I love finding old wooden one cent or penny gum machines from the early 1900’s. First off, the older generation will remember one cent gumball machines, but do any recall sticks of gum being sold for a penny? Probably not, as the era when these machines dominated soda fountains and candy or general store counters…
I have often wondered why would a coffee company in Portland, OR name itself The Electric Coffee Company? Was their something about the company which made it unique compared to other coffee manufacturers and roasters of that era? Did the plant have an early electricity generated advantage over other coffee competitors, or was the name…
This particular metal serving tray featuring the slogan “Remember the Maine” was a common battle cry at the end of the 1898 Spanish-American War whereby the U.S. Maine ship was destroyed by the Spanish flotilla. Many lives were lost when this ship was sunk, and as a result, the Americans used this as their rationale…
This particular tin herring advertising can is from the Louis Maull Cheese and Fish Company out of St. Louis, MO about 1900. The can is for their herring product which would have been packed in oil and was a huge delicacy in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. How did herring survive to be sold…
Here is a beautiful stein from the Julius Wehmueller Saloon which was at 18th and Market streets in downtown St. Louis, MO prior to prohibition. The stein itself features a beautiful image of the train station and not of Mr. Wehmueller’s business which I find of note also. The interesting thing about this saloon was…
Here is a beautiful set of two wooden baseball bats from a long defunct small baseball bat manufacturer outside Waterloo, Illinois which was based in the tiny hamlet of Monroe City in Monroe County, Illinois. Produced in the 1930’s, the two styles of bats known to exist today are the “Waterloo Walloper” and the “Geared…
I love this advertising sign! At first glance the pig is truly awesome for so many reasons, but mostly because pigs generally were not used as images on many antique advertising signs. However, the W. M. Finck Company in Detroit thought us humans wanted our overalls to wear tightly like a pigs nose! I am…
How can you not love the William Tell flour brand logo, “You Knead It”! I always thought whoever came up with this slogan was pretty clever in their day. After all, everyone kneaded their flour back in the early 1900’s when this particular tip tray was produced. Today with the advances of technology kneading flour…
The invention of a self stopping music phonograph was a big deal around 1910 when this particular sign from the Columbia Grafonola brand was produced. The new music invention now allowed your phonograph record player to turn off automatically once the vinyl album was at the end. Hence, touting the ease of the user to…
This subtle and non-descript but brilliantly colored blue and gold serving tray was never meant to tout the breweries products. It was simply designed to serve as a reminder of the brewery and their products as a choice for the saloon or tavern patron. Typically brewers oftentimes added a specific type of beer they were…