MTC Art Deco Table Lighter, Boat - Cruise Liner, Chrome Steel

MTC Art Deco table lighter in chromed steel, circa 1930. Produced by the Japanese firm MTC between the 1930s and 1950s, the object takes the form of a cruise liner, with a stylized structure and a chrome finish. The MTC company (Manufacturing Trading Company, Japan) was active between the late 1940s and the 1960s. It mainly produced table lighters in chromed metal, often figurative, taking various forms such as horses, cars, boats or geometric patterns. The general characteristics of MTC productions are: "MTC" marking engraved under the base, sometimes accompanied by a bell-shaped symbol, fixed lighter inserts, manufacturing intended for export to Europe and North America. Table lighters of this type were intended for domestic or office use, in a context where smoking accessories were common objects of lifestyle in the mid-20th century. Their manufacture reflects post-war Japanese production, characterized by figurative forms and the use of chrome-plated metal.