Checkerboard

February, 2018

In This Issue

When I started my career in the world of Financial Services many years ago little did I suspect that it would eventually turn to collecting and, most recently, research in that same area.

Having spent the last 45 years in every aspect of the Financial Systems Equipment Industry from service to installation to most recently systems design and engineering, I never imagined myself as a collector. But about 10 years ago that all changed. I started out many years ago just accumulating the “Give-away” items that Banks and Financial Institutions would give to customers to promote saving and banking with them. I never really thought about it until recently that this was, in fact, their way of ADVERTISING themselves in what was and continues to be a highly competitive market.

In today's world, opening a new account with a Bank, Savings & Loan or Credit Union, one may expect to receive an “opening gift”. This will vary dramatically, depending on the amount that you chose to “invest” with the Institution, ranging from a pen, or perhaps a ruler, up to and including some type of more useful item such as an umbrella, beach blanket or a small appliance.

But it wasn’t always like that.

So let’s take a trip back in time. Come with me as we step into our Antique Banking Advertising “Time Machine”.

Choose a door, ANY door, and let’s see where it takes us.

Editor's Note: Because of the length of this article, it will be presented in a separate document. I don't want to be a spoiler but, before you click on the link below to embark on the journey with this author, check out the photos that immediately follow. They illustrate a small part of the author's collection and should serve as an incentive to read on.

We are very excited about the upcoming 2018 AAAA Convention! Attendees will be busy from morning 'til night, engaging in a carnival of antique advertising activities! If you attend, you will have great fun and will not be disappointed. This article will focus on the schedule of activities.

But first, here are the basics: The AAAA Convention will take place at the Embassy Suites-Lombard in Chicago (Lombard), Illinois from Wednesday evening, July 25 until Saturday morning, July 28. The registration fee is $125 per person and includes all convention activities and 6 meals, described in greater detail in the January issue of the Checkerboard. The room rate is a heavily discounted $129 for a room with 1 king bed and $139 for a room with 2 queen beds. A Registration Form can be downloaded by clicking the link at the end of this article. Rooms may become scarce so you are encouraged to register soon to avoid disappointment.

We will be collaborating this year with the Cracker Jack Collector's Association (CJCA). They have been invited to participate in selected AAAA activities. In turn, we have been welcomed to attend their "Fun and Games" event, their Table Sales, and their Oral Auction. We will also be continuing to collaborate with our Graniteware friends (this is the 4th year). They will be participating in Room Hopping and our Silent Auction. Many of them will also set up their rooms for Room Hopping, a number of whom will offer great antique advertising.

Now, here's a run-down of the various components of the Convention's activities (photos are from last year's event):

Three exciting seminars will be conducted on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

 

On Wednesday, our seminar series will kick off at 7:00 PM with a presentation entitl ed "The Fascinating History of the Cracker Jack Company and those Wonderful Prizes". The presenter will be Alexendar Jaramillo. Alex has a background as a research scientist. He created his own company called Collectors Dreams, focusing on Cracker Jack prizes, baseball cards, coins, paper advertising and comic books. After becoming very interested in the Cracker Jack Company, he dove into the research of the history of the creators and prizes. His interest came to the attention of the Cracker Jack Company and he was invited to be the spokesman which involved traveling across the country with a display of prizes and appearing on talk shows and news shows on radio, television and in the newspaper. In 1989 he authored a coffee table book, now out of print, called "Cracker Jack Prizes".

On Thursday at 1:00 PM, Evy Mayer will present "Packrat on Display". Evy is a former social work supervisor, who now is a musician and album producer, performing on the ukulele and singing with three different groups. She has been collecting since childhood. It all started with miniature figurines, and then led to her specializing in Hagen-Renaker Disney figurines. A chance encounter with Burt Rumley at a New York City street fair, soon after she had started collecting sample talc tins, led to her joining the TCCA. While miniatures were the focus of her collecting, even small things start to add up and take up space. The next challenge was how to display all the "stuff". Evy will let us in on how she has found ways to show off her collectibles, sometimes even using more collectibles in the process. 

