There are a number of different commercial products available for cleaning silver: cloth, liquid, cream, paste and foam are common products that are easily available.

Thanksgiving Day is a week away, and if you are tempted to get out your antique silver to make your holiday table sparkle, there are a few things you need to know before you get down to the chore of cleaning and polishing that silver.

Before cleaning or polishing silver, it is important to inspect each object for hallmarks or other identifying marks that will tell you if the piece is sterling or silver plate. Also look at how the item is constructed. If there are solder joins or hollow sections in handles or feet, the object should not be immersed in a cleaning agent or water. The object should also be checked for the presence of decorative gilding or other surface inlays. Special care is needed to spot-clean these delicate and sometimes fugitive (less stabile) surfaces.

There are a number of different commercial products available for cleaning silver: cloth, liquid, cream, paste and foam are common products that are easily available. Do not use non-specific, all-purpose metal polishes because these contain harsher abrasives and may cause damage to the silver finish.

Commercial Cleaning Products
Commercial products that are formulated for home use are the safest method for frequent cleaning of silver. As with any method, cleaning and polishing agents contain abrasives. Be sure to close the containers tightly after use because the cleaner can dry out, making the polish more abrasive. Over time, the cleaning process does remove some silver along with the tarnish and leave fine scratches on the surface. It is advisable to use the least invasive cleaning agent necessary, so that you remove only the layer of tarnish from the piece. Most commercial silver polishes contain a tarnish inhibitor. While this slows the tarnishing rate for a short time, when objects do start to tarnish they do so unevenly.

Whiting
Many museums and conservators make their own polishing paste using precipitated chalk (calcium carbonate) and distilled water. Sometimes referred to as “whiting,” calcium carbonate is a superfine ground white powder that mixes easily with distilled water, and is available at most chemical supply companies and hardware stores. When using this method, it is important to have a light hand when polishing. Calcium carbonate acts as an abrasive in the cleaning process. Care has to be taken to mix a thin paste with enough abrasion to remove the tarnish without leaving scratches in the surface.

After polishing, there can be a residue of abrasive particles left on the surface that should be removed by rubbing with a soft cloth or brushing with a soft brush and should not be used on gilded or inlaid surfaces.

Chemical Liquid Dips
Liquid dip is a chemical mixture that, in theory, attacks the tarnish and not the silver. A dip may not be the best answer for cleaning heavily engraved surfaces because it can remove the darker in-fill on the engraved texture, leaving the silver looking flat. It is recommended that rather than submerging the object in the liquid, the dip be applied briefly to the item with a cotton-tipped applicator. Rinse in distilled water to remove any excess dip and then dry. Prolonged use of dips is not advisable, as this can lead to surface pitting. Also, chemical dips should not be used on silver pieces that have hollow sections (candlesticks or teapots with hollow handles) because once liquid leaks into a cavity, it is virtually impossible to wash it out. Remember, too, that dips are composed of an acid that is corrosive and can damage bronze, stainless steel knife blades, and organic materials, such as wood and ivory. When using dips, it is important to work in a well-ventilated area and to wear rubber gloves. If, after cleaning, there is a slight yellowish cast to the silver, rub the object gently with a silver polishing cloth.

Wadding Polish
Wadding polish is cotton wool or batting that contains an abrasive and is moistened with an organic solvent instead of water. It is useful for objects that should not be exposed to water. However, wadding leaves behind a residue of abrasive particles on the surface that should be removed by rubbing with a soft cloth or brushing with a soft brush and should not be used on gilded or inlaid surfaces.

Silver that is used will eventually end up with some scratches and dents. It is generally a good idea to simply accept this cosmetic damage as a sign of character and use. If a major dent occurs on a piece that is frequently polished, prolonged handling will thin the metal and make repairs more difficult. If this happens, consult a conservator.

—by Douglas Eisele
Old World Restoration

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This mark was used on French Quimperware pottery made by the De la Hubaudière factory from 1883 to 1895.

You might wonder when watching the appraisers at “Antiques Roadshow” just how they can determine so much information about a teacup or platter simply by turning them upside down. The fact is the markings that are stamped, painted or impressed on the underside of most ceramic items can tell a great deal about a piece other than just its maker.

