Checkerboard

October, 2018

In This Issue

AAAA is very pleased to announce that Pastimes, our glossy, hard-copy quarterly newsletter will be expanding from 8 pages to 12 pages, commencing with the upcoming December, 2018 issue. There will be no additional advertising in the 4 new pages. We are excited about having this broader platform to feature wonderful articles about topics of interest to our readers. We hope this expanded member benefit will further enhance your satisfaction with being a part of AAAA.

If you have any interest in writing an article for PastTimes or want to share any ideas or comments regarding the expanded 4 pages, please click here.

By Paul Lefkovitz

And sometimes new purposes arise, as in “repurposing”.  Repurposing is a decorating concept that has become quite popular in recent years. It involves modifying a vintage item in some creative or artistic way so as to alter its appearance or function and bring about a new use. Some traditional lovers of antiquity, however, tend to cast a wary eye upon the practice. This is particularly true when the original character or identity of a desirable item is irretrievably lost.

I was recently exposed to an example of “repurposing” that even the most ardent critic of the practice would approve. I attended the wedding of the son of a very dear cousin of mine in Toronto, Canada. Dominating almost an entire wall of one of the rooms in the charming 6 ^th floor event center was a massive painted brick wall sign advertising the F.C. Burroughes Company. Wedding revelers danced the night away in front of that sign and many stopped to take memorable photos with it in the background.  The painted brick sign appears to the right.

It turns out that the event center is part of a complex that once housed the F. C. Burroughes Furniture Company. The interior wall with the imposing sign was once the exterior brick wall of the F.C. Burroughs building.  The building, constructed in 1907, featured a mammoth sign painted on its exterior side wall proudly declaring this building to be the home of "F. C. Burroughs Furniture Co. Limited, Linoleum, Carpets, Bedding, Stoves, Furniture, and Crockery". Illustrated to the left is an ad that ran in the February 15, 1907 issue of The Toronto Daily Star, inviting the public to its grand opening. Prominently displayed in the ad is that same massive painted brick wall sign.

This sign was created generations ago to promote a prominent Toronto establishment. Over 100 years later, still grand in stature and bursting with charm, it has been “repurposed” into a backdrop for meaningful and unforgettable life events. The sign (at least most of it) is now protected from the elements and is preserved for future generations to enjoy. A second act and a fitting one indeed. 

The year was 1856, on the 5th day of September, when the Steamboat Arabia tragically sank in the Missouri River, near present-day Kansas City. Within its bowels were 200 tons of cargo, destined for the general stores of the central plains. This side wheeler vessel lay hidden 45 feet beneath a farmer's field for 132 years, until determined treasure hunters succeeded in locating it in 1988.

The mud entombing the ship was such an effective preserver that its contents remained in almost pristine condition. Jars with food items were reportedly even still edible!

Moved by the vast scope and importance of their find, the treasure hunters found themselves transformed into archaeologists and then preservationists. Instead of selling off their booty, they kept the collection of 100's of thousands of items intact and established the Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City. The museum is open to the public. Click here for further information and plan a visit there!

The story of the ship's history and discovery is fascinating. For more details, click here.

The images presented below feature some of the incredible items salvaged from the ship that are displayed in the museum.

You may not know this but long-time AAAA member Jerry Spillman is an accomplished, published author. In addition to his passion for antique advertising, he is quite the aficionado on early baseball cards and US currency. He wrote several excellent and informative articles, one of which has a definite overlap with antique advertising. These articles, which appeared in national commercial publications, are scholarly, well researched, and chock full of detailed information. Please read further for a brief summary of each article, photos, and a link to the complete article.

Baseball Currency

 

This article, which was published in the April, 2018 issue of Beckett Vintage Collector, recounts a fascinating facet of the trade card craze of the 1880’s. Commencing in 1887, advertising notes were printed to appear as real money, reflecting the same designs used on the National Bank Notes circulating at the time. Only these notes weren’t legal tender---they promoted local businesses of all types. It is said that they were scattered about on the street, tempting people to grab them up and then see their advertising messages. Click here to read the complete article. 

19th Century Tobacco/Cigarette Packaging and Related Insert Baseball Cards

This article offers a glimpse into the origins of card collecting and the tobacco companies that were involved in its genesis. The article was published in the November, 2017 issue of the Beckett Vintage Collector.  Click here to read Jerry’s complete article.  

Sporting Life Cabinets 

Sporting Life newspaper introduced a new promotional campaign in their October 11, 1902 issue: cabinet cards of “celebrated base ball players”. For six cents plus a coupon clipped from the publication, a card could be ordered from a list of 37 players. Simultaneously, the company also introduced a series of hand-colored 1 ½ by 2 5/8 inch using the same player images used on the cabinet cards. This article provides a well-researched overview of these scarce baseball cards. Click here to read the complete article. 

