Historical and technical guide

Niagara Falls, Canadian Zippo dating references

Canadian bottom stamps and inserts: Niagara Falls production, dated changes and overlapping periods.

All illustrated examples and dated claims link back to their original documented references and named sources. Transitional dates are approximate unless explicitly supported.

Recorded historical details

1949: Historical dating note

Terry Lyons photo reference: chrome-plated brass case and nickel-silver insert. A three-barrel hinge is documented here but the hinge transition is not a strict 1 January production cutoff.

1949: Canadian production note

Niagara Falls production began on 19 August 1949. Early Canadian cases and inserts use PAT. PEND. wording.

A real 1950 Bradford example supplied by Terry Lyons documents a brass case with nickel insert. This is specimen-specific photographic evidence, not a rule that every 1950 Zippo used the same material combination.

1950: Canadian production note

PAT. PEND. was used until around the end of 1950. Changeover pieces can pair a PAT. PEND. case with a newer Patented 1950 insert as old stock was exhausted.

1951: Historical dating note

A real 1951 Bradford example supplied by Terry Lyons documents a steel case with steel insert. This is specimen-specific photographic evidence.

1951: Canadian production note

Glen documents two visually different Patented 1950 bottom-stamp families. The earlier form is associated with early nickel-silver inserts; exact changeover dates remain under research.

1956: Historical dating note

A real 1956 Bradford example supplied by Terry Lyons documents a brass case with steel insert and provides a photographed dot-layout comparison.

1956: Slim manufacturing note

Zippo begins production of Slim lighters. Early Slims have a flat bottom; the insert uses a wheel guard (“cobra head”) over the flint wheel.

1956: Canadian production note

Canadian hinge transition: unequal five-barrel spacing is generally treated as 1956 and later.

1967: Historical dating note

Early examples retain PAT.2517191; later examples omit it.

1967: Historical dating note

Terry Lyons photographic reference: a Bradford regular-size case shows the 1967 vertical bars pattern (4 left, 3 right), with associated insert front/back and chimney-top photographs. The insert may have been replaced; determine case and insert dates separately.