On Friday at 9:00 AM, William Rawski will present " Antique Advertising Used in a Contemporary Commercial Setting". In this presentation, you will learn about Zap Props, Inc. which provides rentals and sales of authentic and fabricated vintage items, including antique advertising, to the movie and television industries, as well as restaurants around the US.   Bill Rawski, President of Zap Props, has worked with a myriad of film productions, such as A League of Their Own, Transformers, Road to Perdition, Dark Knight, Home Alone, Public Enemy, and Chicago Fire/Police. Headquartered in a 36,000 square foot warehouse, Zap Props has also outfitted many restaurants across the nation including Portillo's, Tilted Kilt, Fudruckers, Rosati’s Pizza, Giordanno's, Aurelios Pizza, and numerous others.  Bill started out repairing pinball machines and then, over time, switched to buying and selling everything imaginable. In 1981 he opened Zap Props in order to rent out his wares. Zap Props is now the largest prop warehouse in Chicago.

Our ever-popular Silent Auction will continue under the new leadership of Bob Hunt. In addition to AAAA attendees, buyers will include Graniteware collectors, Cracker Jack Club members and the public. We expect to have 200-300 buyers in attendance at this event so bring your best items to consign.

 New! Limited Live (Oral) Auction

A Limited Live (Oral) Auction will take place at this year's convention. Just seven items will be auctioned off, two at each dinner and three at Thursday's lunch. We are hoping this novelty will add to the excitement of the Convention.

The basic rules for the oral auction will be as follows: The seven items in the auction will be selected from email submissions that include (1) images (2) a description, (3) estimated value, and (4) reserve (if desired). All items should be quality examples of antique advertising. Bob and Bev Hunt will review submissions, make final selections, and notify sellers if their item has been chosen. There will be a limit of one item selected per consignor.

Only current AAAA members attending the 2018 Convention will be eligible to participate as either buyers or sellers. Items failing to meet reserve will be subject to a $15 (no sell) charge. AAAA commission for successful auctions will be 10%, the same as the silent auction.

Contact Bob Hunt to submit items for consideration or to request further information at: [email protected]. Submissions must be made by June 15.

Gary Cicci has undertaken the leadership of the favorite Advertising Exhibit. At this year’s convention, we will once again offer for your viewing and voting enjoyment the favorite advertising items of our fellow AAAA members.

The format of five categories: (1) Signs-Metal or Porcelain, (2) Signs-Paper or Cardboard, (3) Tins – Tobacco, (4) Tins-Other than Tobacco and last but not least, (5) Other Advertising Favorites will once again grace the tables of the exhibit for your viewing. As in the past a winner from each category will be chosen and a certificate awarded, based on the votes received by the attendees. In addition a President’s Choice certificate will be awarded.

So pick out your favorite advertising piece(s) whether rare, unusual, interesting or just plain fun and share the item(s) with the rest of us. As you sift through your favorite treasures, deciding on which to show, keep in mind that each entrant is limited to four items spread over the five categories. 

The exhibit festivities will take place on Thursday evening from 7:30-8:30 PM. The winners will be announced and receive their certificates at the Convention Wrap-Up on Saturday morning.

If you need more information about Favorite Advertising, drop Gary Cicci a line at [email protected] or call him at 602-910-8360.

Public Day

"Public Night" has been expanded into "Public Day" on Friday, continuing the change that was implemented two years ago. Non-members, which includes the Cracker Jack Club members, Graniteware folks, and the public, will be invited to attend both the Silent Auction in the afternoon and the Room Hopping in the evening. (They will not attend our dinner.) We will once again implement an aggressive advertising campaign that will include ads and articles in multiple trade publications. Also the local newspaper has agreed to run an article about our Convention. All of those factors should bring approximately 200 or more buyers into our midst. 

We are introducing one important new innovation to make Public Day more successful. We have found that members of the public will not wait around for the room hopping that will begin at 6:30 PM. Therefore, we have decided to add a new room hopping session for the public that will commence immediately after the Silent Auction is over and continue until 5:00 PM.

We ask that you do your best to pay for your auction items and be back in your rooms as soon as possible after the auction ends. If you are with a spouse/partner, perhaps one of you can pay for your auction purchases while your partner opens up your room. New procedures will be implemented to greatly expedite the check-out process, especially for sellers.

We will end the new room hopping session at 5:00 PM so you can go to our banquet dinner. Dinner will end at 6:15 and you can then re-open your room for the rest of the evening. We are hoping to encourage buyers who are already there to have a quick bite to eat in the hotel restaurant and then re-join the room hopping at around 6:15 PM after our dinner ends.

