Zippo: The Great American Lighter : Including the Poore Guide to Zippo Prices (Schiffer Book for Collectors) [Hardcover]

David Poore (Author)

Book Description

Series: Schiffer Book for Collectors | Publication Date: July 30, 2005

Today interest in lighters has burgeoned, and the vast majority of new lighter collectors are avidly seeking Zippo lighters. This makes the market for Zippo lighters stronger today than ever before. Zippo-mania is not only sweeping the United States, but the world as well. This book is a must for all collectors and lovers of Americana. It contains a sequential history of Zippo series, cases, inserts, fluid cans, flint packages, and sundries. It is richly illustrated in full color with many of the most highly prized Zippo lighters that people collect. Information was based on original Zippo salesman's catalogs, leaflets, advertising brochures, and the study of thousands of Zippo lighters. Prices are provided with each picture, and a complete price guide is located in the back of the book. This is the book the lighter collectors have awaited for years and years.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Poore is an internationally recognized Zippo collector who lives in Nebraska. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Pub Ltd; 2 Rev Exp edition (July 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764323377
• ISBN-13: 978-0764323379
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Popular Culture

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars New Edition Needed, April 30, 2000

By 

P K taggart (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ZIPPOȘ: The Great American Lighter (Hardcover)

David Poore's book is the first english-only book to focus entirely on Zippo lighters. It should be on the shelf of every lighter collector. The pictures are well done and the date code explanation appears to be accurate.

However, recent discoveries have rendered the book obsolete, and a new edition is needed that incorporates the new findings. The sections on Metalliques, the Zippo Car, Town & Country artwork, and the Zippo Rule contain incorrect information.

There is little or no information about the rare Canadian, Advertising, or Emblem Zippo lighters. There are also some problems with the structure of the book itself.

For instance, each lighter is given an "access code." However, there is no explanation for what this access code is, nor a frame of reference that ties a given access code in with a corresponding Zippo ID number, resulting in painstakingly compiled information that is confusing and not very helpful. Also, although the section on advertising lighters is very sparse, there are references to "generic advertisers" and "featured advertisers." What is a "featured advertiser?" What is a "generic advertiser?" No explanation for these terms, or for how to determine whether a given lighter is one or the other, creates additional confusion. Several of the captions refer to different values for "featured" versus "generic" advertisers, so this is obviously a correction that is badly needed.

Despite these caveats, David Poore's book deserves to be owned by every collector of tobacciana. I bought two copies of the first edition, and eagerly look forward to a new edition that corrects the flaws of the first.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive look at an American icon, the Zippo lighter, December 24, 1998

By 

[e-mail] J.P.Bokoff (CONNECTICUT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ZIPPOȘ: The Great American Lighter (Hardcover)

Poore does a first rate job in introducing and detailing the history of the Zippo lighter. The book is very easy to read, great detail is paid to the markings found on the lighters and their inserts. This book has become a bible for novice an expert alike. I find that this book pays dividends time and time again as an invaluable reference tool. More Military and Advertising Logo photos in the future would be well appreciated. I highly endorse David Poore's book as a must have for serious seller and buyer alike in the field of Zippos.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST Zippo book you can buy, ANYWHERE!!, August 23, 1998

By 

Jory Swogger ([e-mail]) (Kansas--The Land of Blah's!!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ZIPPOȘ: The Great American Lighter (Hardcover)

David does a great job of describing different "eras" of Zippo, and how you can tell the difference between them. Wonderful illustrations of many wonderful lighters. Only problem I see is that it refers to 1932 Zippos, and it has been proven that production did not start until 1933. In that respect, a new release does need to be made, but still, the best one out there. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!