| 1932 |
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| 1933 |
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| 1934 |
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| 1935 |
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| 1936 |
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- from 1936 an external 4 barrel hinge
- with the end of 1936 an internal 4 barrel hinge
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| 1936 |
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The first patent for Zippo has been given on the 03 of March 1936. The number was PAT. 2032695
From the end of 1936 the number was pressed on the bottom |
| 1937 |
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| 1938 |
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| 1939 |
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| 1940 |
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| 1941 |
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| 1942 |
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In 1942 accidentally the wrong patentnumber came on the bottom. It was PAT. 203695 instead of PAT. 2032695 - they forgot one "2" |
| 1943 |
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The so-called "Black-Crackle" Zippo's were produced between 1942 and 1946. All models before were produced of brass.
Precious metals, especially brass, weren't available for non-militaric purposes and Zippo lighters were produced out of steel what was very vulnerable for rust. To protect them they were finished with a thick black epoxy film and finally baken. Today these Zippo's are called "Black Crackle".
The bottom stamps of those lighter are very hard to read because of that finish |
| 1944 |
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| 1945 |
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| 1946 |
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| 1942 |
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| 1943 |
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| 1944 |
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| 1945 |
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| 1946 |
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| 1947 |
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| 1948 |
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| 1949 |
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In the end of 1949 the 3-barrel hinge was replaced with the 5-barrel hinge. This 5-barrel hinge is used until today |
| 1949 |
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| 1950 |
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The leather-finished Zippo's were produced only in the 1950's |
| 1950 |
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| 1951 |
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| 1952 |
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| 1953 |
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With the end of 1953 Zippo established a new patentnumber:
PAT. 2032695 was replaced by PAT. 2517191 |
| 1953 |
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| 1954 |
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| 1955 |
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With the end of the 1940's Zippo developed a new logo what appears on the lighter's bottom from the end of 1955 |
| 1955 |
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| 1956 |
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Slim Zippo's were established |
| 1957 |
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Pat pending disappears from the bottom |
| 1958 |
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PAT. 2517191 moves in the middle |
| 1959 |
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| 1960 |
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| 1961 |
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| 1962 |
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| 1963 |
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| 1964 |
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| 1965 |
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| 1966 |
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| 1967 |
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From the first of September 1967 "PAT. 2517191" disappears from the bottom |
| 1967 |
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| 1968 |
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| 1969 |
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1969 the lighter production changed: From the mid of 1969 the canned bottom with a slightly modified "Zippo"-logo was used. Seeing that in 1969 both stiles can be found. |
| 1969 |
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| 1970 |
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| 1971 |
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| 1972 |
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| 1973 |
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| 1974 |
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| 1975 |
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| 1976 |
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| 1977 |
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| 1978 |
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| 1979 |
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In 1979 there was a rs_dating error:
There was one slash on the logos left side instead of right.
Wrong: / //, Right: // /
That code error was corrected the same year. |
| 1979 |
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| 1980 |
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Late 1970's was logo was redesigned and was first established 1980 |
| 1981 |
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| 1982 |
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| 1983 |
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| 1984 |
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| 1985 |
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| 1986 |
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From the first of July on the "dot and slash system" was replaced by roman numbers.
The roman II (on the logos right side) stands for 1986.
Also new was the letter-implementation for the production's months. They appear on the logos left side.
A for January, B for February, and so on |
| 1986 |
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| 1987 |
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| 1988 |
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| 1989 |
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| 1990 |
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| 1990 |
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Now there's "BRADFORD, PA, MADE IN U.S.A." beneath the Zippo-logo |
| 1991 |
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| 1992 |
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| 1993 |
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Zippo assumed the Case Corp. (1993-05-28) |
| 1994 |
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| 1995 |
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| 1996 |
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| 1997 |
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| 1998 |
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| 1999 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2001 |
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From 2001 on the roman numbers disappear.
Instead of them they show the last two digits of the production's year on the logos right side. No change with the months. |
| 2002 |
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The "Armor Case" and the "MPL (Multi-Purpose-Lighter)" were added to the production line. The "Armor Case" can be recognized with the special bottom stamp. |
| 2003 |
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| 2004 |
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| 2005 |
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From spring 2005 the © changes from beneath to upside the "o" |
| 2006 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2008 |
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| 2009 |
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| 2010 |
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