Zippo/Case International Swapmeet, 2004
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Displayed at the end of the Art Department was the tribute platter Paul did to include with his application to become a "Zippo recognised artist." It took over a day to hand-cut all the lettering (& as most of it is on the underside surface it is back-to-front).
In the boardroom - a portrait of the man himself, Mr George G. Blaisdell. He took a simple Austrian lighter, changed it & created an international icon with the famous "It works or we fix it free" guarantee
A private viewing of Dana's wooden replica of the Zippo car
(6 months hard work!) Between Robin's happy frenetic exhuberance & Dana's quiet passion meeting them was a buzz.
At a special gathering of ZippoClickers (members of the Zippo sponsored collectors club) - the effervescent mother of ZippoClick, Kathy, & the Italian king of the airbrush, Claudio Mazzi (a bagpipe lover too!).
Butter at the Zippo Case Dinner & Charity Auction - a veritable feast of both food & good conversation.
Mr George Duke, Chairman of Zippo, delivering his speech prior to the start of the charity auction - the excitement was electric, everyone survived despite the high blood pressure involved.
The Swap itself - 3 days of Zippos & Case knives - stands & people everywhere in 4 large marqui tents.
Paul & Martine at the display table of Paul's
one-of-a-kind pieces
Next door neighbours, Jon & Bev. Jon collects tractor related Zippos & had some most unusual old mechanised tin toys - including one that sat & stood up smoking a cigarette (as he'd lost the cigarette Jon replaced it with one of Martine's roll-your-own cigarettes.)
Great friends, Linda & Bill, who had a table close by.
Missing! 1997 replica of the famous Zippo car - built in the early 1940's at a cost of US$30,000 and driven all over the US during the '40's & 50's for promotional purposes. Because it was very heavy it had frequent problems & so was returned to it's makers for repairs in the late '50s. The makers went bankrupt not long after & this massive piece of metal literally disappeared - to this day no-one knows where it is!
Part of the Swapmeet is the Motorcycle Dice Run - the roar of 100's of Harleys filled the air - to raise funds benefitting kids with cancer through the Bradford Hospital Foundation
With Jeff (a.k.a. SpanishFlea), Letitia & Bas. Jeff's zany inventiveness is an inspiration & Bas (a.k.a. TheSaint) is one of the original Zippotricks.com freaks, now of www.lightertricks.com - watching him tricking is enough to make one's head spin.
One of Jeff's inventions - a remote control Zippo! He placed it on our table & then proceeded to drive it around using a remote.
2004, USA
Swapmeets
Zippo (R)
"in all things be passionate"
