Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Well, If You Are Looking For A Gift, I Do Collect Zippo Lighters


So a few years ago while working as a product manager in the giftware industry, I had the opportunity to work with the Jack Daniels Distillery. My job was to work with artists, sculptors, mold makers and licensing companies to design and produce the actual product. I made tons of cool JD stuff - shot glasses, flasks, sculptures, etc. I also made a Zippo Lighter. After working with Zippo, I was hooked and I started collecting them.

I bought most of my Zippos on Ebay and I have over 200 of them now. The categories that I collect most are:

- Movie/TV related
- Advertising
- Music Related
- Anything with a great graphic
- Distillery/Brewery/Tobbaciana
- Outsider Art

If you collect anything, check out Craigs Helper. It's a great site where you can plug in the item you're collecting, then quickly search multiple States. I'll search "Zippo Lot" every few weeks just to see if anyone is selling an entire collection. That's when I move in for the kill. I bought a lot of 60 Zippos a few years ago for $110. I estimated that I could have resold them on Ebay for
$800- $1000.. Ohhhh Yeahhh.

What do you guys collect? And I hope it's not beanie babies because they ain't worth shit.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

Souls.

The Imaginary Reviewer said...

Aren't Zippos guaranteed for life? Smart things, for sure. I have a nice one from my chums with "Smoth" (one of my nicknames) engraved on it. But I do prefer Ronson lighters, I think they're more interesting to look at. I have a few of those.

Anonymous said...

I collect skin diseases.

Nah, seriously? I don't collect anything at all. There isn't one thing I like enough in this world to have any more than one of.

Candy's daily Dandy said...

Wow Zibsy, Zippos...that's a totally cooool collectable. I have the utmost respect for any sort of detailed collection.

Besides things of skull in nature, I also have a nice collection of these little mouse creatures called Wee Forrest Folk. I have mine displayed in a fancy little glass case in my living room. I love them.

Dr Zibbs said...

Winter - Good one
The Imag Rev - Yes they are. If you found one crushed on the street by a steam roller you could send it in and they'd fix or replace it for free.
Poo - You're lyin'
Candy - I've made a few mice sculptures as well on my day.

Sass said...

Dust.

And nothing else.

Nothing.

J. Hi said...

When I was a child I collected music boxes. But now that I am a parent I just collect tears of frustration and sorrow. ;)

Verdant Earl said...

I collect dolls. All kind of dolls. But just the heads. That's not weird, right?

saratogajean said...

I collect sheets. Well, maybe horde is the right word.

I measure my wealth in linens.

SkylersDad said...

Belly button lint and old scabs. I used to make my mom throw pillows with it.

Anonymous said...

I collect dog shit off my lawn.

#1

Chele said...

when I was young collected snails I found in the garden, my parents made me throw em out when it started to smell in my room.
now I collect gay things like angel figurines and first edition poetry books.
oh and knives.

Jennifer and Sandi said...

I use collect "Lady Head Vases". I just sold them all on EBay because I was sick and tired of MOVING THE DAMN FRAGILE THINGS the past 20 years and they just sit in a box. I was sick of it I tell ya, sick of it!!!

I collect dog shit on the lawn as well. Seems to be the "In" collectible these days. I'd check it out D.


HAPPY TUESDAY
- Jennifer

H said...

Men.

Dr Zibbs said...

Dog shit eh?... Does it come with a certificate of authenticity?

LYDIA said...

Hmmm... antique china.

LegalMist said...

Political buttons and shot glasses.

You see how these go together, right?

Anonymous said...

WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY...
THEY'VE FOOLED YOU! YOU ARE SUCH A STUPID AMERICAN.
TROLL DOLLS, BEANY BABIES, LENOX COLLECTIBLES,COMIC BOOKS, PEZ DISPENCERS, ZIPPO LIGHTERS ETC... SPEND,SPEND,SPEND OR ELSE YOU'RE NOT A TRUE AMERICAN, UN-PATRIOTIC!
YOU'VE CAUGHT THE DISEASE AND I'M AFRAID ITS AT ITS LATE STAGES. YOU'RE ADDICTION TO BLOGGING IS AKIN TO BEING IN THE ICU. FAREWELL & GODSPEED!

Dr Zibbs said...

Hey Bizarro Z - When did you change you name to Anonymous? Nice try dumbass. Now go make out with lips.

buffalodick said...

I don't even smoke, but I have one with a parrot(given to me, as I am a "Parrothead") and one with is either a Longhorn, or a Buffalo..

Fancy Schmancy said...

I collect antique china, especially tea cups, anything from Prussia, and Limoges. My mother got my son started collecting stuff and he has more boxes of crap in the attic than I do. He finally a couple of years ago said that if anyone buys him one more beanie baby or Pez dispenser he'd go postal on us. I know he's kidding, but since he has a pretty lethal sword collection in his bedroom, we decided to listen to him.

