Maritime Zippo Lighters — LighterGallery.com

MARITIME ZIPPOS

The commercial maritime industry began advertising on Zippos in the 1940's. Until that time, the U.S. Navy was the principal sponsor of ship and marine themes to be engraved on the Zippo. A lot fewer Zippos with civilian ships and vessels such at paddle wheel boats, tugboats, freighters, ferries etc. have been produced than with Navy ships, making them rarer and more difficult to find by the Zippo collector. Among the lighters depicted below are two rare genuine scrimshaw Zippos. Scrimshaw is the art of carving designs on whalebone or whale ivory. Scrimshaw Zippos were test marketed in 1976-77 in three designs: the Outrigger, the Schooner, and the Whaler. Zippo found that "genuine" scrimshaw was too expensive for the average customer and in 1982 introduced scrimshaw designs on cases made of acrylic materials rather than ivory. These remain popular today, with a variety of attractive maritime-related designs featuring lighthouses and sailing ships.

Line-drawn paddle-wheel boat on 1937 Zippo lighter.  This rare lighter has one of the earliest nautical themes engraved on a Zippo — Line-drawn paddle-wheel boat on 1937 Zippo lighter. This rare lighter has one of the earliest nautical themes engraved on a Zippo

1946-1947 line-drawn sailboat promoting USPS Cleveland

This 1955 Zippo has an engraving of the SS Independence of American Export Lines for "Jacoby 3-20-55".  It is one of the oldest and most storied ocean liners still afloat. — This 1955 Zippo has an engraving of the SS Independence of American Export Lines for "Jacoby 3-20-55". It is one of the oldest and most storied ocean liners still afloat.

1958 two-sided Zippo of the sailing ship Sea Cloud, the oldest running ship of its kind.  The Zippo was commissioned for Rafael Trujillo's damily as shown on this page — 1958 two-sided Zippo of the sailing ship Sea Cloud, the oldest running ship of its kind. The Zippo was commissioned for Rafael Trujillo's damily as shown on this page

1960 Zippo for Martin Marine in Painted Post NY. with a graphic of what looks like a Chris Craft wooden boat

1957 Zippo with an engraved barge and a "Dravo" logo on the reverse (not shown). Dravo Corporation, a ship building company based in Pittsburgh PA, renown for building LST's during World War II, was founded by the Dravo Brothers Francis and Ralph in 1887

1967 Zippo for Project HOPE.  Project HOPE is an international health care organization founded in the United States in 1958. Its most visible aspect was the SS HOPE, the first peacetime hospital ship — 1967 Zippo for Project HOPE. Project HOPE is an international health care organization founded in the United States in 1958. Its most visible aspect was the SS HOPE, the first peacetime hospital ship

1960 Zippo with a colorful engraving of Royal Order of Atlantic Voyagers - MSTS (Military Sea Transportation Service). The Royal Order of Atlantic Voyagers was a certificate issued to any voyager who crossed the equator in a ritualistic initiation c… — 1960 Zippo with a colorful engraving of Royal Order of Atlantic Voyagers - MSTS (Military Sea Transportation Service). The Royal Order of Atlantic Voyagers was a certificate issued to any voyager who crossed the equator in a ritualistic initiation ceremony held on board ship. The certificates were signed by "Davy Jones, His Majesty's Scribe" and "Neptunus Rex, Ruler of the Raging Main"

1971 Zippo with a tugboat for Nolty J. Theriot Towing Contractors Golden Meadow, Lousiana

1974 Zippo for SS Rotterdam, one of the post World War II ocean liners

1974 Zippo with a colorfully engraved smokestack and seagulls for Columbia Transportation Company of Cleveland, Ohio

1974 Zippo with a tugboat for Alter Company, of Davenport, Iowa

1977 Zippo with Viking Ship with an "S" logo on the sail

1977 limited production Scrimshaw Zippo with The Schooner design on genuine ivory attached to a gold-plated case.  The reverse is also made of ivory but was not engraved

This scrimshaw design on genuine ivoryis the Outrigger and is also dated 1977

1973 Zippo with an image of a docked cargo ship for Boyd-Campbell Co. Inc. - Agents-Stevedores - Corpus Christi, Texas

1977 Zippo with tugboat for Doris McKinney Towing, Jefferson Louisiana

1985 Zippo with an Alaska Ferry of the Alaska Marine Highway System

1978 Zippo for White Brothers Inc with sternwheeler "Winnie Mae" on the front and a tugboat "Juanita White" on the back.  Winnie Mae, built in 1938, still looks good today — 1978 Zippo for White Brothers Inc with sternwheeler "Winnie Mae" on the front and a tugboat "Juanita White" on the back. Winnie Mae, built in 1938, still looks good today

2002 Zippo replica of the paddle boat Zippo shown above.  "Sparky says:  The Steamboat on the reverse of this light was first used on a lighter in 1937 — 2002 Zippo replica of the paddle boat Zippo shown above. "Sparky says: The Steamboat on the reverse of this light was first used on a lighter in 1937

1986 Zippo with a graphic of a sailing ship near a lighthouse.  What is unusual is that the bottom is flat rather than canned as is standard for Zippo lighters — 1986 Zippo with a graphic of a sailing ship near a lighthouse. What is unusual is that the bottom is flat rather than canned as is standard for Zippo lighters

1986 Zippo with a prototype design of a sloop on gray

1989 Zippo with a prototype hobie cat design

1992 Zippo with a sail boat and  the Statue of Liberty.  Thislighter is an advertiser for Zippo Mfg. itself

2007 Zippo with a graphic of MV St. Clare, a ferry operated by Wightlink connecting Portsmouth on the English mainland to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.  The ferry was built in Gdańsk in 2001 — 2007 Zippo with a graphic of MV St. Clare, a ferry operated by Wightlink connecting Portsmouth on the English mainland to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. The ferry was built in Gdańsk in 2001