You do not need to be a smoker to know that there is something cool about the way that a person can control fire. Ayn Rand herself commented on this phenomenon when she wrote about smoking and the allure it held to mortal man. What is amazing about this statement is the fact that one company has figured out a way to cash in on this allure in more ways than one. Zippo lighters are today among the most often collected lighters bar none. Eclipsing the Dunhill and even Colibri brands, the often humble Zippo lighter has had such a broad appeal over the years, that there are many collectible models which have been created, and vintage Zippo lighters are often the fodder for online auctions.

Add to this that entire websites dedicated to slight of hand Zippo lighter tricks are springing up online, it is not surprising that even the younger set is getting in on the action. In a day and age where many men carry lighters even if they do not smoke, it is not surprising that the bit of fire making power coupled with the notion of doing tricks with Zippo lighters appeals to the young audience.

The original Zippo lighter saw the light of day in 1933 in Pennsylvania when business savvy George Blaisdell applied for – and was granted – a patent for the little gadget in 1936. Yet instead of concentrating on the high end market and aiming for the classy smoker, the Zippo lighter targeted the wider audience of anyone who was still using matchbooks for lighting cigarettes. The goal was to develop a lighter that was functional, easy to use, yet adaptable to suit a broad spectrum of users. Refillable with readily available Zippo lighter fluid, this brand distinguishes itself for being useful, hard to break, and virtually error free.

Learning to cash in on American history and patriotism, custom Zippo lighters soon flooded the market. There is the Bettie Page Zippo lighter which featured the dark tresses and hard to forget smile of the American actress and one time teen idol. For the patriot there was the order of Purple Heart Zippo lighter, while engraved Zippo lighters were given away in remembrance of special occasions and great feats. When smoking was still socially acceptable in all setting, free Zippo lighter giveaways were common.

Today, the Zippo lighter company has managed to keep its market share not only because of the manufacture of wholesale Zippo lighters, but also because there are many antique Zippo lighters which are eagerly colleted, and of course because of the special edition
Zippo lighter that is unveiled every year. Perhaps taking a clue from the Barbie marketing success, the Zippo lighter is now sold as either functional discount Zippo lighters or collectible gadgets.