1

George G Blaisdell

In the early 1930s, George Blaisdell saw a friend at Bradford Golf Club use an Austrian-made lighter with difficulty with both hands, and he thought the design and appearance of this lighter, which worked even in the wind, was impractical.

In 1932, he made a rectangular case for the lighter and added a hinge and lid, preserving the lighter's windward nature. Thus, he created a lighter that works easily with one hand.

2

Name of the lighter

Blaisdell used the word zipper to search for various combinations for this lighter he designed and named it Zippo, thinking it had a modern tone.

3

First Lighters

Blaisdell launched Zippo lighters, which he started to sell for $1.95, with the motto of "It works or we fix it free" and with an unconditional lifetime warranty.

4

Patents

The Zippo patent was first granted on March 3, 1936, and the first lighter produced this year is on display at the Bradford Zippo/Case Museum.

George Blaisdell (June 5, 1895 – October 4, 1978) was an American inventor known for creating the Zippo lighter, based on an Austrian lighter in 1933. In the 1940s, George bought buildings that could create a factory that could make the Zippo lighter.

Minor changes were made to the lighter design of the brand, which received its second patent on August 1, 1950, which is still preserved today. From the mid-1950s, date codes began to be stamped on the bottom of each lighter for quality control.

In the autumn of 2002, the shape of the lighter was registered to protect the brand from counterfeit products.

5

II. World War

With the US entering the war, the company stopped its production in the consumer market and devoted all its production to the US Army. This has made Zippo perceived as an American icon all over the world.

6

Interesting Facts About Zippo

With the end of the war in 1945, the company resumed production for the consumer market, and Blaisdell designed a car that looked like a Zippo and set out in 1947 with this car.

A Zippo lighter is a reusable metal lighter produced by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, United States. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the nine decades since their introduction, including military versions for specific regiments. Zippo lighters have been sold around the world and have been described as "a legendary and distinct symbol of America."

In 1956, a thin lighter designed to attract women was introduced, but the design also attracted great attention from men.

In the 1960s, the audience who wanted to greet the artists at concerts started to light their Zippo lighters and lift them up. This movement later became known as the Zippo Moment.

The company has opened to the world market since the 1970s.

7

Non-Lighter Products

Zippo's first non-lighter product produced in 1962 was a pocket-sized steel tape measure with a design similar to a lighter.

The company introduced metal hand warmers and launched outdoor products in 2010.

In 2011, it expanded its range of outdoor products.

In 2013, it launched its range of camping tools and accessories.

Today, Zippo has accessories, multi-purpose lighters, perfumes for women and men, lifestyle accessories, glasses and outdoor products, apart from lighters.

8

Blaisdell's Death

Known for his good-heartedness and generosity as well as his entrepreneurship, Blaisdell died on October 3, 1978.

After his death, the company was taken over by his daughters Harriett Wick and Sarah Dorn.

9

Post Blaisdell Company

In 1993, Zippo acquired the WR Case and Sons Cutlery Company, which was founded in 1889, and produces handmade knives such as folding pocket knives and fixed-blade sports knives.

In 1997, the Zippo/Case Museum was opened. The museum also has a Repair Clinic, where visitors can watch the repair process. In 2012 the museum was remodeled to better reflect the brand.

The company purchased Ronson Consumer Products Company brand lighters and gasoline in 2010.

Today, the sole owner and chairman of the company is Blaisdell's grandson, George B Duke.

10

Zippo in Popular Culture

The Zippo lighter has been seen in over 2000 games, television shows, and movies. In addition to the lighters used to advance the story and reflect the personalities of the characters, the famous 'click' sound was also included in the songs.

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