What the appraiser is looking for is historical reference points that they have learned through years of research and study of pottery and porcelain items. What few people are aware of is that it’s not just the name of the company name—such as Rookwood, Weller or Royal Doulton —stamped on the piece that tells the tale, but a number of things used within the mark itself. The actual dating of a piece is much like detective work, and the company name itself only gives the appraiser a rough timeline of when the company was known to operate.

Other factors, such as the color of the mark, how it’s applied or the numbered codes within the design can often date a piece to the exact year it was produced. Famous companies such as Wedgwood, Minton’s, Derby and Worcester have all used a variety of numerical or symbol codes that, with a quick look in a reference book, will provide the exact date of production.

Even without a reference of pottery/porcelain marks there are a few “Pro Points” that you can copy or memorize to help you date pottery and porcelain:

• Small, hand-written marks tend to be pre-1800s.
• Kite-shaped marks with ” Rd.” in the center are English and were used from 1842-83.
• Printed/stamped marks in colors other than blue tend to be post-1850.
• The use of the word “Royal” before a company name tend to be used after 1850.
• The use of the term “LTD” or ” Limited” appear after 1860.
• The use of the word ” Trademark” tends to be used after 1862.
• The use of registration numbers such as “Rd No.10057” begin in 1884.
• Items marked Nippon generally date from 1891-1921.
• The name of a country with the stamp indicates where the piece was made dates from 1891.
• Company marks in gold, or the mention of “24K Gold” on gilded pottery or porcelain is generally mid 20th century.

These are not hard and fast rules, as there are some exceptions, depending on the individual company. In the case of the stamp shown at the top of the column, it’s one of these exceptions. This mark was used on French Quimperware pottery made by the De la Hubaudière factory from 1883 to 1895. It is hand-painted, whereas the “rules” would indicate it should be a pre-1800 piece.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Will Seippel, the founder, CEO and president of WorthPoint, recently discovered a pair of these 18th-century Sevres end pieces at an estate sale after many people passed them over, including a pair of expert appraisers, who tagged them at $125 each. Their true value is much, much more.

Just as the everyday collector hopes to come across a Great Find—an item bypassed by many, purchased for a pittance and worth thousands—experts can miss a valuable item staring them in the face.

Will Seippel, the founder, CEO and president of WorthPoint, recently had such an experience.

Will wanted to attend a private estate sale in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, but circumstances—in this case a late flight back from Ohio—had delayed his arriving at the sale. By the time he got there, there were only minutes left before it closed for the day at 5 p.m.

“I thought I could get them to apply their second-day 50-percent-off discount early, if I found anything,” Will said.

But after briefly talking with the organizers of the sale, Will had learned that most of the estate’s pieces had been sold ealier in the day, prior to his arrival. Additionally, the sales company had hired two appraisers to help evaluate prices before the sale. So, he thought, finding anything worthwhile was going to be a longshot.

Still, Will decided to look over what was left. His eyes were immediately drawn to a pair of white porcelain pieces—each with four cherubs surrounding a pillar holding up a low bowl. He looked at the tags: $125 each.

He picked one up and turned it over: “I thought I recognized the mark on the bottom and knew immediately I had something.”

The pieces were early porcelain, 18th-century French, Will thought, judging by the irregular salt-glazed finish. They were also made in pieces and then combined into the final piece, as the “technology” did not exist in the early 1700’s to mold such intricate and large pieces in one mold.

A mark and the iron assembly helped to determine the identity of this circa 1740 Sevres end piece.

“They were also sophisticated in the detail and that the floral decoration is usually indicative of Meissen porcelain of the period, but the puttis/cherubs were typically French,” Will said. “The square iron bolts holding them together also dated them.”

What he had found, hiding in plain sight from all the experts and experienced buyers all day long, Will decided, were Sevres porcelain end pieces.

Still, he stood there for a few moments, blinking, because he couldn’t believe what he was holding.

Well, it was time to buy. Since it was 5 p.m. and the end of the first day sale, Will asked the persons conducting the sale to give him second-day pricing to save a trip back the next morning, and possibly waiting in line. He ended up with a very good deal, if not a textbook “Great Find.”

The sophistication in the detail and that the floral decoration is usually indicative of Meissen porcelain of the period, but the puttis/cherubs are typically French.

