Set of two Must lighters by CARTIER, France, ca. 1970–1980

Set of two Must lighters by CARTIER, France, ca. 1970–1980.
Gold-plated metal; one with guilloché decoration and the other with red lacquer.
Signed “Cartier Paris” and numbered on the base. Marked “Plaqué Or G.”
They show signs of use, scuffs, and small, isolated areas where the finish is missing.
Measurements: 7 × 2.5 × 1 cm each.

Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló.
Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935).

Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance.
The combination of guilloché surfaces, lacquer, and a gold finish characterizes these two lighters within Cartier’s luxury production from the 1970s and 1980s. The first features an all-over decoration of fine herringbone motifs that creates a shifting play of reflections on the metal. The second contrasts an intense red lacquer with gold accents and a metallic band at the top, also incorporating Cartier’s signature interlocking monogram.

Both pieces share the elongated shape and gently rounded corners typical of the brand’s pocket lighters, though their distinct finishes highlight two of the decorative elements most closely associated with Cartier in this type of accessory: geometric metalwork and the use of intensely colored lacquers.