2021 AAAA Virtual Winter Retreat
Room Hopping
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Henry Tankersley
Phone: 918-663-3218
Central Time Zone
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About Me: My name is Henry Tankersley and have been a AAAA member since 1997. My collection began ten years earlier with a small sample tin of Dr. Hess Instant Louse Killer. This initiated a 35 year addiction, focused on early American drug store items. Thanks to Terry McMurray and many others, it has ballooned into a complete ca. 1910 drug store crammed into my small house. Having retired from banking in 2018, my decades long goal has been to create a drug store museum open to the public in an appropriate location. Covid has halted any progress in that regard for the last year. However, to this day that little louse killer tin remains part of my 3,000 piece collection. I also run the annual Tulsa Antique Advertising and Bottle Show held in Tulsa, Oklahoma each year in June. It is one of the top ten shows of its kind the country. Please check our website for information.
Prices include free shipping to the continental 48. Please direct inquiries to henrytankersley@gmail.com or (918) 663-3218 and let the phone ring several times. I don’t have a cell phone and am not equipped to accept payment by Paypal or debit/credit cards.
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Prices Below Include Free Shipping to the Continental 48 States
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SODA FOUNTAIN ITEMS
Coles milkshake mixer glasses
These hand cranked Coles milkshakers are often missing their milkshake glasses, or have ones that just don’t look right. I have found some that work very nicely. These are made of thick heavy glass, are tapered to fit perfectly into the caps and base, and are fairly tall, but look much better than the shorter ones that are often used. On my shaker the threaded brass top piece tightens down two full turns before the caps make contact with the glass tops. There are other types of hand crank milk shakers that use similar glasses, but I don’t know if these will fit them. To their outer edges, these measure 5 7/8” tall, 3 7/16” across the top and 2 3/8” across the base. The milk shaker itself is not for sale. It is pictured to show how the glasses look and fit. $50 per pair with free shipping
Ice Cream Cone Jar
This jar dates to around 1910-1920 and is super condition. It is complete, and comes with the correct pointed bottom cones. The jar itself has no chips or cracks and is very clean. The chromed surfaces are all clean and bright. The only wear is on the lid where there are a few barely noticeable scratches and five very tiny dents where it appears the lid was dropped onto the metal stem that runs inside the jar. This is a beautiful example that would look great in any collection. $425 with free shipping
Label Under Glass Soda Fountain Syrup Bottles
These two bottles date to around 1910. They are each about as nice as you could ever hope to find and come with original caps. The labels are crisp and near mint with no chips, cracks, fading, edge wear or lifting paint. The Orange Julep has a tiny bit of discoloration in a few spots of the gold border at the very edge of the label, and the Hires has some very small darkened spots, again only at the outermost edge of the label. The bottles themselves are excellent with no chips, cracks or damage of any kind. The Julep bottle has a slight interior haze from prior contents that may be cleanable. The Hires is nice and clean.
Orange Julep $850 with free shipping. Hires $950 with free shipping
Soda Fountain Straw Jars
These two straw jars are in great condition, with original old paper straws. The earlier (better) one dates to 1910-1920, has the deep cup for the straws, a nickel plated brass lid, and a solid brass ball at the top. The glass is excellent with no chips or cracks. This jar has seen use, and the many fingers touching it have worn through some areas of the thin nickel plating on the lid, giving the lid a bit of a golden luster and nice sheen. The jar with the shallow straw cup dates to 1920-1930. It shows virtually no wear to the nickel plated lid, but does have one tiny chip in the edge of the glass on one side. Otherwise it is clean and clear.