You are encouraged to bring a roomful of vintage advertising to sell, especially high-quality items, since the market is red hot right now! Also, remember that sellers will get a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor of the hotel with other sellers. Others may be located elsewhere in the hotel. If you are new to “Room Hopping” as a buyer and/or a seller, you are in for a treat!

We are introducing a new Room Hopping session immediately after the Silent Auction to capitalize on the 100 or so buyers that are likely to be there from the public. (See "Public Day" section above.) 

 

Rented tables are not being provided directly by the hotel. They are being provided by a private rental company that the hotel works with. Therefore, it will not be possible to make last-minute requests. You must make your requests on your registration form or by contacting Paul Lefkovitz at least 3 weeks prior to the Convention.

Mark your calendars for the next installment of the greatly improved and enhanced Indy Ad Show: May 5-6. Under the new leadership of Northstar Collective owners Nona Amour Wilson and Mark Wilson, the show has been transformed into a week-end extravaganza featuring the Indy Ad Show, Oil and Gas Show, Vintage & Antique Market and an Antique Advertising Auction. The collective experience is known as the "Boone County Treasure Hunt". The show's inaugural event back in September was a bit hit with a huge increase in the number of dealers (250), twice the number of attendees, a successful new location that people raved about, a bargain price of $8.00 for ALL THREE SHOWS, and much more.

More detail about the show will be provided in the April issue of the AAAA Checkerboard, closer to the event. In the mean time, you can learn more and buy tickets by going to one of their their web sites (they have two):

www.boonecountytreasurehunt.com

www.indyadshow.com

AAAA was featured in an article that appeared in the January 29 issue of Antique Week. The article deals with the 2018 AAAA Convention, and particularly AAAA's innovative approach towards collaboration with other clubs. The article starts on the cover page of the National Section. If you want to see the article, just go to AntiqueWeek's web site (www.antiqueweek.com) where they make all of their recent issues available at no charge to registered users. Just click on the issue and scroll down to the National Section (more than halfway through the document).

This is the second time in recent weeks that AAAA has made the national news! The last occurrence was an article in Antique Trader about Red Key, Indiana that was reprinted, with permission, from the Checkerboard.

AAAA member Jim Head asked us to announce that he is selling his entire collection of over 600 tobacco and coffee tins. One price takes all. He is located in Mobile, Alabama. If you are interested in learning more and receiving photos, he can be reached at 251-653-5999. Please mention AAAA if you contact him.

AAAA is simply making an announcement and is not responsible for any aspects of this offering.

Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide is a classic reference in the world of collecting. The current 2018 edition deserves special recognition as the Kovel's 50th price guide! Ralph and Terry Kovel, husband and wife antique sleuths, hobbyists, entrepreneurs, researchers, writers, columnists, TV hosts, and all-around experts first officially embarked on their journey in 1953. That was the year they published their first book. In the years to follow, they successfully built an empire in pursuit of disseminating knowledge about all things vintage. With Ralph's passing, their daughter, Kim, has joined Terry in this noteworthy journey.

The Kovels' Price Guide is one of a diminishing number of books that are being published in the realm of antiques & collectibles. The field has given sway, like so many others, to the endless resources that are readily available on the internet. Yet the Kovels' Price Guide stands up well to this challenge and represents a work that is still relevant as a valuable reference tool.

The 2018 edition is 550 pages long and includes 760 categories and sub-categories of antiques and collectibles, 20,000 all-new prices, 2,500 color photographs, and a 9 page index. It is truly encyclopedic in its scope.

It also includes a special section entitled "Reflections on 50 Years of Collecting: Prices, Trends, Events, and Surprises". It is a highly personalized account of the Kovels' lengthy and successful odyssey in the world of antiques and collectibles. It includes a timeline of developments within the hobby juxtaposed against the Kovels' activities and accomplishments in the field.

The book is well-organized and user friendly. The pages are basically divided into two columns with a wider column that provides detailed item descriptions and values and a narrower column that presents photos. Everything is alphabetized and easy to follow.

The paper-bound volume is printed on sturdy quality paper and bound with authority. The color photos are clear and the text is easy to read. At $29.99 retail, this book represents an excellent value.

