Anybody got a match?

[Steve Schell]

Those old Zippo lighters are getting a little too expensive for me. This ebay seller had offered a very cool early 1950s JBL promotional lighter with a minimum bid of one cent...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZIPPO-JIM-JAMES-...QQcmdZViewItem

... but he pulled the auction before I got around to bidding on it. Now he's offering the little beauty for $3,499.99. I think I'll have to pass on this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6279300774

BTW, his historical info is erroneous. Jim Lansing died in September 1949, and the Alvin Lustig designed "big L" logo did not appear until 1950 or 1951. The D-130 image depicts a flat-back style driver, so the lighter likely dates to the 1950 to 1954 period. My guess is that several dozen of them were made, probably for sales reps to hand out on sales calls. This is the only one I've seen, however.

[johnaec]

I was watching that earlier auction that got pulled too.

John

[JohnK]

I bought one of those Zippos a while back on ebay. It came with the Lansing shipping address tag too. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't $3500 either. I didn't think I would see another one ever again.

[John]

Well I like the part about it could of been Jim's own lighter but then he claimes it is brand new and never used.


If it was Jim's personal lighter would he not have to of at least used it

[hapy._.face]

Well, the proverbial cat is outta the bag now. I was gonnna start up my fake foilcal operation again (j/k) but I see there is much more to be made by cranking out fake Zippo lighters. Whoda thunk it?

Man, you can get inscriptions of anything on anything for the cost of a cheap bowling trophy badge. There is really no way to verify an "originally inscribed" Zippo from a new/fake one. I'll sell my knockoffs for half that price.

[Audiobeer]

I had one but just felt that keeping it together did not serve my best financial interests. I sold the flint to a collector in Australia, the wick to a guy in California and so on. It was very profitable but to this day I still feel the pain and guilt of parting it out.

[JBL Dog]

I had one but just felt that keeping it together did not serve my best financial interests. I sold the flint to a collector in Australia, the wick to a guy in California and so on. It was very profitable but to this day I still feel the pain and guilt of parting it out.

you funny guy!

[JuniorJBL]

I had one but just felt that keeping it together did not serve my best financial interests. I sold the flint to a collector in Australia, the wick to a guy in California and so on. It was very profitable but to this day I still feel the pain and guilt of parting it out.

I think I got the hinge pin!!

[Zilch]

I think I got the hinge pin!!

WHAT? You mean that paper clip you've got there?

[To be correct, that'd be "Aftermarket" hinge pin, dude.... ]

[hapy._.face]

I had one but just felt that keeping it together did not serve my best financial interests. I sold the flint to a collector in Australia, the wick to a guy in California and so on. It was very profitable but to this day I still feel the pain and guilt of parting it out.

Don't beat yourself up over it; Just think: your donor lighter helped keep many other concert goers aflame when the ballads play- especially the long cheesy ones.

[Steve Schell]

Here's a D-216 variant offered by the same seller for only $2199.99...step right up!

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-JBL-JIM-JAM...QQcmdZViewItem

[hapy._.face]

His feedback would indicate he was once selling some sort of beauty product(s)...(?). Gotta be another joke in there somewhere.

[Steve Schell]

I stumbled across another attempt by the seller to turn this lighter into big bucks. Has he been running auctions for it all this time?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zippo-New-1940-J...QQcmdZViewItem

[kingjames]

That has to be a reproduction or something.

Happy face nice seeing you back here

[JohnK]

The lighter is real. I have one with the shipping box from JBL - Fletcher Drive address with the postage stamps. However, it didn't cost that much. I really didn't think I would ever see another one.