1910-1920 Deep Cup Jar $250 with free shipping
1920-1930 Shallow Cup Jar $150 with free shipping
New Old Stock Cast Iron Arcade Lemon Squeezer
This never used ca. 1900 lemon squeezer has not been restored in any way and retains its remarkable original sheen. The original wooden dome inside the squeezer which presses out the juice shows no staining or evidence of use, the porcelain insert is perfect, and the original rubber seal ring has not dried out or cracked. A great soda fountain/restaurant lemon squeezer in virtually perfect condition. The only other one I found in similar condition was priced at $225 on Ruby Lane. $85 with free shipping
Coca-Cola Pretzel Dish
This dish, dated 1935 and made of an aluminum Alloy by the Brunhoff Co., is in excellent condition. It has a perfect sheen and the bottle legs are perfect. It has been sparingly used and has light scratching on the interior along with a couple of flea sized dents. Its only flaw is that one of the hard rubber feet is missing. However these rubber feet are recessed into the bottom of the bottles and do not protrude, so it sits perfectly flat on its three bottles. A very clean and nice example. $225 with free shipping
Knapp’s Root Beer Extract Bottle With Box
This 1890’s extract bottle for making root beer at home has its original dried contents. The wrap around label has a tiny bit of chipping around its edges but displays near mint with great color and crisp detail. It was printed with a very light tan background color and is not age toned. The man, who resembles George Washington with his Revolutionary War three pointed hat, has a white suit and hair to offset the tan background color. The bottle is heavily embossed on the back with both “Knapp’s Root Beer Extract” and his image in an oval. The box is displayable but is missing its top and has light staining spots overall. This is a super example of one of the finest early root beer extract bottles. $65 with free shipping
Hires “Ugly Boy” Die Cut Easelback Standup Sign
This die cut easelback paperboard sign measures 6 ¾” x 5 1/8” and is copyright dated 1892. It displays as excellent+ with perfect original color and little wear. There is a small crease at the bottom next to the copyright date, and the tiniest bit of corner wear. The pointing finger was detached and reglued with just a small seam showing where it was re-attached. This card was in a trade card album and has some paper peel on its blank back side where it was glued in. The original easelback was missing and has been replaced with a new one, and it stands up perfectly. $55 post paid
Soda Fountain Glasses (Each is guaranteed old, authentic, and with its original etching.)
Welch’s Grape Juice. Etched, 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The glass is very thin on these very early straight sided glasses. The quality of the etching is superb with crisp detail in the cluster of grapes. The condition is mint and I have two of these. $50 each with free shipping
Welch’s Grape Juice. Same as the above, but without the world’s fair promo the lettering and grape cluster are each a bit larger. Also mint, I have four of these. It’s amazing to think in terms of today’s 32 oz. fountain drinks that these were considered a full serving at that time.
$35 each with free shipping
Julep. The Southern Fruit Julep Co. originated in Fort Worth, Texas and produced Orange Julep as well as Cherry, Grape, Strawberry, Lemon and Lime Julep. I have two versions of these bell shaped glasses, which were pictured on their 1920’s trays, signs, and calendars. The earlier etched ones date to the mid 1920’s and I acquired several in their original Julep shipping box. The second version is slightly later (late 20’s to early 30’s) and has what Petretti calls a baked on yellow “pebbly” lettering. I have three of these. Either type would greatly enhance one of their serving trays. All are $20 each with free shipping
CHEWING GUM ITEMS
Zeno Countertop Chewing Gum Cabinet
This is an original ca. 1910 Zeno cabinet that has been cleaned with lacquer thinner to remove old dirt and grunge. The oak and glass is all in excellent condition with very minor wear. The latch and hinges are original but the door has been replaced. It contains clear glass rather than the original mirror. There is no Zeno marquis, which may desirable for displaying items that are not gum related. It has all three fitted glass shelves, some of the glass has been replaced, and there is a fitted piece of green felt in the bottom. Not perfect, but displays very nicely and is reasonably priced. $325 with free shipping
Hickman’s Silver Birch Chewing Gum Display Box
This box, dated 1927, is in excellent condition with bright bold colors and displays perfectly. It comes complete with its outer cover/lid, also in very good condition. The fold up marquis is fully attached and is near mint. The upper right corner was smushed in a tiny bit at some point but retains its original shape and color and is barely noticeable. The remainder of the box is excellent, with a few small creases that are also barely noticeable. It came with one original gum pack, and the twelve packs included here are copies of that original pack. Carefully copied and assembled with new gum, each is dated 1927 and displays as mint. A really nice gum display available for a very reasonable price. $275 with free shipping
