Mofém

• Year of manufacture: 1953, Mosonmagyaróvári Fémfeldolgozó Vállalat, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
• copper, brass
• operate: petrol
• dimensions: 2,5 × 4,2 × 1,1 cm
• weight: 60 grammes
• case:  alpaca

In 1899, the Austrian Hirtenberg Cartridge, Detonator and Metal Products Corporation established a subsidiary in Mosonmagyaróvár with 5.6 million crowns of share capital. Even though Creditanstalt and Dynamit Nobel were among the founding shareholders, the local authorities only permitted the installation of the site in compliance with domestic hygiene regulations. The gun powder factory, which after 1910 mainly specialized in the manufacture of artillery detonators and munitions became unprofitable after the end of World War I and was eventually sold. With its valuable infrastructure it is not only a piece of architectural heritage, but became the centre of local industry development between the two wars, housing a newly-organised company as well the MOFÉM. It’s factory enriched the city with a diverse and prosperous business and became a supplier of many industries, including the army. With regard to mass production MOFÉM’s lighter could not compete with it’s stepsister IMCO of Vienna, conversely in terms of detailing it represents an absolute category. The elaborately chiselled solid body wasn’t only cute, but reduced the excess evaporation to the slightest, and in this regard remained the all-time champion among petrol lighters.