The town of Peoria, Illinois was at one time the largest whiskey producing city in the United States. There were many companies based in Peoria in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Originally started as the Clarke Bros. Whiskey Distillery and later called The Clarke Bros. & Company Distillery, the company claimed to be the largest…
The Maier Brewing Company in Los Angeles, California was a long time leading manufacturer of beer in Southern CA for many years starting in 1907. This particular tray is circa 1910-1915 and boldly states the brewery was “The Standard of Perfection”. If the brewery was the standard of perfection in just a few short years,…
The Red Raven Splits brand was very well known in the early 1900’s for their prolific use of advertising trays featuring a red raven bird on them, and the slogan, “Ask The Man” on most of the products advertising items. I don’t know exactly who “the man” was, but I am guessing it was the local…
One of my favorite antique advertising items is this large oval advertising tray from the Candy Brothers Manufacturing Company in St. Louis, MO. The Candy Brothers Manufacturing Company was started in the 1870’s by brothers Robert, Thomas and Sydney Candy. The business was based in St. Louis, however, they eventually opened a second location in…
This beautiful Victorian lithograph from the Piper Heidsieck National Tobacco Works Company in Louisville, Kentucky features a pretty woman, surely designed to catch a male’s eye. Since many were the typical smokers in the late 1800’s when this was made, that makes sense. What I find interesting is the bottle of champagne which is featured…
The Gail Borden Condensed Milk Company originated in Burrville, Connecticut, but eventually moved to both upstate New York and to Elgin, IL. The Gail Borden Condensed Milk Company was famous for their Eagle Brand of condensed milk, which still today remains the best selling brand of condensed and evaporated milk. This particular 1895-1910 era lithograph has a Halloween theme,…
The Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company produced this gorgeous oak wood advertising clock for their Star Brand of Chewing Tobacco, circa 1900. This sign apparently was not designed to last for too long considering they put have the price of a 2 ounce pouch for 5 cents in the design. The Star Brand of tobacco was…
The Henry Luebbe Soda and Mineral Water Company was a long running business in the heart of wine country in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Hermann Missouri was known for wine production, and in fact, was the leading city for wine sales in the state of MO at this time. What makes this even…
One of my favorite serving pre-prohibition serving trays I have seen comes from the Americus Club Whiskey Brand. The Henry Campe and Company Americus Club Pure Whiskey was a popular seller in the pre-pro era in San Francisco, CA. The company was located at 221-223-225 Front Street at the time this tray was made, however,…
The Excelsior Brewing Company in South St. Louis produced some fabulous advertising pieces in the early 1900’s. Many of the companies giveaways at that time incorporated a knight logo into various items including enameled beer glasses, tip trays, beer bottle labels and posters. The knight logo is always holding a flag in his hands which proudly proclaims their Pilsener…