- 2021 Convention has been Cancelled due to Sale of Hotel: Exciting Virtual Convention will be Held
- Virtual Room Hopping: Sellers Being Recruited
- Matchbook Holders with Alcohol Advertising
- Fun Find: Penzoil Signs
- Another Fun Find: A Charming "Young Lad"
- Tulsa Bottle and Advertising Show: June 26
- Successful Spring Event for the Indy Ad Show
- Value Guide Series: Oval Small Top Talcum & Powder Tins
- The Food that Built America
- New Shop Features Vintage Advertising
- Seeking Flint Grey Salesman Sample Basin Purchaser
- Wanted Items
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Convention CANCELLED Due to Sale of Hotel: Exciting Virtual Convention will be Held |
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The AAAA Board of Directors had been moving forward with plans for our 2021 Summer Convention in Reading. Unfortunately, we were notified on April 28 by the Crowne Plaza Reading that the hotel was being sold to a new owner and will soon be undergoing substantial physical and other changes. Current management was unable to assure our arrangements will still be possible under the new ownership. The AAAA Board felt there was insufficient time to start from scratch in locating, contracting with and planning with a new hotel.
Consequently, the AAAA Board made the difficult decision to cancel our in-person 2021 Convention and hold a FREE virtual event instead. We deeply regret not holding our in-person event in 2021. However the Board unanimously felt moving forward in the face of such news was not supportable.
Please know that our 2022 Summer Convention at the Embassy Suites in Columbus (Dublin), Ohio will take place as planned on July 13-16, 2022.
Our revised 2021 plan is to hold a lively and memorable Virtual Convention on Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25. On July 24, a Virtual meeting for AAAA members only will take place on the Zoom platform from 1:00 pm-5:00 pm ET. "Room Hopping" (sales of vintage advertising) will commence at 5:00 pm ET on the AAAA web site (www.pastimes.org/roomhopping) . Room Hopping for AAAA members will continue on Sunday, July 25 and remain open until 6:00 pm ET, Saturday, July 31. On July 25 at 8:00 am ET, Room Hopping will be opened up to a national audience.
Here is the Virtual Convention schedule (subject to change):
Saturday, July 24, 2021
All Times are Eastern Time (ET)
- 12:30 pm Login to Zoom Meeting (The link will be emailed to all AAAA members prior to the meeting)
- 1:00 pm Live Room Hopping: Selected sellers will present items available for purchase
- 1:45 pm Tour of Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor & Museum, Columbus, Indiana. Conducted by Debra Slone
- 2:15 pm Break-Out Discussions
- 3:00 pm Break
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3:15 pm Seminar: "Trade Cards: Exploring the Roots of Pop Culture in Advertising". Presented by John Kemler and Alice Muncaster
- 4:00 pm Membership/Business Meeting: Learn about the current status of AAAA and provide input into the future.
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4:30 pm Raffles: $2,000 in cash prizes (eBay gift certificates) will be awarded. $50 prizes, $100 prizes, and a Grand Prize of $250! No purchase required. You must be present to win.
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5:00 pm Convention ends and Room Hopping commences (for AAAA members only) at: www.pastimes.org/roomhopping.
Sunday, July 25, 2021
- 8:00 am Room Hopping continues for AAAA members and, at that time, also opens up to a national audience. Room Hopping will continue until 6:00 pm, Saturday, July 31.
An email with the link to log on to the Zoom Meeting will be sent to all AAAA members prior on the morning of Friday, July 23 and again on the morning of Saturday, July 24.
Watch for emails in the coming weeks that will provide more details about the exciting Virtual Convention events!
New to Zoom? We will be conducting several orientation/training sessions for those unfamiliar with the technology. You can do it! Scheduled dates and times will be announced soon.
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10 Reasons to participate in this "must attend" event!