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OTHER ADVERTISING ITEMS
Carina Beauty Supreme Embossed/Debossed Cardboard Sign
This outstanding ca. 1910 sign measures 9” x 12” with an overall dimension of 14” x 16”. It is mounted in a nice period wood frame under glass, using a mirror as a backing board. It shows their products originating from London and Paris. It was meticulously made with the white outer edges of the sign and the white edge of the oval being clearly embossed, while the edges of all the white lettering have been very precisely cut into the sign, but not fully debossed. The condition is 9.9 and all features are extraordinarily clean and crisp. For those who collect cosmetic/talc/perfume items, this would be a sign to be proud of. I have two of these with the other one in an art deco type wooden frame. $225 with free shipping
Carvel Whiskey Reverse Glass Sign
This sign dates to the 1920’s-1930’s and measures 12” x 5”. The background color gradually transitions from a deep purple on the left to a bright cherry red on the right and is enhanced by bright gold lettering. In addition to being gold, the larger lettering and graphics are embossed to create a three dimensional look. The piece was found in its original shipping box and was never used. There were two identical examples in the box and one has already been sold. The sign retains its original hanging chain and displays as near mint. The only issues are a tiny chip on the lower right corner and some light paint lifting to the right of center portion of the sign. Since it is in the portion of the sign where the color transition is most apparent, the lifting is not distracting. The sign has its original thin vinyl backing which will keep all the paint and lettering in place. The back of the sign is dead mint and has its original manufacturers sticker attached. Although not quite as early or visually stunning as some reverse glass whiskey signs, this example won’t require a massive withdrawal from your retirement account. $225 with free shipping
Ovaltine Little Orphan Annie’s Treasure Hunt Game
Dated 1933, this unused game is in near mint condition. It is complete with its game pieces (small boats) which remain uncut, and its original shipping envelope. The only wear is a small area of paper chipping on the back of the game board, along the spine. The spinner works perfectly and the colors are absolutely mint. The shipping envelope is complete and in fair condition with a couple of tears and some paper chipping. The Ovaltine advertising is fairly subtle but is shown in several places around the board, including the spinner area and “The Ovaltine Way” box in the lower right corner. $75 with free shipping
Dr. Hobson’s Mosquito Cream Full Display Box
This 1930’s display contains 12 original product boxes, each containing a full tube of the cream. It has a distinctive art deco look. The lid folds back to form the marquis, which has light staining to the lower right corner, overall light wear, and a visible horizontal crease that goes about halfway across the image. This crease is clearly visible, but not distracting. The color on the marquis artwork is unfaded and perfect. Someone wrote 35 cents on the left of the marquis to show the original price of each individual box. The overall condition of the display box is very good to excellent and the product boxes are each near mint. Full display boxes are hard to find and this is a very nice one. $145 plus free shipping
Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company Die Cut Easelback Standup Hot Air Balloon Sign
The banner across the top of this 10¼” x 7” ca. 1900 cardboard die cut states “The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, The Largest Importers And Retailers In The World Of Teas And Coffees”. This company was part of the A&P grocery chain which later became the country’s largest grocery store operation. It shows a hot air balloon full of children who are sporting an American flag. It is in near mint condition with great color and virtually no wear on the front or back. Along the bottom edge there are two tiny repaired tears and a miniscule crease, all of which is virtually invisible from the front. The back is printed in blue with a picture of “grandmother” & lists the address of their New York headquarters plus more than 200 store locations across the U.S. The easel is present and it stands up nicely. $50 postpaid
Superior Condition Powders Box for Horses and Cattle
This nice early box has full contents and presents impressive graphics and fantastic colors all around. It measures 7” x 3 3/8” and the only condition issue is a small split at the very bottom of the front edge. Directions say 1½ tablespoons of the powder to each animal’s feed twice a day. $60 with free shipping
Four Eye Wash Cups
A matched set of four early 20th century eight panel eye wash cups in their four basic colors: Cobalt Blue, Green, Amber and Clear. They were all made from similar molds and are the same in size and shape. All are in excellent condition with the exception of a tiny crack at the edge of the base of the green example. For those who collect these, I have hundreds of additional examples in my collection (including white porcelain, milk glass, rare free blown, etc.) many of which are available for sale. $135 with free shipping