After getting his buy home, he called Thom Pattie, WorthPoint’s chief Worthologist, who, looking at photos send via e-mail, confirmed that Will had indeed made a good buy: the pieces were marked in an early Sevres mark and were made about 1740.

Wow, a pair of Sevres end pieces in great condition, acquired at a steal at $100, that are easily worth $1,000 to $3,000 each. This story only goes to show that when on the hunt for a Great Find, don’t disregard an item just because an “expert” passed on it.

Gregory Watkins is the editor of WorthPoint.com.

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Whether Victorian furniture or 18th-century salt-and-pepper shakers intrigue you, you’re bound to find something you like among the auctions’ array. Look through the catalogs (click here for May 16, here for May 17). If you can’t wait for the live online auction, place an absentee ballot after registering. (All bidders must register.)

To whet your interest, take a peek at just a few items up for bids.

Lot 2512594 (May16 auction) is a Spanish National cash register. What a wow, this circa 1908 to 1916 complex and intricate machine was designed to be used by nine different clerks or keep track of nine separate departments. It was also the most expensive machine produced at the time, with prices from $315 to $555, possibly much more if a floor stand or other options were added. It is in very good condition and carries an estimate of $1,700 to $2,200.

Antique Spanish National cash register

Lot 2512749 (May 16 auction), a sheet poster of the movie “Woman of Rome” with Gina Lollobrigida. La Lollo, once deemed the most beautiful woman in the world, starred in this Luigi Zampa flick. “Love was her profession . . . men her career!” the poster proclaimed. Pretty racy for 1956. In very good condition, it’s estimated at $275 to $400.

"Woman of Rome" poster

Lot 2513471 (May 17 auction), “Army of the Future,” a book by Charles de Gaulle. Charles de Gaulle, a World War I hero, fell out of favor with the French military brass after writing this book in 1934. He made a case for a small, highly mechanized, quick-moving army, arguing that the old theories of warfare that produced the Maginot Line, erected to stop the Germans should they decide to invade, would no longer work. He proved, tragically, correct. When the Germans did invade in 1940, they used new tactics, went around the Maginot Line and quickly added France to their list of conquests. In good condition for its age, it’s estimated at $35 to $65.

"Army of the Future" by Charles de Gaulle

Lot 2512634 (May 16 auction) is a splendid example of 19th-century craftsmanship. This writing desk and étagère comes from the workshop of John Jelliff (1813-1893), a renowned New Jersey cabinetmaker. From 1836 to 1890, John Jelliff and Co. produced what is considered some of America’s finest, handcrafted furniture. Made from fine rosewood, the desk measures approximately 64.5 inches high by 36.75 inches wide and 23.75 inches deep. Condition: Very good. Estimate: $7,750 to $9,000.

Antique Victorian American desk

Lot 2513444 (May 17 auction), a circa 1850 rose medallion reticulated basket in good condition. This Chinese Export chestnut basket, sometimes called a fruit basket, is 10.75 inches by 10 inches with a height of 4.25 inches. There is no underplate. It is estimated at $950 to $1,200.

Circa 1850, rose medallion reticulated basket

All these items are subject to a reserve price.

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Hence began a seven-year blitz on legislators and influential businessmen that ended in 1914 with President Woodrow Wilson signing a resolution that the second Sunday in May would be set aside to pay homage to that marvelous creature who went through childbirth.

We were hardly the first country to do so. If you look far enough back, the Greeks had a thing about Rhea, the mother of the gods. Today, many cultures celebrate a Mother’s Day. Although, in most countries, Mother’s Day is a relatively new concept borrowed from Western culture.

"My Mother" plaque

(The items pictured are featured on GoAntiques. Click the image for details.)

In many African countries, the idea of one Mother’s Day has its origins in copying the British concept of Mothering Day, although there are many festivals and events celebrating mothers within the many diverse cultures on the African continent that have been there for centuries long before the colonials arrived.

Argentina observes Mother’s Day — Día de la madre — on the second Sunday in October. It is customary to honor mothers with dinners, poems and special gestures of attention. Children write letters in school or make cards and crafts to take home.

Mother’s Day in Australia is similar to that in the United States, in which families visit each other and enjoy dinner together. In addition to flowers, cards, jewelry and chocolates, it is customary for Australians to exchange perfume and teas on Mother’s Day.