Many will feel this book is superior to the internet if they need to research a particular area. The organization of the volume helps guide your inquiries and often reveals unexpected information.

The listings themselves concisely offer a good deal of helpful information. Specific data varies from item to item but generally includes a physical description, measurements, age of origin, place of origin, and value. Values are based on actual sales, rather than estimates.

Other special features are contained within this book. One is the presence of abundant "Tips" that are offered about the care and repair of antiques. They are highly practical and offer pearls of wisdom that are simply not available anywhere else. Also, brief summaries of company histories are provided throughout the book. Furthermore, "Facts of Interest" are liberally offered--these are things you probably didn't know but are glad you know now. Finally, record auction prices in the past year are detailed in numerous collecting categories.

For collectors of antique advertising, this volume should have special appeal. That is partially due to the very generous 12 page section on the topic and numerous references in other sections. However, the main reason is because of the passion and commitment that the Kovels have always had for antique advertising. At my request, Terry provided a quote for this article, as follows:

"Ralph and I started collecting in the fifties with a famous Grape-Nuts sign we bought for something like $15-$25 It is still in my breakfast area. The inexpensive bits of history seen in a can label or a dye cabinet led us to a unique career of researching everyday items that people collect. Today I have a hall filled with signs and company weather-vanes like Colonel Sanders, a carousel horse and a wooden Indian. The basement is a full-sized country store display that was perfect as a set for our TV shows. Collectors get exercise walking shows, entertainment and intellectual exercise doing research, and find new friends even when getting older .And sometimes it is a profitable as well as a pleasurable hobby. That Grape-Nuts sign in great condition sells today for $2,000 or more."

As Terry's words reveal, she is one of "us" and that is reflected throughout this volume. Thumbing through the pages of this book is almost like accompanying the Kovels on their life-long journey, bringing forth new knowledge, excitement, and fulfillment.

Collectors of antique and vintage advertising are encouraged to add this book to their libraries to aid them in the valuation of antiques and to help lift up the wonderful stories they tell.

In this column are those sought-after items of desire that seem to be elusive. If you know where any of these items can be acquired or if you have one available, please click the link to reply directly to the seeker. To place a listing in this column, click here . There is no fee for AAAA members. Up to three listings per member are permitted.

 

Top Condition Sunset Trail Oval Cigar Tin-White version. To reply, click here.

Convention Hall Coffee Tin-One pound yellow version. To reply, click here.

Antique/Collectible Banking and Financial System "Give-a way" and advertising items. Specifically from Pennsylvania. Alarm devices and such. To reply, click here .

Unusual one pound peanut butter tins . Tin litho or paper label. To reply, click here .

Marshmallow Tins, Smaller than 5 Pound Size. To reply, click here .

American Cookie, Biscuit and Cracker Tins and Boxes . To reply , click here .

Columbian Stove sign made by the Keeley Stove Co. in Columbia PA To reply, click here or call 717-572-3108.

 

VITAMINS advertising, displays, signs, bottles, and anything related: Hadacol is an example. Most would come from the 1930’s thru the 1970’s. Also anything related to cod-liver oil and WEIGHT-LOSS, REDUCING, ANTI-FAT, and OBESITY ITEMS. To reply, click here .

 

Early tin signs lithographed by Tuchfarber, Wells and Hope, Worcester Sign Company, Sentenne and Green, etc. I can pay more for good condition, but would be interested in any condition. Don Lurito  [email protected] also in the directory. To reply, click here .

 

Dwinell-Wright Co. Royal Ground Spice Cardboard Spice Boxes. One side displays horizontally. Approximately 3.75" by 2.25". Any type of spice is OK. To reply, click here .

 

ENSIGN Perfect and ENSIGN Perfection vertical pocket tobacco tins to enhance my collection. Feel free to contact me at 614-888-4619 or [email protected] to see if you can help fill the voids.

 

Ice Cream Advertising.  Mr. Ice Cream desires better ice cream advertising including: postcards, trade cards, letterheads, billheads, booklets, poster stamps, blotters, magic lantern slides, pinbacks, watchfobs and pocket mirrors. Allen Mellis, 1115 West Montana St. Chicago, Illinois 60614-2220.  [email protected] . To reply, click here .

