“If any Zippo lighter ever fails to work, we’ll fix it free”.
--Zippo Manufacturing Co. Bradford, PA.
It’s hard to believe I have come to the end of this A-Z blog for Kamakura. It has been an enjoyable journey for me and hopefully an informative monthly newsletter for Kamakura’s discerning Vintage Ivy clients.
When I used to smoke my lighter of choice was always a Zippo, it never failed to perform and made that satisfying click when opened, this became the soundtrack to many Film Noir movies. Some years ago, I was lucky enough to inherit an interesting collection of Zippos from an American friend who collected them over a number of years whilst captaining ships in the US Navy.
Each one was engraved with an image of the ship that he served in. There are certain objects that rise above the norm and become icons instantly recognisable for their simplicity of design, striking appearance, and ease of operation: George G Blaisdell’s lifetime - guaranteed lighter - the Zippo - does just that. The original price of a Zippo, introduced in 1933 was $1.95.