Brewery Collecting

[AtomicEraTom]

A very popular hobby, especially in Brew City, Milwaukee, in the 1970's.

My father started collecting cans in 1972 and by the late 80's had a nice collection of antique lithographs, bottles, cans, and other breweriana.

In 1994, my folks sold the collection to buy some real estate they were interested and Dad got out of the hobby until I started showing interest, when I was about 13 (2003) We've since worked very hard at building a collection and it's made for a great father/son project. I have been meaning to share some pictures. I took some today, this isn't all of the collection, but this is much of it.

If anybody else collects brewery, I would love for you to share your collection here, too!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Our Pabst Cabinet: The majority of these bottles date from the 1870's to the 1950's.

Schlitz Cabinet: Dating from the 1870's to the 1940's, and some 50's cans.

Blatz, Hamm's, and Kurth Cabinet. Some great stuff in here, from the 1880's to the 1950's. Some great prohibition era items, such as Blatz Cigars, Soda, and Malt Syrup.

This one I just set up today, got the cabinet at a bargain and it fit in the back of the wagon perfect! It's a hodge podge of all different brands. Items are mostly from the 1920's to the 1950's.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

The Shovel is from a Schlitz Groundbreaking, in 1973.

From left to right: Pabst Malt Extract Girl, c.1898. Turn of the Century Anheuser-Busch ad, Custer's Last Fight. Schlitz Factory Scene, 1903.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

The mirror is an interesting story. It's an Arrow Beer ad, and was actually a secret door in a building in Oklahoma City. If you look at the back, you can see the basic four-panel door. The piece on the right is WWI Schlitz Beer Sheet Music.

The top left one, c.1910-1917 was found in a wall of an old house.

The top one actually came from a 1895 court case in which Pabst and Anheuser-Busch were involved in. The fight was over one copying the other's labels.

This one is from around 1900 and the Pabst Brewery Historian insisted didn't exist. He said Pabst never used these colors. He was shocked when he came and saw it in person.

Schlitz Famo was a non-alcoholic beverage produced during Prohibition.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Pabst-ett was cheese made by Pabst during prohibition. It was produced from milk from Pabst Farms in Oconomowoc. It was aged in the cellars at the Milwaukee Brewery.

This sign reportedly never went into production. Only 6 of these are known to exist. We own 5 and the Pabst Brewery historian owns 1.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Blatz was known as Milwaukee's first bottled beer. They used this for an ad in 1948/49. This bottle was found during excavation for brewery expansion and used in the ad as their first bottle. Whether it's the very first or not, who knows? It's the oldest example there is.

1899 Calendar:

These two are c.1895-1898

c.1899

c.1949:

 

[AtomicEraTom]

On an unrelated note, the saddle is a Texas Confederate Saddle, c. 1861.

These cases must have been a lot more of a hassle to lug around than their cardboard replacements.

 

[Touchofevil]

Definitely a very entertaining and interesting collection, Tom. Thank you for sharing!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Glad to hear somebody enjoyed it!

Definitely a very entertaining and interesting collection, Tom. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Touchofevil]

Glad to hear somebody enjoyed it!

I am sure that I am one of many. The history collected by you and your father is pretty amazing. It would be a lot of fun spending time looking at while sipping a cold one.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Wow..very very nice,Tom! Outstanding!
HD

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Tom

That's a great collection. You have some OLD and very historic stuff.

Later

 

[AtomicEraTom]

That's what we were doing yesterday. My parents and I have always really enjoyed history and it's funny how much you can learn about history as a whole from just one aspect of the past.

I am sure that I am one of many. The history collected by you and your father is pretty amazing. It would be a lot of fun spending time looking at while sipping a cold one.

Thanks!

Wow..very very nice,Tom! Outstanding!
HD

Thanks very much. Some of my favorite stuff is my bottles that bear the name 'Phillip Best Brewing Co.' which is what Pabst was before it became Pabst in 1889. The B in the hop leaf on their logo stands for Best. Frederick Pabst was Phillip Best's son-in-law and changed the name to Pabst when Best's other son-in-law, Emil Shandein, died in '89.

Hi Tom

That's a great collection. You have some OLD and very historic stuff.

Later

 

[Touchofevil]

A Cornucopia of Brewery Knowledge you are.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I'm a little rusty, but still have retained some knowledge. I haven't been as active with the collection since I got my driver's license 5 or 6 years ago. The Pabst Brewery Historian began calling me his protege when I was about 12 or 13 lol

A Cornucopia of Brewery Knowledge you are.

 

[dh66]

Wow Tom!! That's a museum worthy collection.

 

[hatsRme]

Glad this thread was resurrected...

Spectacular, Tom!! You and your Paw are to be commended and I hope you are as proud of the two of you as you ought to be. BEYOND SPECTACULAR!!

I may have a couple of odds and ends to add, like a genuine (and you will know the vintage, I'd bet) Blatz bottle cap pendant, and an actual unopened can of a product called, "Milwaukee Beer Phartz," "The Beer Drinkers Blast." My ability to take photos is temporarily stopped, but I should be back in action in a day or so, should there be interest.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Thank you! We've worked hard many years, and we're still at it!

Wow Tom!! That's a museum worthy collection.

Thank you for the kind words, and there is always interest!

Glad this thread was resurrected...

Spectacular, Tom!! You and your Paw are to be commended and I hope you are as proud of the two of you as you ought to be. BEYOND SPECTACULAR!!

I may have a couple of odds and ends to add, like a genuine (and you will know the vintage, I'd bet) Blatz bottle cap pendant, and an actual unopened can of a product called, "Milwaukee Beer Phartz," "The Beer Drinkers Blast." My ability to take photos is temporarily stopped, but I should be back in action in a day or so, should there be interest.

 

[Happy Jack]

Thanks for posting
I also enjoyed that very much:eusa_clap

 

[hatsRme]

Finally found, and unable to post in a PM, so here you are, Tom!! My meager piece of brewery ephemera. These are still available (of course) on the Bay.