This Week In Cigar History June 2-6

The ditty “Fire, I’ll take you to burn…” ruled the airwaves decades after this week’s birthday celebrator, Zippo inventor George G. Blaisdell was born on June 5th, 1895.

But the psychedelic sixties genesis for the “Zippo moment” of lighters raised high in salute to musical performers (including the Crazy World of Arthur Brown) is courtesy of this Pennsylvania native’s mechanical and promotional genius.

Blaisdell was unhappily toiling in the oil business during the Depression. Inspiration hit when the savvy WWI vet watched a friend awkwardly light up a lady’s smoke with two hands using a clunky Austrian made lighter.

Fiddling about, Blaisdell kept the chimney element that produced a flame in windy conditions, but innovatively fashioned a rectangular metal case (now trademarked) that was stylish, durable and snapped open with one hand. Named the “Zippo” because Blaisdell reportedly liked the sound of the word “zipper”-the lighter was launched and patented in the mid 1930’s, cost $1.95 - a small fortune at that time- and was backed by an unconditional lifetime guarantee.

Zippo lighters soon gained credibility and collectible status when the Kendall Refining Company ordered 500 lighters advertising the company logo, thereby igniting a popular marketing trend. Later on, the Zippo Manufacturing Company shifted all production towards supplying the military with the black “crackle” finish lighters during World War II…thereby firmly establishing the firm’s finances and iconic status as an American cultural phenomenon.

Zippo’s global influence continues to create sparks in the entertainment world -with its famed ‘click’ sampled on Hip Hop tunes, colorful lighter images in demand as tattoos, collectible lighters embellished with rockers’ trademarked designs, and with the use of Zippos as key plot devices in over 1500 Hollywood films, television and Broadway shows.

-J. Ecochard-

news@doubledownmedia.com

6/2/08

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