Murine Eye Remedy Booklet
The pages of this 16 page booklet, dated 1922, contain six beautifully printed full color images of men and women using Murine and/or participating in other activities (dancing, driving, having tea, etc.). It is in virtually mint condition with perfect color, no corner wear, and is a truly great piece of early ephemera. The only evidence of its age is some corrosion on the staples holding it together. $45 postpaid
Rubifoam Booklet
This 16 page booklet copyrighted 1891 is clean, bright and excellent with no corner wear. The only condition issue is a bit of corrosion on the staples and a bit of creasing along the spine, caused by the staples being there. This is about as nice an example as you could hope to find. $45 postpaid
Gold Dust Scouring Cleaner Canister
This Gold Dust canister dates to the 1930’s and is in excellent condition. The tin top and bottom are each clean and bright while the cardboard body shows light wear and slight soiling. The colors are bright and unfaded. It is not perfect but displays very nicely. $55 with free shipping
Osage Rub Label Under Glass Hair Tonic Bottle
This ca. 1910-1920 bottle is itself is clean, bright and excellent and appears unused. The cover glass on the label is also perfect with no chips or cracks. However the gold trim at the outer edge of the label shows wear and about 1/3 of it has flaked away. The body of the label also shows light discoloration in places and a few small areas of spotting. Most of this is on the left hand side of the label in the background area. The black lettering and graphics are all perfectly intact with no lifting or damage. These flaws are not that noticeable when looking at it on a shelf, but become apparent up close. $200 with free shipping
Sayman’s Orient Talcum Powder Jar with Box
This labeled bottle is in near mint condition with a nice bright cap and partial original contents. The label is clean bright and near perfect with the only issue being the tiniest bit of wear at the bottom edge. The box is decent, with light overall wear, a missing top and a water stain around the lower third of the box. This is not the rarest or most impressive talc, but is a very nice example. $65 with free shipping
Frescodor Talcum Tin
The scarce ca. 1910 Frescodor is one of just a few of the greatest talc tins, and this is an excellent example. The top, where wear Is most commonly found, grades about a 9 with only a slight bit of wear around the twist cap. The front grades an 8.5 to nine with light wear to the blue strip just below the cap and the tiniest bit of wear to the lettering. The back, which has the same image as the front, grades about an 8 with light overall wear. These have sold for over $500 in the past so this one is reasonably priced. It has a great overall sheen and will look fantastic on the shelf. $225 with free shipping.
Violette Exquisite Complexion Powder Box
This outstanding box measures 3” x 3” and is in near mint coition with full contents. The colors are bright and perfect with no soiling or fading. The lid has a small crease in the upper right corner and the sides have the tiniest paper chipping and wear on two corners. A great piece. $60 with free shipping
Sal Vet Lice Powder Canister
This cardboard cylinder has a tin top and bottom and carries a patent date of May 14, 1907. It is sealed, full, and for use on poultry. Its condition is very good with light dirt and a small dent in the cardboard on the back at the top. The tin top and bottom are each very clean. The colors are very good, although there might be the slightest even overall fade to the reddish orange. Not the most graphically beautiful of the antique lice powders, but I believe scarcer than many of the others. $35 with free shipping
ORIGINAL CIGARETTE PACK WRAPPERS
Each of these pack wrappers were carefully removed from their original packs and are clean, bright and excellent with perfect colors and no soiling. Any damage or wear is pointed out in the description.
Home Run Cigarettes Pack Wrapper
This 1921 Liggett & Myers wrapper has only a few fold marks along the bottom where it wrapped around the original pack, and a small piece of missing paper at the bottom edge. Wm. Morford Auctions sold an identical full pack of these a few years ago for over $2,000, so this is a real bargain. $65 postpaid
Clown Balanced Blend Cigarettes Pack Wrapper
A 1930’s wrapper with absolutely mind blowing colors. Fold marks at the bottom where wrapped around its original pack and a couple of vertical paper cuts in that same area. It also has two small paper peels at the top edge above the image, where the tax stamp was removed. Incredible piece! $55 postpaid
Camel Cigarettes Pack Wrapper
A 1930’s Camel Cigarettes wrapper with fantastic, crisp graphics. Printed on a very light tan paper which goes perfectly with the orange and brown artwork. Also has fold marks along the bottom where it was on the original pack, and a virtually invisible crease mark through the section showing the factory information. The detailed graphics on this make it a really nice pack wrapper. $40 postpaid
These are three of my better examples. Many more are available, all being different brands.
