Enoch Bolles (1883 - 1976)

Primarily known as a cover artist, though his Zippo piece shows he wasn't averse to doing other work if required.

An unlucky artist in some ways, especially considering one of his most famous (and some would say, most enduring) pieces of artwork is almost always attributed to another artist.

Windy, as the female figure of this artwork came to be known, was shown in many a Zippo advert demonstrating the windproof abilities of the lighter. Although Bolles was initially given credit for the artwork, something happened in the early years after her creation that broke the link between Windy and Bolles. It wasn't long before it was wrongly attributed to Vargas. A fact made all the more ironic when you consider that Vargas didn't really hit the big time until 1940 (with his own Pinup artwork published in Esquire magazine).

Zippo compounded this error in later years when they created a lighter with Bolles Windy figure standing proudly (and wrongly) on the front of the lighter above the trademark Varga name. This same error further replicated on the associated Zippo tin box.

To make matters worse, Bolles was regularly used to seeing his artwork presented in magazines with incorrect spelling of his name, Whether it was Enoc without the h, or Bolls, Boles or any derivative thereof, it must have been frustrating.

Retiring back home to Florida following a stroke in 1938,Bolles works continued to be published for a number of years afterwards. His work was admired by Vargas, though history doesn't make it clear if Vargas ever went to see Enoch in relation to the Windy issue, or what happened with regards payments or settlements. But regardless of this blip in history, the Windy figure is still a big attractor in the Zippo community, and those who take their interest seriously are well aware of the real artist.