The Coca-Cola bottling system transformed a fountain drink into a worldwide brand while creating one of the most fascinating specialties in advertising memorabilia. This first installment explores the pioneering years from 1894 through 1900, including Joseph Biedenharn's first successful bottling, the Chattanooga entrepreneurs who envisioned a national franchise network, and the legendary one-dollar bottling contract that reshaped the beverage industry. It also explains why these early developments produced the regional bottles, crates, signs, and advertising pieces that collectors pursue today.
The November 1897 issue of The New England Druggist offers a fascinating glimpse into the professionalization of pharmacy at the close of the nineteenth century. Published in Boston and owned by the Retail Pharmacists of New England, the journal combined legislative news, pharmacy board reports, professional commentary, and trade advertising directed toward working pharmacists. Particularly noteworthy is the issue's publication of the Twelfth Annual Report of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy, revealing examination statistics, candidate performance, and the increasingly rigorous standards of the profession. Rich with advertisements for pharmaceuticals, soda fountain equipment, chemicals, microscopes, and patent remedies, the publication serves as both a historical document and a valuable artifact of American medical and commercial history.
A surviving 1938 Boys' High School yearbook reveals a remarkable cross-section of prewar Atlanta through its students, faculty, advertisements, literary contributions, and personal ephemera. Centered on Edwin Kenny's preserved copy, the volume captures an institution that helped form Atlanta's future physicians, veterans, businessmen, writers, civic leaders, and public servants.
Learn how to identify, value, and collect Coca-Cola trays made before 1940. Discover original models, rare trays, authentication tips, and more.
