and seeking information on. I can not find anything on the internet.
The features are: Below says Prince. "Rocky". ByC. Prince MFG Co. Patent 234754. One side has the image of a ship USS J. C. Breckinridge. TAP-176.
Can you tell me about the brand and origin of the lighter?
I await your prompt response, thank you very much.
Greetings from Argentina.
PAULA
Looks like "RUCKY" to me. May help your search.
Your lighter was made in Japan by the Prince Mfg. Company. The YBC mark in diamond on the bottom left is the factory that made and stamped the case only. (In other words, I have seen other Prince lighters with a different case stamp, denoting a different supplier) -- If you pull the lighter out of the case, it should also be stamped PRINCE ROCKY on the side of the lighter part. The USS Breckinridge was initially commissioned in 1945 as the AP-176 and was renamed the TAP-176 in 1949. The ship saw action as a troop transport in the Korean War and some in the Vietnam War.(I have put the wiki -link to the ship for info below) - The USS Breckinridge was decommissioned in 1966. - I would date your lighter from about 1953 to early-60's era. - You have some "flashback" in picture two where it should have been stamped in black ink JAPAN. - Pre-1953 would have been stamped "Occupied Japan" - Estimated value up to $100 to a collector of military themed lighters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_General_J._C._Breckinridge_%28AP-176%29
hi, blunderbuss2. you are right. thanks
Hi, Aghcollect.
Thank you very much for your comprehensive information.
You have clarified all my doubts about Prince Rocky lighter. You are right that inside the lighter has stamped the mark. I could not upload the photo. I'll add the post.
I also have doubts if Prince was a competitor of Zippo. Maybe Prince has been a subsidiary of Zippo in the East? Sorry for my ignorance.
Keep in touch.
CHYP
No, not a Zippo - more than likely a "restart" company from the Occupied Japan period - all I could find on the company is that they are still in business and they say they have been for 60 years, which would put an "established" date at 1955. - I assume their products were geared toward the U.S. military presence in the SE Asian arena. -- Also, even though it looks like RUCKY on the bottom, it really should be ROCKY - Prince was/is a competitor of Zippo. - No "Zippos" were ever made in Japan, only in the U.S. and Canada.
Thank you for clarifying my mind.
Greetings from here.
i have a lighter like this as well, apparently my Mothers ex-husband was on this ship the " Oriskany " " The Mighty O ". please Respond to me if you find out more about this lighter.
That is really cool. I just found I have a Prince "Rocky" lighter myself. "Find'Em, Fuel'Em, Forget'Em" "U.S.S. CACAPON AO-52". My lighter has a different makers mark, and the rocky displays an *unmistakable* 'o'. Your lighter is definitely showing a 'U' in the rocky. It's not cut off like a misstamp of the steel, its a clean "u" all in line with the rest of the letters. The maker's symbol seems to be a U with a straight, vertical line coming out of the U (Perhaps an i?) all encompassed in a circle.
one sold for 16 american bucks.
Also! Another interesting thing....
The lighter i have depicts the ship against a globe with "USS CACAPON" above it, and "AO 52" below it. All the examples ive seen online (other ships too) are just the ship on a blank background with the words below.
Your ship is facing to the left, and on mine the ship is facing to the right.
Going home vs going to war?
I have a Prince "Rocky" lighter that has the same Patent number as the Prince "Rucky" lighter pictured above. It has never been used and is in the original box, although the box is plain with no markings. Mine has the logo of the USS Epperson (DDE 719) on it. I bought it on board the ship in 1961. The logo is a pineapple with a face on it chomping on a submarine as the ship was stationed at Pearl Harbor. What can you tell me about it and where may I find its value. By the way, shortly after I left the ship (April 1963) the logo was changed. Some time later it was re-designated DD 719.