Longaberger Mother's Day basket

Like the rest of Europe, Britain and Ireland in the 17th century observed the mid-Lent holiday and honored and decorated their “Mother Church,” the church where they were baptized. The church eventually extended the observation to honor all mothers on Mothering Sunday. In addition, cakes and flowers—especially violets—are given to mothers on Mother’s Day. It is customary to serve simnel cake, a glazed fruitcake.

In Bahrain, Mother’s Day is called Ruz-e Madar and coincides with the first day of spring, observed as March 21, as are the Mother’s Day celebrations in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

Canada made Mother’s Day a national holiday in 1909. The Canadian customs largely reflect those of its southern neighbor, although in Canada there is an added emphasis on doing chores for the mother and cooking her supper.

Canada geese Mother's Day plate from Gorham

While China’s Mother’s Day distinguishes itself little from the United States’, it is interesting to note that most Chinese names begin with a character signifying “mother” in honor of one’s maternal heritage, helping explain the cultural compatibility of such a holiday, despite being imported from the West.

Mother’s Day in Ethiopia occurs in mid-fall when the rainy season ends. Called Antrosht, Ethiopians celebrate by making their way home when the weather clears for a large family meal and a three-day-long celebration.

In Finland, Mother’s Day is called aidipayiva. In the morning, the family arises and takes a walk, picking the new flowers which bloom this time of year and making a bouquet for the mother. Back home, mother is presented with a decorated bouquet while being served breakfast in bed.

Inspired by American soldiers in World War I, France first celebrated Mother’s Day in 1918. The minister of the interior created the official day in 1920, declaring December 19 La Fête de Mères, Mothers’ Day. Today a common gift is a cake shaped to resemble a bouquet of flowers, along with candies, flowers, cards and perfumes.

Hong Kong’s holiday, called mu quin jie, is notable for its custom to pay honor to the parent of the mother if she is deceased.

In India, a westernized version of Mother’s Day is officially observed on May 10. On this day, mothers receive flowers, a prepared meal, cards or a phone call. Apart from the modern version of Mother’s Day, Hindus have long celebrated a 10-day festival in October called Durga Puja. This Hindu holiday praises the divine mother, Durga. This ancient festival has evolved into one of the biggest events in India. Families spend weeks preparing food and gifts for friends and cleaning and decorating their houses for parties.

Batik painting of Durga

Italy celebrates La Festa della Mamma with a big feast and a cake made in the shape of a heart. Typically, Italian schoolchildren will make something to bring home to their mothers, and the family will take care of the chores for the day.

In Japan, Mother’s Day is called Haha no hi. From 1913 when Japanese Christians were already celebrating it, the holiday grew steadily in popularity. Today the Japanese celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. A family may prepare and enjoy traditional dishes that their mothers taught them to cook. The Japanese give their mothers flowers (especially red carnations), scarves, handkerchiefs and handbags.

Mexico celebrates Día de la madre on May 10. In the morning, the mother is usually treated to a song sung by her family or a serenade by a hired band. A family breakfast or brunch is also customary. Any family trouble or enmity is laid aside, and all gather to honor the matriarch. Mexicans typically exchange flowers and chocolates.

Ecuadoran painting of mother and child

Mother and child oil painting

The May 10th celebration of motherhood in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is called Yaum ul-Umm. It is inspired by and modeled after the Western tradition of Mother’s Day on which all mothers are honored and given gifts. Celebrations and feasts are customary.

In Singapore, Mother’s Day places a heavy emphasis on marketing a wide variety of gifts including spa packages, hampers, jewelry and other more traditional presents, such as flowers.

In Spain, Mother’s Day is December 8, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, so that not only mothers in one’s family are honored, but also Mary, mother of Jesus.

Sandra Kuck's Loving Steps china dolls

In Sweden, Mother’s Day takes place on the last Sunday in May and has a strong charitable focus: The Swedish Red Cross sells small plastic flowers leading up to the holiday, and the proceeds raised are given to poor mothers and their children.

Perhaps the most unusual Asian Mother’s Day holiday takes place in Thailand. The celebration coincides with the birthday of their beloved queen, Sirikit Kitiyakara, who has reigned since 1950. Her birthday, and therefore Mother’s Day, takes place on August 12.