Dr Zibbs said...

Fancy, in my attic I also have collections of Pez, Simpsons stuff, belt buckles and ashtrays. Man I've got to get rid of that stuff.

Talullah said...

I collect bobble heads. I didn't mean to start but people kept getting them for me. My favorite is a Buffalo that appears to have partaken of the peace pipe.

Gwen said...

I'm currently amassing a collection of old portraits. Anytime I'm in antique stores I pore through boxes of old photographs. I'm not looking for any fashion or era in particular but rather a feeling of being drawn to the person. For now the ones I've purchased are displayed throughout the house but when I have enough I'm going to frame them (different sizes and shapes and materials) and hang them in the stairwell like an art exhibit.

LYDIA said...

That was quite the comment from Anon (Bizarro?) -

Fancy: We both hate the heat and we both love antique china. This is meant to be! My mom taught me all about china when I was little, and now I love it. I have dibs on all of her Grindley Flow Blue Argyle, and quite a bit of her other stuff too.

words...words...words... said...

I used to collect pins and patches, a habit I started when I was in the Boy Scouts. Those people make a patch for EVERYTHING. These days the only thing I collect are concert ticket stubs. They don't take up much room.

Jennifer and Sandi said...

Anonymous must be from France because all I heard was Blah Blah Blah Stupid American Blah Blah Blah Blah


- Jennifer from America

BeckEye said...

I have a collection of John Travolta movies. Seriously. Even some of the really bad ones. (Pistols or some other smart ass, feel free to insert "aren't they all bad" type joke here.)

I also have a little collection of Daffy Duck doo-dads and such. Do you have a Daffy Duck Zippo?

Dr Zibbs said...

BeckEye - Disney made a few Zippos but stopped in the early 70's because they didn't want to encourage kids to smoke. Warner Brothers never made any Zippos. I did however make a few Warner Brothers products including some Daffy Duck things if that counts for anything.

Anonymous said...

Art Glass Vases, furniture, chrome appliances, ashtrays. All from the 1950's.

Big F collects Hot Wheels.

Little Big F collects snot.


peace
#2

Cora said...

I collect Harry Potter books from all different countries (thank you, ebay!!); 1970's production cels and artwork from Schoolhouse Rock (thanks again, ebay!!); Neuroscience books (ebay, once more!!); and 80's Strawberry Shortcake Dolls (ebay, my secret lover.... where would I be without you?!)

Scope said...

I used to have a large comic book collection, but I dumped it a few years back.

Now, I have my small brass and monkey and brass monkey collection.

And I have a thing for drinking glasses (glass, not plastic) but not sure it technically falls into the "collection" category.

J.J. in L.A. said...

When I was 10, the family drove cross-country for 2 months on vacation. Mom encouraged me to collect decals/stickers of the places we visited. 34 years later, I have decals/stickers of places like Kuala Lumpur and Canton (China) because everyone I know picks one up for me when they travel. Suu-weeet!!!

Caffeine Court said...

I collect blog followers and I'm up to 70. I'll be pulling ahead of you REALLY soon...so watch out.

Dr Zibbs said...

C Court - my plan is to start getting way more offensive so I get no more followers because it's getting harder to manage these followers already.

~E said...

Hair clippings from all my ex boyfriends.

And if you are reading this and used to date me: It was the dog that chewed that chunk of hair off. I SWEAR!!!

Bizarro said...

Tut-tut Zibbsy. A comment from me in caps and during the work day? Unlikely. While I share his/her disdain for unbridled consumerism, I'm far more eloquent.

I collect my thoughts before I type. Nothing else.

Lips? I don't get the reference.

Keep trying.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Michelle said...

For real i used to collect beanie babies!!! What a freakin waste of time and money!!! I seriously do not know what i was thinking back then!!!

Now i collect ipods! Nah!

I collect running sneakers and socks!!! Yeah so???

Love
Stalker

greeneyesmcl said...

I used to save the empty milk cartons that my son and husband drank but the storage unit were I was keeping them was filled to the brim and the next sized unit was too costly. Are you a milk drinker Zibbs?

Elizabeth said...

It's not a "Zippo" lighter.

It's a "ZIBBO" lighter.

Get it right.

Anonymous said...

I collect railroad pictures and memorabilia.

URBAN BLONDE said...

Hmmmm I also collect Zippos.

I also have a huge collection I bought in an auction. I also have a collection of vintage smoking parphanalia (sic) even though I have never smoked. I also collect (and sell) kitsch collectibles, mid century furniture and other items, tiki, vintage risque glasses and mugs, books, 50s fiberglass lampshades, vintage linens, vintage clothing and jewelery and need I go on?