TRADE CARDS
Wilde’s Clothing House Trade Card in A Small Frame
Wild is right! This small 2 ½” x 4” ca. 1880’s trade card is truly great, showing a high class lady cat decked out in all her finery with a very satisfied look on her face. The purple coat matches the bonnet, decorated purse and gold handled umbrella. Sporting decorated white stockings, she appears to be standing on small pedestals (representing a store display?). The card has just a tiny crease and slight dark spot to the left of her head. I believe this to be a highly unusual and striking trade card. $55 with free shipping
M. Coyle Dealer In Fine Groceries, Weedsport, New York Trade Card
Another great humorous trade card which measures approximately 2 7/8” x 5” and dates to around 1890. Shows a waterfront scene with an older gentleman, two ladies and a beached ship. The man is using a fishing net to catch a bird for dinner. The ladies don’t like him and are having great fun at his expense. Holding a magnifying glass above his head to focus the sunlight, they are catching his hair on fire. You can see the smoke rising from his head. A fabulous image that requires some scrutiny to get the joke. It was printed by Ketterlinus and the condition on the front is perfect. The back is blank and shows some paper peel from having been removed from an album. $40 postpaid
For those who collect trade cards, I have hundreds of others available for sale in all categories.
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XEROX COPY OF A CIRCA 1910 CATALOG FOR CRYSTAL GLASS DISPLAY JARS
This rare 73 page wholesale catalog shows most of the available display jars for drug store, confection or general display use at that time, including many that are rare today. Greek Key display jars such as the Athenian, Corinthian, Helenic, Olympic, Spartan, Trojan and Sheraton are shown as well as other scarce ones such as the Exposition, Colonial, Congress, Pilgrim and Puritan. Also included are the more common Dakota, Columbia and Century varieties as well as tobacco jars and many rather plain ones for general home use. It does not cover show globes or label under glass apothecary drug jars. Here is your chance to become an expert on the various antique display jars and help identify authentic ones vs. fakes such as the ubiquitous ‘Aunt Jane’s Candy Treats’ jar. In addition, all the specs for each one are listed, including dimensions and capacity. If you collect jars, you need this catalog! The pages are on 8 ½” x 11” paper and may be pre-punched for a three hole binder or not – your choice. $25 postpaid
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ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS
These are authentic one of a kind photos from a 40 year drug store/soda fountain collection, not reprints. I do have reprints for sale in a later section. The original images are much sharper than shown here, and better enlargements may be provided if requested. I have many more for sale that are not shown here.
Group 1, top left: A rather fancy ca. 1908 drug store interior with an elaborate soda fountain back bar. A partly visible DIE CUT COCA-COLA CHERUB sign and one for Red Raven Splits hang there. There are also two small rectangular soda water dispensers with multiple spigots, numerous syrup bottles, and bottles of grape juice. The back wall shows a large framed COCA-COLA LILLIAN NORDICA sign flanked by a pair of extremely early COCA-COLA FESTOONS which say drink COCA-COLA 5 CENTS. The fancy marble soda fountain front bar features a metal syrup dispenser for J. Hungerford Smith’s True Fruit Golden Orangeade, a curved glass Primley’s chewing gum cabinet, pressed glass straw holder, brass cash register, Horlick’s Malted Milk die cut lady & cow sign, and ice cream stools. The cigar counter at the back is topped by an elaborate die cut display sign for Red Raven Splits. The wall cabinets hold 100’s of label under glass apothecary jars, paper label drug bottles and patent medicines, including Warner’s, Vinol, etc. Each side of the store has a rolling ladder on tracks for reaching the top shelves. The lighting is electric and the floor tile is done in a fancy clover design. It measures about 5” x 7” and retains its original glossy finish. The only wear is minor age toning on the borders and the tiniest of chipping on the edges. It is in excellent condition and mounted on an original card measuring about 7” x 9”. Sharpness of focus is about 9.5 out of 10. “Mr. Ree Jones in his drug store” is handwritten on the back with no other info. $100 postpaid