Minnie Mouse Mother's Day plate

With approximately 190 countries in the world, I have just touched the surface of celebrations. But to all mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers, wherever you live, whatever you do, Happy Mother’s Day to each and every one of you.

Want to let your mother know how much you care? Send her WorthPoint’s “Happy Mother’s Day” video compiled from vintage postcards.

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QUESTION: I have the complete Norman Rockwell Mother’s Day series consisting of 18 plates manufactured between 1976 and1993. They were made by Knowles China. They are in the period boxes and have their certificates of authenticity. I inherited this collection from my grandmother and have been storing them for years. I just went through every box to make certain they are still perfect. They are. I want to sell the entire collection. Do you have any suggestions?—LC

"Grandma's Courting Dress" 1984 Rockwell Mother's Day plate

1989 Mother's Day plate

(If you’d like to learn more about items in this story—except for the Thrasher painting—click on the images.)

ANSWER: You waited too long. You should have sold them when you first acquired them. The Norman Rockwell secondary resale market is flooded, thanks in large part to eBay. Most of today’s young collectors have no idea who Norman Rockwell is nor do they care.

You are correct in assuming your best approach is to sell the collection as a group. Value rests in the first and third plate in the series. For whatever the reason, the third plate is difficult to find. One direct-sale Web site listed it at $130. The vast majority of the plates in the series lists between $20 and $25.

My recommendation is that you sell the series to a dealer who specializes in Norman Rockwell material. Two recommendations are the owners of Rockwell Plates.com (Liz Duda, PO Box 567, Farmingdale, NY 11735 / collecting@rockwellplates.com) and The Glass Menagerie (Glass Menagerie Antiques & Collectibles / service@glassmnagerie.com).

"Add Two Cups and a Measure of Love" 1983 Mother's Day plate

What should you ask? At $5 per plate, the answer is $90. At $10 per plate, the number jumps to $180. The series will sell easily at $90—$180 is pushing the envelope.

Your other alternative is to offer the set on an Internet auction. Start it at $75. Collectors who need the third plate in the series should drive the bidding past the $75 point. Make certain to deduct the selling fees when envisioning your profit.

QUESTION: I own “Moss Landing,” a signed and numbered print by Virgil Thrasher. I cannot seem to find anything out about the artist or the value of his works. Can you help?—L.H.

ANSWER: Virgil Thrasher was born in Sacramento, Calif., in 1943. A self-taught artist, he exhibited for the first time in 1963 in Monterrey, Calif., and has shown in numerous California galleries since then. A listing on craigslist notes: “Mr. Thrasher . . . combines art painted on glass scenic background to give a neat dimensional effect.” Yours may be a very early, starving-artist “boardwalk” piece.

Virgil Thrasher's Lake Tahoe

Several auction references to Thrasher prints, most of which were numbered and appear to be scenes along the California coast, can be found on the Internet. Secondary-market values ranged from $25 to $125. Internet art galleries ask $250 plus.

A Thrasher print has more decorative than collector value. Values would be higher in California and along coastal areas, the subject matter appealing to those decorating homes in these regions.

I recommend thinking $50 or less. This assumes your print is nicely matted and framed. If not, cut the value by half.

QUESTION: I bought a Hermès shawl in the Beverley Hills Hermès store during the 1970s. Labels were “not in,” so I took the label out. Now I want to sell it and have hit a brick wall trying to authenticate the shawl. I contacted Hermès, locally and in Paris— nothing but silence on both fronts. I am frustrated because I know I bought it along with some Amazon perfume as a present for my mother. Is there an archive of Hermès catalogs? Hermès items sell for quite a bit of money on the Internet. I do not want to donate it or let the moths eat it. What help can you provide?—G A-L

Hermès scarf, circa 1995

ANSWER: Thierry Hermès (1801-1878) established Hermès as a harness workshop in Paris in 1837. Gaining a reputation as saddler and harness makers to Asian, American, European, North African and Russian elites, Hermès introduced its first “haut à courroies”(high belt) bag in 1900. A line of leather clothes was introduced between 1914 and 1918. The famous Hermès scarves joined the line in 1937.

Hermès entered the American market in the early 1960s when Neiman Marcus stores offered its silk ties. Hermès began opening its own brand-name stores in Europe, Japan and the United States in the early 1970s. By 1978, U.S. sales topped $50 million.

