Zippo Lighter Information

December 24, 2004 4:16 AM

Looking for more info on my Zippo! I received a brass Zippo lighter with a bas-relief design on the front that depicts the mechanical inner workings of the lighter (very cool!), and I'd like to find out more about it. [+]

The only identifying marks that I can find are a "G" and "XII", which, so far as I've been able to tell by searching, must indicate "July" and "1996" (although the lighter is brand new). The main Zippo site doesn't help me, and I haven't been able to dig up any more information. I'd like to know what to call it, if possible ("the 1996 ??? design?"), if there's any info about the designer, if it was meant to commemorate anything, etc. Any Zippo-culture mavens out there?

posted by taz to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 comments total)

Is it Zippo Insides? If it is, here's the google returns for it. Zippo lighters are hot.
posted by iconomy at 5:27 AM on December 24, 2004

Good find! ...But not quite it. It's a little bit similar to the brass one on that page, but everything on the outside is in the same position as the various elements on the inside, and the same size. So the lighter "roll wheel" (agh - I don't know any of the lingo!), for example, is just the same size and shows up at the same place that the real one inside does.
posted by taz at 6:00 AM on December 24, 2004

taz, I've seen the same lighter — there's a photo on this poorly-designed page (partway down on the right) and the page author calls it the Zippo X-Ray. However, a search for Zippo X-Ray returns a different lighter other than the one you're looking for -- so I think perhaps he's mislabeled it.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 6:22 AM on December 24, 2004

ooh - that's the one, IshmaelGraves... and "X-ray" would be a really good name for it. So close!
posted by taz at 6:40 AM on December 24, 2004

Would this help?
posted by jackofsaxons at 10:29 AM on December 24, 2004

Maybe try asking the international vintage lighter exchange? I noticed there are books on the subject as well, might take a bit of research to find out.

good luck.
posted by squeak at 10:56 AM on December 24, 2004

Thanks guys... I've been looking at so many Zippo collections that my eyes are bloodshot - but, except for IshamelGraves' find, no luck. Seems odd. Anyway, I'll let you know if I ever locate it.
posted by taz at 12:57 AM on December 26, 2004