Bluff City Brewery Tray Shows Friars Playing Cards. One of my favorite brewery trays was given out as a premium item to saloons and reads, “Compliments of the Bluff City Brewery” in Alton, Illinois, 1900. This colorful tray shows a couple of friars or monks playing cards with two other men drinking beer and advertises their Pilsener…
DetailsGriesedieck’s “Old Scenter Rye” Whiskey Sign 1898 I recently acquired this unique Pre-Prohibition cardboard sign advertising a long forgotten whiskey brand called Old Scenter Rye. To my knowledge, this antique advertising sign is the first one of its kind known to exist. This particular whiskey was made by H.L. Griesedieck and Company, a distillery based…
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A Rare Falstaff Beer Sign from The Lemp Brewing Co 1907 Last week, I acquired a rare colorful lithograph print advertisement made for the William J. Lemp Brewing Company of St. Louis, Missouri produced in 1907. This antique Breweriana collectible features Sir John Falstaff who was often used by the Lemp Brewing Co. for their…
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Mascots like Poll Parrot starred in Vintage Children’s Shoe Ads 1920-1960’s I’ve always been fascinated with the mascot characters used in many vintage children’s shoe advertisements such as the Poll Parrot brand. In 1925, the parrot icon was the brainchild of Paul Parrot, the original owner of the Paul Parrot Shoes based in St. Louis,…
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The American Brewing Company (A.B.C.) The Original “King of Bottled Beer” This extraordinary “Temple of Commerce” beer serving tray has been a special antique advertising treasure to me because it symbolizes how creative the American Brewing Company (A.B.C.) was in marketing around the world starting as early as 1890. This impressive oval tin serving tray…
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Cherokee Brewery’s Promotional Beer Stein Created a Buzz! The Cherokee Brewery developed an impressive advertising campaign with a stoneware beer stein for consumers in 1890. This beautiful salt-glazed mug has been part of my collection for years and reveals a story about how this brewery was ahead of its time. The dark blue and grey…
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A Colorful Lithographic Advertising Display Bin for St. Louis Coffee & Spice Mills Circa 1910 I just acquired this rare Nectar Brand Spice display bin manufactured by St. Louis Coffee & Spice Mills located in St. Louis, Missouri circa 1910. This unique bin highlights “Ground Black Pepper” on the top and was intended to store…
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A Rare Breweriana Corner Sign with Seven-Color Design from Bluff City Brewery 1890 A favorite antique advertising sign from my collection is this rare, beautiful Reverse-on-Glass corner sign from the Bluff City Brewery Circa 1890. This unique Breweriana sign has a vibrant seven-color design. It brilliantly reflects the red, blue, green, gold, brown and black colors…
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Anheuser-Busch Featured Nursing Mothers and Babies in Malt-Nutrine Ads It is surprising to see how breweries featured nursing mothers and their babies in advertisements starting in the late 1800’s. This 1905 Anheuser-Busch Malt-Nutrine advertising sign is fairly rare and I’ve had it in my collection for about ten years. It’s a self-framed tin sign and…
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A Rare Breweriana Sign From The Wm. J. Lemp Brewing Co 1895 Last week, I acquired a stunning reverse-on-glass Lager Beer sign manufactured by Wm. J Lemp Brewing Company, circa 1895. This unique Breweriana advertising sign is considered very rare and to date it is the only one known to exist. The oval-shaped sign has…
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