Right side: Pair of ca. 1901 photos from the same soda fountain and the two COCA-COLA HILDA CLARK serving trays hanging on the soda fountain help date them. Features two soda fountain clerks, plus a man with bowler hat/mustache and a uniformed Western Union woman sitting on bent iron stools at a fancy carved wood front bar. Other items include a fancy marble soda fountain, grape juice bottles, various signs, a large bowl stacked high with eggs, and a menu board featuring an Egg Milk Shake, an Egg Phosphate and an Egg Lemonade! Photos are each approximately 3 ¼” x 3 ¼” and are held in 5” x 5” original cardboard holders. Sharpness of focus is about 8 out of 10. They are slightly faded and have a bit of foxing and very tiny paper chipping in a few spots. $55 for the pair postpaid
Bottom center: Ca. 1914 drug store with marble front bar, fancy back bar, ice cream stools, tables, and chairs. This dates to 1914 or 1915 relating to the FABULOUS AND VERY RARE “COCA-COLA DELICIOUS AND REFRESHING” festoon hanging on the soda fountain back bar. Other items include a great pair of brass coffee urns, various Loose Wiles Chocolates boxes, rectangular candy jars on the shelves, crushed fruit jars, cups and saucers, a Mendel and Company cigars sign, etc. Approximately 4 ½” x 5 ¼” and retains its original semi gloss finish but has a visible horizontal crease through the middle, which is not overly distracting. Sharpness of focus is 10 out of 10. $55 postpaid
Bottom left: 1870’s-80’s Three children, I believe 2 girls & one boy (young boys often wore dresses at that time) drinking sodas from very fancy Tuft’s glass holders. It appears to be a studio photo with a lacy curtain background. 4” x 5 ½”, the sharpness of focus is a 9, and condition is near mint. $30 postpaid
Group 2, top left: 1890’s photo promoting the Bates Opera House, Hotel and Café showing a decorated wagon drawn by two horses parading through town, full of seated children on bentwood chairs. There is another child riding alongside on an early safety bicycle. The wagon is decorated with lace and bunting and has a sign on top stating “Bates Opera House, Hotel and Café”. The sign its side says “We Eat The Best Ice Cream In Town and ……. It At The Bates Café”. Photo is approximately 3 ¼” x 3 ¼” mounted on a 5” x 5” intricately embossed period card. Both photo and card are in excellent++ condition, with only three tiny dots on the photo and a barely visible ¼” paper loss at the bottom of the card. Sharpness of focus is about 8.5 out of 10. A pencil notation on the back says only “Union Street”. $35 postpaid
Top right: Pair of ca. 1880’s/90’s photos from the same drug store. Each is approximately 4” x 5”. A portion of the hand painted sign on the wall says “Pharm. & Preparations Henry Thayer & ……………….“. Features include a dapper attendant in a three piece suit and mustache, fabulous ceiling mounted wrought iron gas lighting fixture, a small but elaborate cottage style marble soda fountain, a pair of reverse glass signs for Frosted Grape Phosphate and Red Orange Phosphate, a fancy countertop glass washer, and a few fancy pewter or silver glass holders. Also pictured is a Bromo Caffeine bottle, grape juice bottles that look like wines, a perfume counter topped by a Watts Glycerine Jelly of Violets countertop display, a pair of large Palmer’s label under glass perfume display bottles, and a perfume atomizer. The wall cabinets show numerous apothecary jars with the earlier (not recessed) reverse glass gold labels and hundreds of patent medicines. Condition is excellent with a tiny bit of very light crazing and it has its original semi-gloss finish. Sharpness of focus is about 8 out of 10. $75 for the pair postpaid
My image of group 2 was a bit over exposed, and the actual items are darker & sharper than shown here.