 

Empty tin cans (new) to place vintage labels on. Different sizes preferred. Do you know of a source where these can be purchased in volume? To reply, click here .

 

Tall 1 lb. Mallard Coffee Can - Shows duck taking off. To reply, click here .

 

Chewing gum packs, sticks, wrappers, full boxes, lifesavers, candy bar wrappers, displays, and boxes.  Anything candy related. To reply, click here . 

 

Pre-1900 advertising items related to: barbed wire, farm fence gates, tools for erecting or mending wire fences, and farm fences. Only primary material please--no ads from newspapers, etc. Larry W. Love. To reply, click here .

 

Armour Foods Signs, Cardboards, Store Displays, Die-Cuts Wanted. To reply, click here .

 

Cigar advertising tip trays, pinbacks, or any unusual cigar advertising items. Harry Cohn: To reply, click here .

 

Walt Foster Art Books Store Floor Rack:  To reply, click here :

 

JG Flynt Sir Walter Raleigh Pocket Tin:  To reply, click here .

 

Vintage Photos of General Stores or Soda Fountains . Authentic 1890-1930 examples only--no modern reprints please. Mounted photo or RPPC. Interior or exterior. Send scan. To reply, click here .

 

Firecracker Packs:  Collector buying all old fireworks-packs, boxes, advertising, whatever. To reply, call 931-237-3646 or click here .

 

Lefkowitz & Sons Company Soda Fountain Collectables:  I am seeking any soda fountain product or equipment labeled "Lefkowitz".  To reply click here . 

 

Posters of Beautiful Women or Children Advertising a Drug Store or Country Store Product.  Pre-1930. Preferable with product shown in image. Original frame and good condition a plus--also NOS country store or drug store products, advertising of any kind, or any product with great graphics and full of contents a plus. To reply, click here .

 

Spice Tins WANTED!!   Hard core collector looking for brands I don't have and upgrades for ones I do have. Looking for good old spice tins with pictures. Birds, people, trains, etc. I have a few traders but mainly a buyer. To reply, click here . 

 

Minnesota Brewery Items including Hamm's, Grain Belt, Fitgers, Gluek and others. Also collect rare Minnesota advertising pieces. To reply, click here .

 

Vintage Baseball/Football Cards:  Pre-1970 Only To reply, click here .

 

Clicquot Club:  Lighted Clicquot Club advertising clock made by Telechron and Telechron lighted advertising clock.  To reply, click here .

 

Yellow Kid Wanted:  The more unusual,the better. To reply, click here .

 

Harvard Brewing Signs/Lithographs:  To reply, click here . 

 

Ivanhoe Pencil Tin:  Fair price and also finder's fee paid. Approx 1" diam, 9" long, blue in color, round, with picture of Ivanhoe on horseback. To reply, click here .

 

Noaker Ice Cream Company Canton, Ohio : 13" Round ice cream tray from "the Noaker Ice Cream Company Canton, Ohio" in good or better condition. It has the boy & girl eating ice cream on the front. To reply, click here .

 

B.T. Babbit Soap Advertisement Posters:  See Antique Advertising Encyclopedia (Vol. II) by Klug page 54 and 55. Condition is very important. To reply, click here .

 

DeLaval:  Tin advertising, give-aways and other collectibles produced by the company. To reply, click here .

 

Edmands Coffee Company, Edmands Tea Company, 1776 Coffee, American Beauty Tea, Japan Tea, Devonshire Tea, (imported by Edmands, Boston/Chicago):  Any items such as tins, signs, paper, or anything else related to the Edmands family of companies in Boston is desired. To reply, click here .

 

Heathman Bakery, Dayton, Ohio:  Interested in any items related to this business. To reply, click here .

 

Indianapolis Brewing Company Ephemera: Circa 1920. Specifically looking for signed documents. To reply, click here .

The AAAA Checkerboard is a monthly e-newsletter that is made available to all AAAA members at no cost. The mission of the Checkerboard is to increase knowledge about antique and collectible advertising among AAAA members. The Checkerboard also provides news and updates about AAAA. It is produced each month with the exception of the four months per year when the award-winning PastTimes print newsletter is published. Paul Lefkovitz ( [email protected] ) serves as Editor of the AAAA Checkerboard. Copyright, 2017, Antique Advertising Association of America