He will not give up ever. History of Zippo

• Do not ever deny. History Zippo

In 1933, the first production Zippo lighter was released. During the eighty-odd years it has sold over half a million lighters and Zippo became the same recognizable American icon as motorcycles Harley-Davidson, hamburgers and Levi's.

Company history began in 1932. According to legend, the future head of the Zippo Manufacturing Company, George Blaisdell saw in the hands of his friend Dick Dresser old Austrian petrol lighter and asked why he did not buy something more decent. "Because it works," - said a dresser, and despite the strong wind, lit a cigar.

At first, George Blaisdell tried to sell in the United States are the same Austrian lighter. But the sale ended in failure: it failed to sell a single one.

After that, he opened a small factory producing Zippo, which worked at first only six people.

The first Zippo is stored in the company's museum in Bradford. To it is attached a note written in the hand of George Blaisdell: "First Zippo lighter. Do not touch ".

Contrary to legend, on the design of Zippo George Blaisdell did not work alone. Patent number 2032695 was recorded at his companion by the name of George Guimerà (George Gimera).

Advertising posters appeared on the Zippo in 1936. The first company to have ordered the party with his Zippo logo was oil company Kendall Oil.

The most recognizable print advertising Zippo appeared in Esquire magazine in December 1937.

George Blaisdell was able to make good money when he became the official supplier of lighters for the US Army during the Second World War. But the real success came when Blaisdell invented a simple marketing gimmick, promising to repair any Zippo regardless of the year of release for free.

In 50-ies of the last century began with the release of Zippo gold and silver-plated. Later there were also models of gold 750-th sample. They became the most expensive of the commercially released lighters: the price reached 8000 dollars.

According to the estimates of the company, Zippo Lighter appears or is mentioned by more than a thousand films. The Zippo Manufacturing Company argue that product placement techniques have not been used even once.

The largest amount paid by the collector for lighter - 37 thousand dollars for the model 1933 model year sold in the auction itself Zippo Manufacturing Company in 2007.

The most popular among collectors are "Vietnamese" Zippo. The soldiers did to them engraved with your names, service names and years of combat units. Survived such Zippo is very small.

Zippo lighters do not go out in the wind at a speed of up to 14, 2 meters per second.

October 6, 2013 during the Olympic torch relay flame suddenly went out and the security officer lit it again, using the Zippo. Almost immediately there was a picture on Facebook Zippo, which started to promote the hashtag #ZippoSavesOlympics. Such advertising has caused a mixed reaction in Russia, but we must admit that it is still remembered at every opportunity.