- It is FREE
- Buy and sell great antique advertising items with no commissions, fees, or any other expenses
- Visit with old AAAA buddies
- Make new acquaintances who have common collecting interests
- Get an "up close and personal" tour of Zaharakos Soda Fountain and Museum in Columbus, Indiana--this is one of the most highly regarded collections in the US
- Learn about the beauty and history of Victorian Trade Cards in an enjoyable seminar
- Participate in discussions about AAAA's plans for the future and have an opportunity to suggest ideas of your own
- Despite COVID-19, we have not been defeated!
- Do all of this in the comfort of your own home
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And last but certainly not least: One of the best AAAA Convention Raffles EVER! $2,000 in cash prizes (eBay gift certificates) will be awarded with $50 prizes, $100 prizes and a Grand Prize of $250! Books and antique publication subscriptions will also be awarded. No purchase required. Each member will be provided with one free raffle ticket. You must be present to win.
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We hope to see you there! If you have any questions about the 2021 Virtual Convention, please contact Paul Lefkovitz at [email protected] or 317-594-0658.
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"Virtual Room Hopping": Sellers Being Recruited |
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"Virtual Room Hopping" will once again be featured in our upcoming Virtual Convention. It will be conveniently available on the AAAA web site at www.pastimes.org/roomhopping. No Zoom will be involved! An image of last Winter's Room Hopping web page appears to the right.
Thousands of examples of antique and collectable advertising will be offered for sale by numerous dealers from across the US. This popular Convention event will commence at the conclusion of the Zoom Convention Meeting, approximately 5:00 pm ET on Saturday, July 24 and will run continuously through 6:00 pm ET, Saturday, July 31.
We invite all AAAA members to be involved as sellers. There are no commissions, fees, or any other expenses involved in participating. All your sales will be pure profit! Whether you want to list just one piece or a large selection of items, this is a rare sales and special opportunity.
To be a seller, please click here at your earliest convenience to provide your name and contact information. We will then provide you with further details. |
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Matchbook Holders with Alcohol Advertising
By Andy Denes
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In the November 2020 issue of the Checkerboard, I wrote an article, “Matchbook Holders with Cigar Advertising.” I made general comments about matchbook holders (mbh) that do not need repeating now.
While cigar advertising is the most common type of ad that I have found on mbh, alcohol-related ads come in second place. While dating these items is possible by reference to external data (i.e., when a company started or closed, etc.), dating these to pre-Prohibition, Prohibition, and post-Prohibition can also be approximated by reference to the generations of mbh that I outlined in November. The usual sub-categories of alcoholic beverage manufacturers can be found among the mbh including whiskey, wine, beer, and near beer. There are also saloons and night clubs, retailers, and distributors represented. Many advertisers made repeat orders of mbh with different designs, attesting to the perceived effectiveness of this advertising medium.
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Among the first generation of mbh, those citing the 1904 A.R.T. Mfg. Co. patent, the most colorful (although battered) is a lithographed metal mbh advertising Benedictine (image below). Very few mbh were lithographed, with most mbh die-stamped (image below). |
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The Benedictine distillery would also commission a die-stamped mbh, which can be found in gun-metal and japanned finishes. (image below) |
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Hanley’s Peerless Ale can be found in two nickel-plated brass designs, and Moet & Chandon commissioned mbh to introduce their agents (images below). |
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The Kessler design comes in two variants with two different mbh manufacturers’ imprints. George A. Kessler, known as the “Champagne King, would survive the sinking of the Lusitania, and founded a charity for blinded servicemen with Helen Keller. [Apparently unrelated to the Indiana distillery’s Julius Kessler.] |
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Gerhard Lang Brewery, Hinckel’s Ale, Tramrick Rye, Bergner & Engel Brewing, Burlington Rye, and Rose’s Forefather Corn Whiskey were all represented among A.R.T. mbh (images below). |
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Slightly later are these two leather mbh, conforming to a 1910 patent (images below). |
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A 1912 patent covered these mbh for Burke’s Irish Whiskey (image left) Dubonnet, and Old Taylor (images below), with celluloid inserts. |
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Probably later still are mbh for Clyde Lester’s Star Liquor Store (c. 1913) and Leinenweber’s Saloon. (c. 1914-17) (images below). |
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The mbh that appears to the left and below is the only example, alcohol-related or otherwise, of the patented “Ford Book Match Safety Case, Newark, N. J” that I have ever seen. There are 1916 and 1917 versions of this patent, and I’m not sure which one this follows.