POSTCARDS
Unused ca. 1910 divided back real photo postcard with two ladies attending to a rather pedestrian marble soda fountain front bar. The ceiling lights are electric with holophane glass shades and it seems to be LOCATED IN A POOL HALL, since there are cue sticks in the rack behind them. Other items include the tops of four soda fountain stools, three big carbonated soda water spigots, the pump tops from built in syrup dispensers, a sign for Smyth’s Home Churned Buttermilk, several soda fountain syrup bottles, including a very rare CALIFORNIA GRAPINE, a HIRES ROOT BEER and what appears to be a CHERRY SMASH. Mounted on the front wall is a sign simply stating “PLEASE DON’T SPIT ON THE FLOOR” which supports the idea that this is a pool hall. The card is in excellent condition with very light age toning on the back, the tiniest bit of corner wear and a nice semi-gloss finish. Sharpness of focus is about 8 out of 10. $25 postpaid
Unused ca. 1911 J. Hungerford Smith True Fruit full color, divided back postcard showing a pretty lady holding a tray of soda fountain items. Hungerford Smith was the country’s largest producer of soda fountain fruit syrups and ice cream toppings during the early 20th century and remains in business to this day. They produced all the syrup used to make A&W Root Beer and hired the finest artists and printers to create some of the best soda fountain signage ever produced to promote their True Fruit products. Most of these early signs are very rare today. However this card is not exceedingly rare, and can be found from time to time. It is in excellent condition with bright colors, superb print quality and great detail. It does have minor corner wear and a tiny crease in the lower left corner. The back is equally clean and bright. I do have several True Fruit signs in my collection and some are for sale. $35 postpaid
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REAL PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRINTS
These are 8 x 10 photographic reprints on photo paper that came from the same 40 year collection as the original photos shown above. Some were obtained by special permission from museum archives that are not generally available to the public. I have many others, including drug store interiors, soda fountain movie stills, exposition displays, soda fountain manufacturers/repair shops/sales floors, etc. Note that these internet images are photos of photos. The actual reprints are much sharper than shown here.
Group 1, top left: This ca. 1900 drug store photo originated from the collection of West Virginia University. No location was specified. It features an elaborate wood and marble soda fountain that displays an early circular Coca-Cola sign and grape juice bottles. An 1896 ceramic Coca-Cola syrup dispenser sits on the back bar, below a homemade “Ice Cold Buttermilk” sign. The marble top front bar sports a rare 1890’s rectangular syrup dispenser, a straw holder, very unusual glass holders and soda fountain stools. The first of two counters next to the front bar displays a row of candy jars, a VERY RARE FAUST MAIER COIN-OP GUMBALL MACHINE, and an array of perfume bottles. The second is for tobacco products, showing numerous cigar boxes on top and inside. The walls are covered by various Helmar Cigarettes and Bull Durham display boxes, plus a large Helmar “lady in large hat” sign, and a large tri-fold Egyptian motif Helmar sign at the back. The wall cabinets are full of grape juice bottles and patent medicines. At the back of the store two large Borden’s Malted Milk tins can be seen, along with two cloth banners for a brand of yeast and hundreds of post cards in metal racks. This 8 x 10 print is perfect, with a high gloss finish. Its only detraction is its lack of focus, with a sharpness grade of only about 7.5 out of 10. $40 postpaid
Bottom right: This 1914 AUDUBON, IOWA drug store contains an abundance of drug store advertising and artifacts. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, drug stores were everywhere and many small towns had locations as ornate as those in the big cities. Here, a small three spigot marble soda fountain sits within an elaborately carved wood and marble back bar with a die cut J. Hungerford Smith True Fruit sign at the top. A very nice sign for Welch’s Grape Juice sits on top of the marble soda fountain flanked by two Welch’s bottles. A Hungerford Smith True Fruit Orangeade sign hangs on the left side of the back bar while the right side has shelves supporting numerous pieces of soda fountain glassware. Next to the marble soda fountain reside many syrup bottles, some with enameled labels and some label under glass. They each sport the fancy caps which look like roof turbines. Other items include a sign for salted peanuts and a display box for Superior Frosted Lemon Drops. The marble topped carved wood front bar displays two pressed glass bowls piled with eggs (brown eggs in one and white in the other), two pressed glass straw jars (one full of flowers), a nice big coffee urn, a sign for “Welch’s Grape Juice By The Glass”, and a ZATEK CHOCOLATE BILLETS JAR. The first wall cabinet