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Originally founded in 1810, Black, Starr & Frost (BS&F) is the oldest continuously operating jewelry firm in the United States according to the Wall Street Journal. Its sterling silver golf-themed lighter was designed by Charles Graff in 1926. The Graff patent describes his design as a peculiar shaped, ornamental combined cigar lighter and ashtray. Cleverly adapted to evoke a golf ball on a tee, the BS&F production model utilizes a removable thumbwheel striking mechanism instead of the fixed type depicted in the patent drawing.