1908-1909 Rose Company Postcards

The Rose Company of Philadelphia, PA was a manufacturer of post cards in the early 20 ^th century. They issued a short run of postcards featuring baseball players from August, 1908 until the fall of 1909. The artistic design of these baseball postcards has been acclaimed as one of the most attractive ever made. This article provides the history of this baseball card issue and features photos of many of these gorgeous works of art.  This article was published in the August, 2017 issue of Beckett Vintage Collector. To read the complete article, click here .

Babe Ruth’s Called Shot Revisited

This article provides a detailed account of Babe Ruth’s famous “called shot”. The article even provides a link to a recording of the play-by-play commentary. This article was published October, 2015 in the Old Cardboard website.  Click here to read Jerry's complete article.

The Indy Ad Show conducted its third event under the new ownership of Nona and Mark Wilson September 22-23, 2018. The show was a buyer's delight as tens of thousands of high quality items were available for sale. Although rare and highly desirable items were there in abundance, all price points were represented. There was something available for everybody and most attendees could be seen lovingly carting around their new acquisitions.

There was something particularly special about this show. Both dealers and buyers seemed more relaxed and collegial than you see at many shows, where people are typically rushing past booths in search of that elusive "grand prize". Perhaps the group is settling in to the new location. At any rate, more people seemed to be unabashedly exclaiming how much fun they had. Smiles abounded as people looked around, made purchases, and formed new relationships.

Most dealers expressed satisfaction with how they did in terms of sales. The fact that there were 300 dealers present made the environment somewhat competitive. However, some observed that those dealers with competitive pricing had no problems making sales. Dealers were very vocal about how much they have enjoyed working with the new owners, who are described as flexible, friendly, and collaborative.

Once again, buyers and dealers alike expressed delight with the new location at the Boone County Fairgrounds. It was very chilly on Saturday but Sunday was pleasant and people could be seen comfortably strolling from building to building through the spacious campus.

The Indy Ad Show is actually only one component of the Boone County Treasure Hunt experience which also included a general-line Antique Show, Gas and Oil show, and an Antique Advertising Auction conducted by 326 Auctions. The Antique Show and the Gas and Oil Show were also great fun to shop with a diverse array of quality items. The auction was standing room only and featured high quality items that sold well. All components of this vintage extravaganza complemented one another nicely.

The $8.00 admission fee ($10 for both days) covers all three shows and represents an unbelievable bargain. If you have not attended this show because you do not live in the area, give serious thought to going to the next show in the spring. Whether you live on the East Coast, West Coast or anywhere in between, this show is worth traveling to! If you take your time visiting the 300 booths, talking to the dealers, and attending the auction Saturday night, you will have no trouble occupying the entire weekend with fellow collectors and wonderful treasures that you can add to your collection.

The next show will take place May 4-5, 2019. Click here for further information or to purchase advance tickets. This world-class show promises to once again be a must-attend event for any collector or lover of antique advertising.

The November 2018 Chicagoland Antique Advertising, Slot Machine & Jukebox Show is on the move! Now in its 39th year, the long-running show is moving to a bigger location. After much searching in the Chicago area for a large enough venue, Tilt Promotions is happy to announce that the November 16-18, 2018 Chicagoland Show will be the first at its new home at the Lake County Fairgrounds Event Center in Grayslake, IL – just 4 miles off I-94 at the Buckley Rd/IL 137 exit. 

Compared to other locations considered, the Lake County Fairgrounds Event Center had many more benefits for the show, including a huge, modern, indoor 62,000+ square foot event center – all dealers will be in the same building - a large, free parking lot, plus a convenient location in the Northern suburbs of Chicago. There is also complimentary wifi throughout the building, as well as the Farmstand Eatery, which offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch options.

For those visitors coming from out of town, the Lake County Fairgrounds is located between Chicago and Milwaukee, with easy access to both Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport. It is also ¼ mile from the Prairie Crossing commuter rail station in Grayslake. In addition, there are many hotels within a 5-mile radius to choose from. The show will be held on Saturday, November 17 (9:30am-5:00pm) and Sunday, November 18 (9:00am-2:30pm) - $7/day per adult – kids are free! Dealer set up and preview is on Friday, November 16 (Dealer preview 3-day passes are $50/adult).

You will see all the high quality, unique antique advertising items that you have come to expect at the Chicagoland Show including soda machines & signs, displays, country store items, tin signs, porcelain signs, petroliana, and breweriana. In addition, there will be jukeboxes, slot machines, arcade games, pinball machines, and so much more. Same great show, great new location!

For more information, please call 815-353-1593 or click on one of the following links:



www.chicagolandshow.com

www.facebook.com/ChicagolandCoinOpShow .

