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Frequently Asked Questions
What is so special about Zippo cigarette lighters?The “Zippo” (a trade mark of the Zippo Manufacturing Company) has been around for over 75 years. Its smooth surface is a perfect canvass, its adornments reflecting places, organizations, objects, events, art and people. Its mechanism, functionality, reliability, durability and engravings are a reflection of America’s ingenuity, culture, society, history and values. A vintage Zippo is an antique, a collectible, a piece of Americana. For some people, collecting is a passion, and it is hoped that this website will spark the passion of new and seasoned Zippo fans alike. Back to TopHow do people collect Zippos?There are 1000’s of
different designs on Zippos. Since it
is not practicable to collect everything, most people select niches, or
“themes” within the universe of available Zippo lighters to collect.
The possible collector
themes are endless, and recent events can impact the desirability of certain
themes. For instance, the death of Dale
Earnhardt increased the interest in
Nascar themes; 9/11 made pre 9/11 images of the World Trade Center special. In general, the selection
themes are determined by an individual’s level of interest and
affordability. In general:
As in most areas of collecting, "advanced" means more time and money is spent by the collector. Of course most collectors do have several collector “themes”. Zippo collecting is international, and there are probably as many or more “hard core” Zippo collectors abroad than there are in the US. Zippo also produces special editions and themes for the Japanese and European markets, which offer the collector even more choices.Back to TopAren’t most Zippo collectors smokers?Most people associate Zippos
with cigarettes and smoking and some people think of Zippos and other
smoking paraphernalia as dirty and unhealthy. Yet most collectors are
non-smokers. Even the collectors that
do smoke do not use their collectible Zippos as lighters because they do not
want them to be damaged. A collectible
Zippo is usually clean, free of fluid and the flint is usually removed since
its disintegration can damage the Zippo over time. Back to TopAre Zippos good investments?The value of vintage Zippos
in good condition with interesting designs tend to increase over time. Some contemporary themes, such as Camel
Zippos, Hard Rock Café Zippos, artistic Zippos or lighters used in recent movie
productions command high prices. Rare
Zippos sell for many thousands of dollars. Because of the high values
of some Zippos, fake or “doctored” Zippos have emerged. Doctored Zippos are lighters which have been
engraved, modified or improved by parties other than the Zippo Manufacturing
Company following production. Some
jewelers or engravers are quite skilled at taking older Zippos and “improving”
their appearance and perceived value in some way. Fake Zippos (not produced by Zippo Manufacturing Company) are
more common in Europe and Asia than they are in the US, but this is changing
with the passage of time. Fake or “improved” Zippos can be
collectible in their own right, but a collector should be careful to make sure
that a lighter is what it appears to be before “investing” in it. Back to TopHow can I tell if a Zippo is fake?Most fake and doctored Zippos can be identified as such by an experienced collector or dealer. Where there is uncertainty, careful examination and comparison to a know authentic Zippo helps a lot. A magnifying glass is highly recommended. Zippo Manufacturing Company’s Collector Club can provide some help. Fellow Zippo collectors or dealers can help shed light on the authenticity of any particular Zippo. There are also some excellent Japanese and European websites as well as books that provide excellent information to help determine authenticity. In general, if it doesn't seem right or is too good to be true, then it probably isn't. Back to TopHow are Zippos valued?Factors that affect values
are:
Back to TopHow can I tell how old a Zippo is?There are a number of
websites that provide excellent dating information. A quick and easy one is
Smokerstuff.com's Zippo
Lighter Identification Codes. An excellent resource is the
book “Zippo, The Great American Lighter” by David Poore. In general, dating of the standard Zippo is determined as
follows:
The Zippos prior to 1953 can be quite difficult to date, requiring attention to be paid not only on the case markings but to the type of metal (brass or steel), the number of barrels, markings the insert, number of chimney holes, teeth of the flint wheels etc. Information on the dating of sterling silver Zippos can be found HERE. Determining the date of vintage Zippos with exactitude is a whole area of endeavor that only serves to add to the mystique of the Zippo. Back to TopHow do I learn more about Zippos?Like with any collectible, having the knowledge to recognize the good from the bad is key to successful collecting and avoiding mistakes like buying fake Zippos or paying to much for them. The more you know, the better collector you will be. The best sources of information on Zippos are books. There are many fine books on Zippos, most of which have been published in the US or Japan. The "must have" Zippo book for any serious collector in the English Language is David Poore's "Zippo, the Great American Lighter which can be purchased online: Other great sources of
information for collectors are online collector clubs.
The best one in English is
Zippo's own
Zippo Click Collector Club.
Its community forum is a place where you will find answers to almost any
question you can think of about Zippo lighters.
Regional and National lighter collector club meetings
and newsletters and
Zippo Swap Meets Back to TopWhere can I find Zippos?Grandparents, uncles and
aunts may have old Zippos tucked away from days of yore. Just a mention of an interest in Zippo
collecting will often cause a Zippo to
appear from an attic, an old trunk or a desk drawer. Aside from such windfalls, Zippos can be found in places such as:
You can also find advertising for selected Zippos and dealers throughout ZippoGallery.com, including the "For Sale" section. Back to TopWhat is ZippoGallery.com?ZippoGallery.com is an enthusiast site offering visitors the opportunity to view images from a large collection of Zippos with a wide variety of themes. The Zippos range from the common to the very rare. ZippoGallery.com is intended to be an informational resource to new as well as veteran collectors and to “spark the passion” of Zippo lovers. The lighters displayed on this site are not for sale, and the images may not be copied without the permission of ZippoGallery.com. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, please feel free to drop a line: Enjoy!Back to TopCopyright © 2003-2006 ZippoGallery.com. All rights reserved.
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