Character Graphics

One of the most popular themes are character or figural designs.  Many companies as well as military units use figures of real or imaginary beings as mascots in their corporate identity and branding.  Examples of such personifications are Reddy Kilowatt for electrical utility companies, Charlie the Tuna for Starkist, Pillsbury Doughboy and many others.  This figures or characters of all shapes and sizes appear on can be found engraved on Zippo lighters and the hunt for these is what draws people to and keeps people collecting Zippos.  These designs began to appear in earnestness in the early 1950's and continued into the 60's and 70's.

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1953 Zippo with a graphic of family for Dairy Lea Cooperative "direct from our farms to you".

1953 Zippo with a cute little Indian character of unknown origin. The signature of Otis H. Bowden II appears on the reverse.

1957 Zippo with Neptune, God of the Sea, for  "Hydraxtor "water wrings dry".  a clothes drying machine manufacturer in Molin, Illinois.

1959 Zippo with the figure of a painter for  Higginbotham-Bartlett in Hermleigh, Texas.  The company history can be found HERE.

1955 Zippo with a stylized design of a floor sweeper for Janitor Supplies.

1957 Zippo with Willy Waxheart with a crown on his head for Warwick Wax.

1956 Zippo with Mr. Meadow Brook, a confidence inspiring banker with a green suit and balding head.  "Presented by The Meadow Brook National Bank - your world at one - for fostering an informed community'.  The bank's name was changed to National Westminster Bank in 1980.

1949-51 Zippo advertising    Larkwood Stockings.  A graphic of a lady's stocking-covered legs and "3V's Vamp Tops, Vamp Toe, Volumetric Control".

1957 with Doc Dollar, a money bag mascot for Franklin Finance Company.

 

1957 Nut Man (See above) for National Screw & Mfg. Co., Cleveland - Los Angeles.

Here is a genie on a 1957 Zippo advertising  Cool Queen Auto Air Conditioner.

1957 Zippo with a slightly scary looking ink man.  Made for Miller Cooper Ink Company in Kansas City and Omaha.

1959 Burgie Man was the mascot for Burgie Brewing, or  Burgermeister Brewing Company of San Francisco, California.  The company was acquired by Schlitz in 1961.

A glass of orange juice and a waterskiing southern belle is engraved on this 1958 Zippo for Cypress Gardens,  amusement park in Winter Haven, Florida  and Snively Groves Inc., one of Florida's largest citrus growers.

1956 Zippo with a light bulb man.  This guy's bulb is upside down as most light bulb mascots have big bulb heads and small bodies.

1953 Zippo with a man made of machine nuts.  The nut man is the mascot for National Screw  Company as can be seen on the 1957 lighter on this page below.

1958 Zippo with Willie Wiredhand  for Hancock County R.E.M.C. (Rutherford Electric Membership Cooperative), a rural electric cooperative.