If you've ever owned a Zippo lighter, you know what a reliable tool it is. The lighters actually come in a huge variety of colors and designs and are sure to tantalize even the most fussy of potential buyers. The most sought after item in the entire Zippo collection is the original lighter that was made back in 1932. In fact, it is considered to be the Holy Grail for collectors. In the years since this lighter was first introduced to the market, there have been over four hundred million lighters sold worldwide, in a range of styles.
Zippo: Creating Jobs in a Barren Economy
In the early 1930's, Americans found themselves caught up in the midst of a horrible depression and during this time there were millions who were losing their jobs, their homes and their livelihood. Those who had lost the most during these awful times were searching for different ideas so that they could once again start to gain income and pull themselves out of the financial slump.
It was during this time that George G. Blaisdale decided to make good looking, quality Zippo lighters that could fit in one hand. This idea was based on a concept that had originally begun in Austria and Blaisdale borrowed this concept and expanded on it. To get started, the newly formed company rented a small space and had only three workers assembling the Zippo lighters. The very first lighter was rather bulky and did not sell that well but the following year saw the design reduced by a quarter of an inch, which helped to increase its popularity. Although the original sales were not that large, the lighters themselves sold for a little under two dollars, which was a lot of money for the time. In order to help increase sales, the lifetime warranty was introduced.
The lighters were considered invaluable for many and during World War II they helped soldiers in the battlefield. It has even been reported that during that time, many of the soldiers heated up their rations and cans of soup with their Zippo lighters. The lighter's proven durability only helped to increase its reputation and before long they were selling higher numbers. Here's a list of just a few different types of Zippo lighters that have drawn special attention from collectors down the years:
1. Windproof Lady - this lighter was introduced in 1937.
2. Zippos with the signature of Gen. MacArthur.
3. Table lighters - Barcroft Model and the Lady Bradford.
4. The discontinued Moderne and Corinthian.
5. NASA Zippos.
6. 1982 replicas of the original lighters.
7. Vintage series.
8. Coded series.
9. Zippo Blue.
10. Animal series.
11. Americana.
12. Astrological series.
13. Regional series.
14. Medieval and Fantasy.
This is just a sample of the many different types and styles of Zippo lighters that collectors find interesting as there are many others to choose from, but what they like to collect largely depends on their own personal tastes. If you want to check out other designs, you can go to their website and look at the different models. There is also a book available on all the different Zippo lighters and accessories.
Your Zippo collection is not complete without a great looking dragon Zippo lighter to make all of your friends envious. You also should not do without the classic brass Zippo, everyone will want to have one after they see yours.
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