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Vintage Portal Main >> Articles >> Gadgets
An American Legend - The Zippo Lighter
The history of the vintage Zippo lighter is indeed very interesting.
A gentleman by the name of George Blaisdell is the founder of the Zippo
lighter. Legend has it that in 1932, George was attending a function at a
country club in Bradford, Pennsylvania. After stepping outside to catch
some fresh air, he noticed another gentleman trying to light his cigarette.
The lighter that he had in his hand seemed out of place for George, as this
man seemed to be very prestigious, and the lighter looked tarnished, old and
worn. And so the story begins with the beginning of the Zippo lighter.
The original vintage Zippo lighter was created entirely from used
equipment. One of the things that George knew he wanted for his lighter was
to have it small enough to fit into someone's hand, as well as placing a
hinge on the lid to keep the lid attached to the bottom. Part of the
interesting twist of the hinged lid was that the user could open the lighter
with just one hand. The greatest aspect of the vintage lighter was that it
was also windproof. This came in handy as someone would light their
cigarette, etc, and the wind would not blow the flame out.
The original Zippo lighter was sold in 1932 for $1.95. Sales the first month were nearly $70.00. One of the main attractions for the lighter was not only the windproof flame, but the lifetime warranty as well. George Blaisdell guaranteed a free lifetime warranty on all of the handcrafted Zippo lighters that he created. To this day, that promise is still upheld on every lighter sold.
It can almost be guaranteed that a vintage lighter collector will have a
Zippo lighter in their collection. The condition that the vintage
Zippo lighter is in will dictate how much the lighter is worth.
Regardless of the price, a true vintage lighter collector would be eager to
purchase a Zippo lighter. Vintage Zippo lighters are truly an American
icon.
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