HOLD YOUR FIRE

ZIPPO LIGHTERS ARE THE MOST DESIRABLE COLLECTIBLES THAT WILL OUTLIVE ANYONE WHO OWNS THEM

- Dhiram Shah

IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT once you go Zippo, you never go back. The iconic brand's windproof lighter has been brandished by some of the most celebrated names this planet has ever housed. Its trademark click, design, and appeal have generated several conversations between folks with fine taste, be the decorated war veterans or flirtatious teenagers at the bar.

WHERE DID IT BEGIN?

It’s befitting that the idea of the Zippo lighter was conceptualised in a country club. Back in 1930, George G. Blaisdell’s keen sense of observation made him notice a friend use an Austrian-made lighter. While it worked well, the design required two hands to be used. In 1932, he created the first covered lighter that could be flicked open and lit with one hand. As if that wasn’t good enough, he provided a lifelong guarantee on the product with the famous It works or we fix it free.™”

With the dawn of the Second World War, Zippo committed its entire supply of lighters to the American army, making it an American icon. The magical flame was handed down to a new generation in the 1960s, where concert-goers in the age of flower power would raise their hands with lit flames.

It began finding its way into formal gifting kits and was looked at as a prestigious yet highly practical accessory to own. By the 2000s, the company branched out into different kinds of lighting products, be it the iconic candle lighter or the angularly-necked utility lighter.

WHAT’S SO ATTRACTIVE?