In any case, it may be the rarest item in my collection. The particular design of the thumbpieced flap on the front of the mbh kept sparks from igniting the other matchsticks in the matchbook.
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E. LaMontagne’s Sons of New York (also, Chicago, New Orleans, Cleveland, and France) advertised Williams & Sons Scotch and Power & Son Irish whiskies on the mbh. A page from a 1916 premium book that they distributed shows they were also associated with Gordon Gin (image right).
From an auction listing for an 1834 bottle of cognac: “E. La Montagne's Sons was a big American importer of wines & spirits, ran by the for [sic] La Montagne brothers. They were (among many other spirit brands) the agents for Jules Robin in the USA before Prohibition. During Prohibition they ran a bootlegging operation for which all four brothers were caught and trialed [sic] under the Volstead Act. That also appears to have been the end of the company as the name didn't resurface after Prohibition had ended.”
According to a 1923 article in The Literary Digest, they refused to cooperate with the authorities to implicate others, tried to have their sentence reduced to a fine due to their “social prominence,” but went to jail, nonetheless.
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During Prohibition, John Trommer lent money to finance some 950 hot dog stands, which were required to sell his White Label near beer. The Louie-Louie Grill may have been one of these hot dog stands.
The one-piece mbh shown to the left (most have a front piece, a back piece, and a connecting hinge) is based on a 1917 patent.
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When Prohibition ended, and after the introduction of plastic mbh into the mix (mid-30s), the Seagram’s company ordered a variety of black or white mbh, made by the Neva-Clog company, that advertised different Seagram’s products on the back. There are also minor varieties with different fonts. Several varieties are shown below. Mbh were a sideline for Neva-Clog; their main product was a line of stationery staplers that “never clogged.” Other alcohol companies employed the Neva-Clog mbh. [Note: Julius Kessler, not George] |
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There are at least 3 different types of plastic mbh made by other companies in the 30s and 40s with alcohol-related ads (images below). The Frederick’s Brewing mbh, made by the Lee Case Co., accommodated 2 matchbooks, and the Dotoli and Chief Oshkosh Beer examples represent 2 different styles made by Beacon Products Corp. of Boston. |
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With the advent of vinyl in the 40s, ad companies began producing vinyl mbh in the 50s and into the late 60s (images below). |
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Fun Find: Penzoil Signs
Story and Photographs By Richard Cook
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During a recent camping trip, I stumbled upon a business called Rustic Steel Creations in Tampa, Florida, where an artist named Dominique Martinez creates steel sculptures out of scrap metal.
One of those sculptures is a life-size bison that stands tall on the front lawn of the business. Upon close examination of this creation, I noticed a pair of vintage Pennzoil advertising signs welded onto the left front leg of the bison.
The moral of the story is that antique advertising truly is art!
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Another Fun Find: A Charming "Young Lad" |
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Robert and Mary Ann Ray recently added an utterly charming vintage boy mannequin (images below) to the outstanding general store in their home.
Robert graciously shared the following details:
He was standing on a table that was on top of another table in the an antique shop when we saw him. I asked to have him taken down to look at him. He did not have any broken fingers which is hard to come by. As I checked him out, I turned his hand and it fell off. I tried to catch it but couldn't and it fell to the floor. No broken fingers! I asked the shop owner to undress him for inspection and, as he took off an arm, he dropped it! Still no damage! lol.
He came with the hat, shirt, pants and shoes. No hair. How many people have an extra boy mannequin wig just sitting in a drawer? Probably not many, but we did! We found him a pair of socks and got the one on the outstretched foot with no problem. We didn't think about the rod in the back of the other leg. Mary Ann cut the sock down the back, got it on and then stitched it up in place.
