Walt Disney Productions began using the Zippo for advertising in the early 1970's only to suspend its association with smoking-related items in the mid-1980's
1959 slim Zippo commemorating the opening of the Matterhorn Bobsled ride in Disneyland. The Matterhorn Bobsleds open as the first steel roller coaster in the world
Here is Mickey Mouse on a 1972 Zippo
This slim 1976 Zippo bears the image of Mickey on a vinyl appliques simulating wood grain
This is a 1979 Donald Duck Zippo
Here is Disneyland Castle on a 1976 Zippo. Castles with the "D" in gold (or blue) are quite scarce
This 1979 Mickey Mouse Zippo
advertises the Fort Wilderness Campground at the Disney World Resorts in Florida
Here is a 1978 Disney World Castle Zippo. It has no "D" because it's for Disney World, not Disneyland
This is a rare Zippo pocket knife with the image of a golfing Mickey Mouse. This might be a prototype
Images of Minnie Mouse on Zippos are scarce. He she appears on a 1979 slim, gold-plated Zippo, possibly a test model
1983 prototype slim Zippo with large Mickey Mouse on matte black finish
1983 prototype slim Zippo with a small Mickey Mouse on matte black finish
1983 prototype slim Zippo with Minnie Mouse on matte black finish
1983 prototype slim Zippo with a large Minnie Mouse on matte black finish
1983 prototype full size Zippo with Mickey Mouse on matte black finish
1984 prototype full size Zippo with Minnie Mouse on matte black finish
Here Donald Duck appears on a 1984 slim Zippo with matte black finish
This scarce 1995 Zippo depicts Donald Duck as a rushing fireman
1970 Zippo Minney Mouse
1970 Zippo Mickey-n-Minney
The images of Mickey andMinnie on these Zippos from 1970 and 1971 were most likely engraved in Asia. Unlike the other Zippos seen on this page, these Disney characters are unauthorized by Walt Disney. There are many variants of these Zippos, generally distinguishable by the vertical "Mickey"
1952-53 Zippo Woody Woodpecker
1952-53 Zippo Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker lighter Walter Lantz
Woody Woodpecker lighter Walter Lantz
This Zippo look-alike lighter has the "Walter Lantz" logo-type and "Japan" engraved on the bottom and is highly valued by Zippo collectors
The 1952-53 Zippo above with Woody Woodpecker is one of only two test models made for Walter Lantz
Woody Woodpecker is the animated cartoon character which first appeared in short films in movie theaters in the 1940's. As the story goes, Walter Lantz, who was the producer of the cartoons with the anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker, wanted to promote Woody on Zippo lighters. Zippo Mfg. Co. therefore produced a couple of test samples for Mr. Lantz' approval. While apparently satisfied with the design, Mr. Lantz requested that his own name be engraved on the bottom of the lighter. Zippo Mfg. Co refused to do so which we can presume was due to George Blaisdell's strong desire to maintain Zippo's brand integrity. As a result, a company in Japan wound up producing lighters identical to Zippo's samples except with the name of "Walter Lantz" engraved on the bottoms, reportedly in a run of 500. Interestingly, Zippo's version had the copyright notice "WL" engraved at Woody's feet which apparently was considered redundant on the Japanese version
1982 prototype Zippo with a surfing Mighty Mouse on brass
1982 Zippo with Mighty Mouse on skate board
These five Zippos are from 1982 and depict Mighty Mouse flying, golfing, skateboarding and water skiing. The two on brass are prototypes. First produced by Terrytoons, Mighty Mouse first appeared in 1942 as Super Mouse. He has similar powers like Superman and can fly, is incredibly strong and, has X-Ray vision. The cartoon's theme always had Mighty Mouse saving the day. He became a favorite cartoon character on television during the 1950s with reruns continuing through the 1980s
1954-55 Zippo for Warner Brothers 25th Anniversary with a graphic of Bugs Bunny, a cocky, wisecracking, good-hearted hare who battled Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck and other slapstick opponents. It is also engraved with the name of Norman H. Moray who was involved in the production of Loney Tunes' Rocket Squad featuring Daffy Duck and Porky Pig
Rare 1969 Zippo with Charlie Brown feeding an excited Snoopy
1968 Zippo with a graphic of a pregnant Lucy shouting "Damn you Charlie Brown". It is unlikely that this lighter was engraved at the factory of Zippo Mfg. Co.
1972 Zippo with Porky Pig or his look alike "Eat at Short Sugar's" in Reidsville, North Carolina
1975 slim Zippo with Porky Pig for "T&N RY 999 The Pig Iron Route"
1976 Zippo depicting the wedding of L'il Abner and Daisy Mae by Marryin' Sam. L'il Abner was a cartoon strip created by Al Capp which ran from 1934 to 1977
1981 Zippo with Heckle & Jeckle, a couple of mischievous talking magpies created by Paul Terry of Terrytoons. These cartoons ran from 1946 to 1966
1981 prototype Zippo with Dinky Duck. Dinky Duck was a Terrytoons cartoon character who first appeared in the 1939 animated short The Orphan Duck. Unlike fellow Terrytoons characters Mighty Mouse and the magpie duo Heckle and Jeckle, Dinky never became popular, appearing in a total of only 14 cartoons between 1939 and 1957
1986 Zippo with a prototype duck design
1994 Zippo with 1994 Zippo with Popeye & Olive Oyl framed by a heart. Popeye the Sailor cartoons were a fixture in movie theaters and television well into the 1960s. He is credited with saving the spinach industry in the 1930s
2000 limited edition Zippo for J-J's Saloon with image of Yosemite Sam, an extremely grouchy cowboy with a hair-trigger temper and an intense hatred of rabbits, particularly Bugs Bunny