is full of perfume bottles, many of which are Palmer’s, while the next few cabinets house label under glass apothecary bottles. A large die cut cardboard sign for Dr. E.L. Graves Tooth Powder sits atop the wall cabinets and below it, a sign for Bromo Quinine. The front counter appears to contain numerous cosmetic and talcum items. There is a nice bent wire ice cream table & chairs on the floor, behind which sits a PLAYER PIANO. Finally, several diplomas and licenses hang on the back wall. The backside of the photo shows it came from the University of Kansas Library by permission, and has “Miss Daisy Frick and Miss Margaret Barrett in the drug store 1914, Audubon, Iowa” handwritten on the back. This reprint is in perfect condition with a high gloss. The sharpness of focus is about 8.5 out of 10 and the lighting didn’t reach all the way to the back of the store, so the back portion of the photo is a bit dark. However the content is great with MANY desirable items. $50 postpaid
Bottom left: This 1880’s photo taken in downtown Boston shows the A.D. Puffer & Sons Soda and Beer Apparatus Manufacturing Company. Puffer was one of the big four soda fountain makers who merged together in 1891 to become the American Soda Fountain Company. The four companies also included Lippincott, Tufts, and Matthews. Soda fountain manufacturing was huge business. Note that the three Puffer buildings take up most of the block. The horse drawn wagons are backed up to shipping docks and are loaded with a carbonator and other supplies. The people in the street are posing for the picture which includes the Maurice Reardon Horse Collar & Harness Makers shop across the street. Note that Reardon’s is fronted by an elevator in the sidewalk which goes down to the basement. Next door to Puffer’s, the two top floors house Ellis’s Spavin Cure Shop, maker of veterinary medicines for horses. They cure Bruises, Thrush, Sprains, Wind Galls, Rheumatism and All Enlargements among other things. It displays a large sign with two horses standing on a bottle of the product. Below Ellis’s is Grundy and Company Brass Workers. The pair of flanking signs picture a brass lantern and brass coffee pot. The first floor houses Isaac Coffin & Co. Steam and Gas Piping. This excellent 8 x 10 reprint is in perfect condition, has a high gloss, and is a 9.5 on sharpness of focus. This is a great photo with early and unusual subject matter shown in great detail. I have several other photos showing the Puffer operations which are not listed here. $60 postpaid
Top right: This 1938 8 x 10 photo reprint features Good Humor man Gordon B. Dean of Asbury Park, New Jersey sitting in his Good Humor truck. The sharpness of focus is only about 7.5 out of 10 (the house in the background is in sharper focus) but it remains a very nice photo. I have two other similar images taken the same day, one with a boy as a customer. The specifics were noted on back of one of the other photos, but the source of the photos was not disclosed. Printed in a matte finish on Kodak paper, it is in perfect condition but for a 1” crease in the outer edge of the white border, upper right corner. $30 postpaid
Group 2, top and bottom right: This is a pair of ca. 1886 8 x 10 photo reprints showing the entrance to The Old Alhambra Bakery and Restaurant in Centerville, Iowa. It shows four bearded gents, a young boy and a sidewalk sign for Papoose Cigars with a marble soda fountain sitting just inside the front door. The sign in the window appears to be for a veterinary medicine, showing a man’s face in a circle surrounded by several horses and at least one hog. The print is in perfect condition with a high gloss and a sharpness of focus of about 8 out of 10. It came from the Iowa Historical Society, with details on the date and location written on the back. The second print is the same one further enlarged. $50 for the pair postpaid
Group 2, bottom left: This 8 x 10 reprint photo from the 1876 Centennial Exposition came from the New York Historical Society. Details are stamped on the back, including “not to be reproduced without permission”. The uniformed clerks at the monumental Tufts Soda Fountain are serving clientele who are dressed in their period finest. These early soda fountains with their cold treats were a transformational creation, amazing to adults as well as children. The giant Tufts Arctic Soda Water sign on the wall was done in their typical “dripping icicles” artwork. This print has a semi-gloss finish and rates an 8 out of 10 on sharpness of focus. Condition is near mint with a couple of the tiniest edge creases.
$30 postpaid
As mentioned previously this is only a sample, with many more original photos and reprints available.
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Disclaimer: Other than making photos or videos of inventory available to potential buyers, AAAA will have no involvement in "Room Hopping" transactions that take place and will not accept any responsibility whatsoever for any negative outcomes that may result from Room Hopping. All parties are to proceed at their own risk.
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