Those attending the 2006 Zippo/Case International Swap Meet
Friday got a chance to beat the heat by checking out all the cool
wares on display outside the Zippo/Case Visitors Center.

Project Coordinator for Zippo Manufacturing Co., Shawn
Llewellyn, said at the Swap Meet that he and his associates were
displaying upcoming design ideas and new products in order to
garner collector feedback.

“They love it,” Llewellyn said when asked about the general
response to the new BluFlame lighters and fresh designs and themes.
“There’s not a lot we can do that they don’t like. People have
different tastes, but it’s the same passion.”

The Swap Meet was fairly well attended Friday afternoon, but was
even more packed earlier in the day, according to consumer
marketing coordinator for W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co., Fred
Feightner.

Lisa Boser, Club Administrator for the Case Collectors Club,
which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, said Friday the
historical tour Wednesday that allowed club members to travel to
the former plant locations and homes of Case family members was a
tremendous success.

Boser went on to say club members who had previously only
chatted on-line through electronic forums got a chance to meet for
this first time this year, and put faces with the stories they’ve
heard.

“People are really happy to be a part of the Zippo/Case family,”
Boser said. “They are proud to be club members and are just full of
ideas about how to make it better.”

Marie McNamara, a Zippo associate in the United Kingdom for the
past nine years, showed The Era Friday a collection of Zippo
lighters normally sold only in the United Kingdom. She said several
collectors had already shown interest in the set. Proceeds from
that particular collection will go to the Blaisdell Foundation, she
said.

Arthur Hrvatin of Joliet, Ill., who had a table set up Friday,
said this was his second Swap Meet. Hrvatin said he came primarily
to display his collection of Case knives -ðabout 230 knives, a
complete Russ Lock collection, he said.

“I’m doing my part for Bradford’s economy,” Hrvatin laughed.

Frederick Wenzel of Warren collects, buys, sells and trades both
Zippo lighters and Case knives, he said. When asked which were his
favorite pieces, Wenzel replied like so many other Zippo and Case
enthusiasts.

“All of them,” he said.

Martha Shouse of Rural Hall, N.C., said she and her husband,
Tommy, like to collect prototypes of both companies, adding they
particularly try to collect Zippo lighters with the Camel
cigarettes art.

“We’ve met a lot of people,” Shouse said, adding she and her
husband got a chance to see some far-flung “friends” Friday from
“South Africa, Italy, Canada …,” she said, her voice trailing off
as she named other countries.

Robert and Susan Rosenberg of Minneapolis, Minn., were also at
the Swap Meet Friday. Robert Rosenberg said he likes to collect
older Zippo lighters, and was even featured in his local newspaper,
the “Star Tribune” in April as part of a feature story about
collectors. He also got some television and radio play this spring
due to the article, he said.

Rosenberg said he like finding the older pieces that were not
intended for collectors. His white whale, he said, is the
“Kelvinator,” a white refrigerator-shaped Zippo lighter made in the
1950s. While he has seen them before at Swap Meets, he said, the
$1,800 being asked for is still a bit rich for his blood.

Allan Silber and Larry Kleinman, both of Cammarrilo, Calif.,
talked with The Era about their first visit to Pennsylvania Friday.
Their airplane was delayed by lightning, they explained, causing
them to miss the factory tour at Case they hoped to attend.

However, Case officials were able to arrange a special trip to
the factory for the pair Friday, Lisa Boser said.

“Just the displays on the walls alone were worth the whole
trip,” Silber said.

“Even though they are made with machines, they are made by hand
and it’s TLC from beginning to the end,” Kleinman said.

“If I weren’t retired,” Silber said, “I’d apply for a job
here.”