The latest installment in the long line of Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price Guides has been released--the 2019 edition. The following information is quoted from the Kovels' web site:

"The Kovels are the most trusted source for both the casual and the expert collector. With 16,000 actual prices and 2,500 full color photographs, the guide also features exceptionally well-organized, wide-ranging, up-to-the-minute information, and includes more tips, marks, logos, and photographs than any other competitive title. Kovels' is the only guide with prices based on actual sales from the previous calendar year, never estimates. Unlike other guides, which focus almost exclusively on English or high-priced items, Kovels' covers all American and international items. The book is organized by categories most sought-after by collectors, including Depression Glass, Dolls, Jewelry, Furniture, Porcelain, and Sports Memorabilia. Indexes, cross-references, and expert commentary throughout empower readers to collect with confidence and price their own antiques."

This volume is available from Amazon and other major outlets.

By Dale Peterson

I found a Seely’s Flavoring Extract’s wooden display rack (see photos to the right and below). However, I can't quite figure out how it was used. There is no place for shelves to hold a product--just horizontal slats with groves in the tops and bottoms for perhaps a card or “edge” of something to slip into above and below each horizontal piece. 

Overall, the display is 30” tall & 18” wide. Below the marquee, from side to side, are 9 horizontal slats, each about 1” wide with another slat about ½” wide affixed the front of the 1” slat. On the top of the front piece of horizontal slat there is a grove on the bottom edge where the ½” slat sits on the 1” slat. On the bottom, most slats the groove is on the top edge and the 7 slats in between the top and the bottom have grooves on the top and bottom edge of each horizontal slat. It is as if there could be a flexible/bendable piece of cardboard or metal or something that would fit into the top and bottom edges of the slats/grooves for inserting advertising signs, product packets, price markers, visual graphics of a product, or ?? making a total of 8 horizontal rows for the cards, packets, or pictures of products or whatever used to be there. Any help in figuring out how this was used will be appreciated. Please call me at 918-341-5475 (leave a message) or text me at 918-693-1918 or email at [email protected] . Thanks!

Dan Mathews, a familiar auctioneer in the world of antique advertising, has embarked on a new venture. He recently announced the establishment of "The Authentication Company, LLC", nicknamed TAC (pronounced "tack"). TAC has been formed to mark and identify petroliana, automobilia and antique advertising items as a means for ensuring their originality and authenticity. The Authentication Company specializes in marking original period-correct items, to include signs, globes, cans, metal thermometers, displays and various other advertising items.

 

The company is the brainchild of two men: Dan Matthews (an auctioneer who specializes in petroliana and authored two books on the subject) and Joey Whiteside (a lifelong petroliana collector who specializes in advertising signs). The firm is headquartered in Nokomis and is on the Web at www.MatthewsTAC.com .

 

“TAC guarantees that all items that have been marked with our security holograms and serial numbers to be original and not reproductions,” explained Dan Matthews. “Items that are found to be authentic receive a specific TAC number for a specific item. No two items will have the same TAC number. All items with a TAC hologram and serial number will be stored in our database.”

October 25-27, 2018

Chupp Auctions

Shipshewana, IN

This 2000+ lot three day general antique auction includes advertising signs, gas pumps, petroliana, country store counters, display cases, other country store items, wagons, farm primitives, guns, salesman's samples, anvils, butter churns, and much more. For further information, go to AuctionZip.com (Auctioneer ID# 11841 or proxibid.com.

October 20-21, 2018

Morphy Auctions

Las Vegas, NV

This is a two day auction with over 1,100 lots. The first 493 lots feature gambling devices, trade simulators, coin-op, and vending machines. The other 653 lots include advertising signs, petroliana, barber memorabilia, soda fountain and soda pop, display cases, floor scales, ice cream, character collectibles, cigar cutters and lighters (large selection), cast iron stoves, pedal cars, and much more. For further information, go to: morphyauctions.com.

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.

Stock food, poultry food, veterinary advertising wanted.  Posters, medicine packages, give-aways. Email [email protected] or call (256) 520-5211.

White Plastic 7" Tall "Pole Sign" Thermometers advertising local/regional gasoline/oil/service station brands such as: SPEEDWAY 79; SUPER 98; TOPCO; ROCKET; HANCOCK; BELL; OKLAHOMA. NOT the major national brands like Texaco. Peter Capell. To reply, click here.

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.

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.

 

Continental Cubes Tobacco Tin: (Larger pocket tin....one size above the normal size pocket). Also large red 3 lb. Franklin coffee tin canister (Ben Franklin face). 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.

 

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 .

 

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

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 and the industry. 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 AAAA Publications Editor. Copyright, 2018, Antique Advertising Association of America. All rights reserved.