We tried to figure out what we could do with the way his hand was posed. I decided it was just right for a yo-yo. I found the vintage metal Buster Brown yo-yo on eBay.
We have him situated so that he is entertaining our smaller Buster Brown kids.
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Tulsa Antique Advertising and Bottle Show: June 26 |
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The Tulsa Antiques and Bottle Club will be conducting its 43rd Annual Antique Advertising and Bottle Show on Saturday, June 26, 2021 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Tulsa Flea Market, River Spirit Expo, Tulsa Fairgrounds (21st and Yale). Free admission and parking. The Show is located right behind the Golden Driller at 21st Street and Pittsburgh Avenue. For easiest access, attendees should park on the north side of the building. |
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Attendees will be treated to 250+ tables of vintage advertising, signs, bottles, jars, paper items, relics country store, general store, drug store, saloon, oil & gas, veterinary, soda fountain, toys, etc. Dealers from 15 states will be exhibiting! This is one of America's best shows for painted label soda bottles.
This show is held in conjunction with the Tulsa Flea market, which includes an additional 800 tables of antiques and collectable items.
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All attendees must observe current Tulsa County COVID-19 protocols. Check the Tulsa Flea Market website to see what, if any requirements are in place.
This is a highly enjoyable show with a wonderful array of vintage advertising at all price points. The show continues to grow in size and national stature as a major event in the world of vintage advertising. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely check it out!
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Successful Spring Event for the Indy Ad Show |
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The Indy Ad Show returned to the Boone County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Indiana on April 30-May 1 for another successful event. Prior to the opening of the show Friday morning, buyers were reportedly "lined up in their cars all the way to the expressway" (which was quite a distance!). The crowd was indeed impressive and the show was quite busy even on its second day, surpassing typical patterns.
The number and quality of dealers was equally as impressive. Beautiful displays of rare and desirable vintage advertising abounded in all of the buildings. A diverse array of genres was represented including signs, soda, gas & oil, general store, drug store, tobacco, food products, breweriana, ephemera, and pretty much every other collecting category related to advertising.
Most dealers were in high spirits and some even said it was their best show yet. Shoppers with boxes and bags filled with new acquisitions continued to stalk the aisles in search of more treasures.
Auctions took place both on Friday and on Saturday.
The next installment of the Indy Ad Show, presented by Route 32 Auctions, will take place on September 24-25, 2021.
The images below attest to the diversity and quality of the items available at this show.
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AAAA Value Guide Series: Oval Small Top Talcum & Powder Tins |
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As recently announced, the AAAA Checkerboard is running a new series of value guides that have been published by AAAA in years past.
These reprinted articles, although dated, still provide a wealth of information about the identification and valuation of vintage tins.
This month's value guide illuminates the area of Oval Small Top Talcum & Powder Tins. This article originally appeared in the Volume 4 #6 issue of PastTimes in 1995.
Click here to upload this value guide to view or print it.
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The Food that Built America |
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Are you interested in vintage food-related advertising memorabilia? If so, there is a television series you must watch: The Food that Built America. This series is produced by the History Channel and is also available on Amazon Prime. First introduced in 2019, the series now includes 14 exciting one-hour episodes. It is still in production.
The Food that Built America brings to life the surprisingly dramatic, complex, and often treacherous stories of the major companies behind the iconic food brands of the past and present. Names such as Heinz, Kellogg's, Hershey, Coca Cola, Kraft, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and many others are chronicled.
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The production value of the series is very high. The critical events in the histories of these companies are presented with believable sets, good acting, and decent plot development. Period images of people and factories are presented as well as representations of early products and advertising. For the vintage food advertising aficionado, there is a great deal to enjoy, marvel at and learn. |
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New Shop Features Vintage Advertising |
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Greg and Anne Rosenak recently opened up a bricks-and-mortar antique shop in Peoria, Illinois. These popular dealers are well-known from their visible presence in major antique malls and shows for years. They recently decided that they wanted a place of their own and took the plunge in opening up Anne's Anteex, located at 603 W. Lake Avenue in Peoria, Illinois 61614.
