This is an exceptionally important early Zippo Manufacturing Company set: a 1936 Zippo windproof lighter complete with its original presentation box, first-version instruction manual, advertising pamphlet, and customer-service information slip.

What makes the set particularly significant is that it represents Zippo at a very early stage of its development, when the fundamental design of the modern Zippo was still being refined. The lighter incorporates a number of features that were soon replaced or modified, making it an important transitional example from the earliest Zippo production period.

The date is supported by the PAT. 2032695 marking on the base. The patent was granted on 3 March 1936, and the patent itself relates to the essential hinged-cover mechanism and internal arrangements that became central to the Zippo design.

The 1936 Zippo Case

The case is instantly recognisable as an early Zippo, but differs substantially from later production models.

The bottom is completely square and flat, without the later rounded or refined base profile associated with subsequent generations of Zippo lighters. Stamped into the base is the early patent number:

Unlike later Zippos, which can generally be dated using the familiar date-code system introduced in the 1950s, early examples from the 1930s and 1940s must be dated through their construction, patent markings, hinge configuration, insert characteristics and other design details.

The case also has the distinctive welded U-shaped cam stop inside the lid. This is one of the most characteristic features of the early pre-modern Zippo mechanism. Rather than relying on the later, more familiar construction, the stop was physically welded into the inside of the lid to control the movement of the cam and help prevent the lid from closing prematurely.

The lighter is fitted with a four-barrel hinge mounted inside the case.

This is especially important because it represents a development from the earliest Zippo hinge arrangement. Early Zippos used a four-barrel hinge mounted externally on the rear of the case. The hinge was subsequently moved inside the case, producing the cleaner and more protected configuration seen on this example.

The four-barrel internal hinge is therefore an important transitional feature. It predates the eventual adoption of the familiar five-barrel hinge, which became the standard configuration on later Zippo lighters.

To collectors, the hinge is one of the most useful physical indicators when distinguishing the earliest Zippos from later examples. A 1936 lighter combining the early four-barrel internal hinge with the other features present here represents a very narrow period in Zippo's development.

It features the early 14-hole chimney, rather than the later 16-hole configuration that became more commonly associated with Zippo production. The chimney is chrome plated over brass, and the brass substrate can be seen where the plating has worn or been exposed.

The early insert is a particularly desirable component of the set because original early inserts are far more difficult to encounter than later replacements. Many early Zippo cases have survived with later inserts, while complete early inserts have often been lost, replaced or modified during decades of use.

This insert retains several features characteristic of the earliest Zippo mechanism:

• 14-hole chimney

• Chrome-plated brass construction

• Horizontal flint wheel

• Figure-8 cam

• Piston-style cam mechanism

• Early internal construction

  
  

The combination of these features makes the insert a historically important part of the lighter rather than merely an accessory to the case.

The Piston-Style Cam Mechanism

Another notable feature is the piston-style cam mechanism.

Modern Zippo lighters use a familiar metal spring arrangement, but the early mechanism on this 1936 example is fundamentally different. The cam is actuated using a piston-style mechanism rather than the later conventional metal spring.

This is an important example of Zippo's early engineering experimentation. The mechanism was designed to perform the same essential function—controlling the movement and position of the cam—but through a very different mechanical solution.

It is precisely these early experimental features that make 1930s Zippos so fascinating. They are not simply older versions of the modern lighter; they are mechanically distinct products from the period when the design was still evolving.

The Original 1936 Presentation Box

The original box greatly increases the importance of this set.

The silver-coloured outer box carries the early Zippo branding and the advertising slogan:

The presentation of the box reflects the way Zippo was marketed during its early years. The lighter was positioned not merely as a disposable lighter, but as a reliable product intended to become a permanent everyday companion.

The box is particularly important because packaging from this early period has a very low survival rate. Most early Zippo boxes were discarded, damaged or separated from their original lighters. A complete set retaining the original box, literature and lighter is therefore significantly more desirable than an isolated 1936 Zippo.

The First-Version Zippo Instruction Manual

Perhaps the most remarkable paper item in the set is the first-version Zippo instruction manual.

Early Zippo instruction literature is exceptionally difficult to find. Unlike the lighter itself, which was made to be used repeatedly and could survive decades of service, the instruction material was often discarded immediately after purchase.

The manual in this set is therefore an important historical document in its own right.

It features the early Zippo presentation and the famous advertising line:

The manual reflects the early way Zippo introduced its product to customers, at a time when the company was still establishing the identity and reputation of the Zippo windproof lighter.

The survival of this first-version instruction manual together with its original 1936 lighter is extraordinarily desirable to collectors. Complete original literature from the earliest Zippo production period is far scarcer than the lighters themselves.

The Metalliques Advertising Pamphlet

Included with the manual is an early advertising pamphlet promoting Metalliques and various available decorative designs.

The pamphlet illustrates the kinds of personalised and decorative options available to customers, including:

• Initials

• Scottie dog designs

• “Drunkard” illustrations

• Other decorative motifs

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This is significant because it provides a contemporary glimpse into how Zippo marketed personalisation and decoration during its earliest years.

The pamphlet is more than simply advertising material. It documents the types of designs and personalisation options being offered at the time and provides useful insight into the early development of Zippo's decorated-lighter business.

The Original Customer-Service Slip

The set also includes a separate original customer-service slip beginning with:

This small piece of paper provides a remarkable insight into Zippo's early customer-service philosophy.

Customers were told that their Zippo lighter could be returned to the company for repair. The notice stated that the lighter could be sent to:

The customer was informed that the lighter would be serviced and returned, with the company emphasising that no one had ever been charged for the repair of a Zippo.

The slip also listed the prices of consumables:

• 25 cents for a container of lighter fluid

• 5 cents for two flints

  
  

This small document is historically important because it demonstrates that Zippo's famous repair philosophy was already being promoted during the company's earliest years. The modern Zippo guarantee—“It works or we fix it free”—has its roots in this early customer-service policy.

Conclusion

This complete 1936 presentation set captures Zippo at one of the most important moments in its history: the transition from an experimental early windproof lighter into the enduring design that would eventually become one of the world's most recognisable products.

The lighter itself preserves a remarkable collection of early mechanical features—the four-barrel internal hinge, figure-8 cam, piston-style cam mechanism, horizontal flint wheel, 14-hole brass insert, welded U-shaped cam stop and patent-marked square case.

The accompanying literature is equally important. The first-version instruction manual, the Metalliques design pamphlet and the early customer-service slip provide a rare contemporary record of how Zippo presented, marketed and supported its product during its earliest years.

For collectors, the true significance of this set lies not simply in owning a 1936 Zippo, but in preserving an almost complete snapshot of how an early Zippo was originally sold to its customer.

It is a complete time capsule from the birth of the Zippo lighter.