The commercial maritime industry began advertising on Zippos in the late 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 have been produced than with Navy ships, making them rarer and more difficult to find by the Zippo collector.
This 1955 Zippo has
aneng
raving of the
S.S. Independence
of American Export
Lines for "Jacoby
3-20-55". It is one
of the oldest and
most storied ocean
liners still afloat.
1957 Zippo with an
engraved barge with
a "Dravo" logo on
the reverse. 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.
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".
