Walter Baier – Metallwarenfabrik was founded in 1945/46 by Walter Baier in Stuttgart Vaihingen, Germany. BAIER produced a lighter in the shape of a VW Split Beetle, a Jeep with trailer ashtray, a plane and a beer barrel. They applied for patent on the lighter mechanism in 1950.
A cigarette lighter made from a piece of solid aluminum (300g weight) representing a VW with windows outlined in silver. The body has jeweled clear headlights and red rear lights. The base (there are 2 different base versions) is stamped with the maker’s name in an oval shape and Ges Gesch (legally protected). Aluminum wheels with rubber tires marked BAIER, on metal axels and no bumpers. The Baier lighters came with 2 different rubber tires; the earliest versions had large rubber tires like the MÄRKLIN 9 toys. The later versions featured smaller tires. There are two screws on the base, one for the flint and the other for the filler cap. There is a button on the left side above the driver’s window and when pressed, a cigarette lighter extends from the roof of the model. Some models have an engraving with the word Diring on the bonnet. Diring stands for DIchtRINGe, which was a Company in the 30’s til the 50’s that produced motor gaskets. The lighters with the Diring logo are probably promotional items of the Diring Company. Some lighters had other inscriptions on the front hood, like 'Bremerhaven 1950', as a reminder of a special event? Or the inscription "Germany" as a souvernir?
