Fired Up About Collection

By Cheryl Bentley

HUDSON - John M. Angelini finally quit smoking in 1999, after triple bypass surgery and, 20 years earlier, a major heart attack.

Although he no longer lights up, the 80-something retiree hasn't stopped another longtime habit: collecting cigarette lighters.

About half of his more than 500-piece collection, gathered over 20 years, is being displayed through Feb. 29 at the Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road, between Fivay Road and Hudson Avenue.

Angelini finds lighters interesting to look at, and he reminds friends and family about his hobby before they leave on trips.

"My admonition to them is, 'You can't go unless you bring me a lighter.'"

He pulls out three guitar-shaped lighters that are mounted in a shadow box: a recent gift from his son.

Angelini also shows off a bicycle-shaped lighter with working brakes and wheels. A friend recently bought it for him in France, and he considers it one of the most creative of his collection.

But the bike faces stiff competition from the binoculars, camera, working abacus, fire extinguisher, milk carton and even a working watch-lighter.

His lighter hobby isn't expensive: The most he has ever spent on a lighter is $30.

For the library show, Angelini decided to categorize his collection and show a little of everything: novelty, foreign, vehicles, tools, animals, bronzes and weapons.

He became a collector 25 years ago, starting with matchbooks. He enjoys displaying them, too. Some have secret drawers. Others have embossed covers that make them look like tiny jewel boxes.

Angelini even has a pair of matchbooks with pictures of himself and his wife, Elisabeth, on the covers.

Mostly, Angelini says, the matchbooks and lighters are only a small part of a full life.

"I look at them once in a while, and when we have company I show them."

He spends much of his time drawing, painting with watercolors and writing.

The walls of the Angelini home, where the couple has lived for 17 years, are covered with about 140 of his paintings and sketches.

Angelini also is a master gardener and creates bonsai.

"I'm a busy guy," he says.