While they carry a general line of antiques, such as furniture, their love for vintage advertising immediately becomes apparent as soon as you enter the store. Quality antique and collectible advertising can be found everywhere, including many hard-to-find examples.
They report that they are doing very well in their new venture and are pleased they made the move. They are open from 11:00 AM-5:00 PM, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and also by chance or appointment. In addition to operating this new store, they will continue to be present on the antique show circuit, such as the Indy Ad Show.
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Seeking Flint Grey Salesman Sample Basin Purchaser |
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One of the sellers in our 2021 Virtual Retreat this past January is seeking the person who purchased a Flint Grey salesman sample basin. If you are that person, please click here and provide your name and contact information in order to complete the transaction.
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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.
Antique Advertising pertaining to Country Store or Drug Store Products or Places. Especially those showing Women or Girls with the product or location shown. I would consider any Antique Advertising (paper, cardboard & metal Signs). Quality a plus! Dale Peterson at [email protected]
Wanted top condition: Hard A Port small top tobacco tin; Convention Hall 1 lb coffee tin (green or yellow); Army Navy coffee slip lid canister; Big Horn 1 lb coffee tin; Continental Cubes medium size kidney shape tobacco tin.
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.
Banjo related advertising wanted Pre-1940s. Long time collector buying banjo company signage, catalogs, billheads, periodicals, minstrel banjo items such as posters, broadsides, sheet music ( pre-1870s ) with illustrated banjo covers, early photographs showing banjo players (pre-1915). My main collecting interest is in 19th century material. To reply, click here.
Antique American Medicine Bottles by M. Knapp... soft cover book with price guide. Printed in 2012. [email protected] or 781-248-8620 also, see my other want ad for Clarke’s ephemera and bottles.
Looking for 3 Vintage Tins: American Eagle "Oriental Mixture" tobacco (dimensions approx. 6.5" long, 2 3/4" wide, 1.5" tall); 1 Gal. Indian Head Hydraulic Brake Fluid; and Packham´s Caramel Toffee. Any offer is welcome and any condition considered. To reply, click here.
Morton Salt, older items, and also Pacific Coast Borax, especially a crate or box. email [email protected] or call Peggy Dailey 612-522-9211
Comic Book-Related Advertising Items: Must be from before 1980. To reply, click here.
Clarke’s Vegetable Sherry Wine Bitters, Sharon, MA & Rockland, ME: All sizes, variants, smooth/pontil base. Especially need labeled Clarke’s any size! Also, any Clarke’s ephemera…trade cards, almanacs, newspaper ads, etc. Charlie Martin Jr., 781-248-8620. Email: [email protected]
George Petty: Advanced collector looking for unique or rare items. Photo’s, store displays and non paper items. NO Esquire pages. Pete Perrault. To reply, click here or call (502) 290-7661.
Ice Cream Advertising: Mr. Ice Cream desires better graphic ice cream advertising including: postcards (Advertising and RPPC), trade cards, letterheads, billheads, booklets, poster stamps, blotters, magic lantern slides, pinbacks, watchfobs, and pocket mirrors. Allan Mellis, 1115 West Montana St. Chicago, Illinois 60614-2220. [email protected] To reply, click here.
Stock food, poultry food, veterinary advertising wanted. Posters, medicine packages, give-aways. Email [email protected] or call (256) 520-5211.
Singer Sewhandy Model 20-Green-regular paint, not hammertone. To reply, click here.
National Biscuit Company, Nabisco, Uneeda Biscuit, Uneeda Bakers, Muth Bakery, NBC Bread toys, signage, tins, containers, displays, historical items. Please Email [email protected] or call (937) 205-2232.
Early Cigarette Rolling Papers: Pre-1940’s - American, Zig Zag, Braunstein Freres, Bambino, and Ottoman papers wanted. 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.
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.
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.
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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 the Editor of the AAAA Checkerboard. Copyright 2021, Antique Advertising Association of America
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