top of page

Swans on a Pond

3 barrel hinge, a rare test piece depicting swans on a pond,
3 barrel hinge, a rare test piece depicting swans on a pond,

This late 1947 Zippo - early 1948 is a remarkable Town & Country test piece, representing one of the company’s earliest experiments with decorative pictorial finishes before the Town & Country line entered regular production. Finished in brushed chrome, the lighter features a charming scene of two swans on a pond beside cattails, executed in soft enamel colors.


With original nickel silver insert.
With original nickel silver insert.

Unlike later mass-produced examples, every lighter was individually airbrushed by hand, giving each piece subtle variations and a unique character. The delicate shading of the swans and water demonstrates the craftsmanship involved in these early experimental designs, where the lighter served not only as a functional object but also as a miniature work of art.


Canned bottom with pat 2032695 stamp.
Canned bottom with pat 2032695 stamp.

The lighter is fitted with a three-barrel hinge and carries the PAT. 2032695 bottom stamp, both consistent with production in the late 1940s. It is accompanied by a correct 16-hole nickel-silver insert, a desirable feature associated with Zippo’s immediate post-war production period.


Produced for internal evaluation rather than public sale, these test pieces were often retained by Zippo employees, making surviving examples exceptionally desirable among collectors.
Produced for internal evaluation rather than public sale, these test pieces were often retained by Zippo employees, making surviving examples exceptionally desirable among collectors.

As a Town & Country test piece made in late 1947 - early 1948, this artifact is believed to be among a very small number produced while Zippo evaluated decorative techniques and artistic themes for future offerings. These hand-airbrushed test lighters are highly prized by advanced collectors for their rarity, their individuality, and the important glimpse they provide into the origins of one of Zippo’s most celebrated decorative series.

​

​

Swans on a Pond

+65 88080881

©2021 by Sho's-Collection.

bottom of page