I am unaware of any Hermès archive, company or otherwise, and am not surprised that you failed to receive a response to your inquiries. A company archivist and archives is a luxury in which few corporations indulge.

Pin down when within the 1970s you purchased the shawl. Once you have narrowed the time period, ask your local reference librarian to help you locate a run of high-end period fashion magazines. If the gods are gracious, you will find a Hermès advertisement that pictures your shawl. Also, Hermès’ reputation is based on its use of all natural products. Your shawl must reflect this.

Horse-motif Hermès scarf

Spend a few months tracking the sale of 1970s Hermès shawls on the Internet. Again, if the gods favor you, you will find an identical example with the label still intact. Capture the information, and put it with your shawl.

You need to trust Internet buyers to do what is right and be competitive. Vintage Hermès buyers know their market. Provide plenty of photographs. Tell your story, keeping it brief. All you need are two individuals who believe your story and want the shawl.

Finally, any money is more money than you have. Do not be greedy, and decide to sell only if you receive top dollar. If you no longer have any use for the shawl, sell it, and get it into the hands of someone who will wear it.

——————————————————————————————————————————————
Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out his Web site.

You can listen and participate in “WHATCHA GOT?,” Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. It also streams live on Genesis Communications Network.

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site.

Do you want to know what Harry thinks about toys—to play with them or not? Find out in this week’s “Ask Harry Rinker on WorthPoint.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected letters will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5093 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus, PA 18049. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

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John Styth Pemberton

The man whom the world can thank for Coca-Cola is pharmacist John Styth Pemberton. After fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War, Pemberton moved to Atlanta where he specialized in the mixing and vending of various patent medicines. He claimed that one of his recipes, a Bordeaux laced with caffeine (from the seed of an African kola tree) and cocaine, would cure sluggishness, nervous disorders, headaches, internal plumbing and improve sexual performance. Not surprisingly, French Wine of Coca, was his best seller.

In November 1885, Atlanta voted to become a dry city. After much experimentation with nonwine coca-kola concoctions—most of which proved to be unpleasantly bitter—Pemberton added sugar, vanilla, caramel, orange, lemon, nutmeg, lime juice, cinnamon, coriander oil and a small amount of cocaine coming from the coca leaves and kola nuts.

On May 8, 1886, he had concocted a syrup in a three-legged brass pot in his backyard that was a delicious caramel-colored nectar. He hauled some in a jug to a local pharmacy called Jacob’s, where it was sold at the soda fountain as a “Delicious and Refreshing” drink for 5 cents a glass.

5-cent Coke machine

(If you’d like to learn more about the items pictured, click on the images.)

Frank M. Robinson, Pemberton’s bookkeeper, thought that having two Cs in the product’s name would be catchier. And so coca kola became Coca-Cola. It was also Robinson who penned the famous Spencerian script that became the soda’s trademark.

In 1886, sales of Coca-Cola averaged nine drinks per day. Unfortunately, Pemberton was a drug addict and began selling interests in the business. Just before he died in 1888, Pemberton sold his remaining interest to Atlanta businessman Asa G. Candler. Candler, eventually, gained total control of the company—and removed cocaine from the formula.

Even the bottle has a rich history. Early Coca-Cola bottles were straight sided. But in 1916, the bottle was contoured to add interest. In the 1920s, the six-pack bottle package was introduced into grocery stores so that consumers could take the beverage home. Things got even better, though, in 1929, with the introduction of open-top coolers. This allowed Americans on roads trips to have “cold pop on the spot.”

Bottles with Coke still inside, 1970s	Barack Obama inauguration bottle, sealed	Andy Warhol's three Coke bottles offset litho

It was at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933 that the Coca-Cola Co. introduced the automatic fountain dispenser that mixed caramelized syrup with carbonated water. By 1937, the drink was served at fountains everywhere and was promoted with the slogan “It’s the Refreshing Thing to Do.”

Coca-Cola really went into action along with “Our Boys” during World War II when it went to the beaches and battlefronts worldwide. The company wanted to be sure that “every man in uniform gets a bottle of Coca-Cola for 5 cents wherever he is and whatever it costs the company.” The beverage became a favorite drink of soldiers everywhere who found American comfort on foreign soil.

1942 ad featuring military women

Throughout its infinite promotions, Coca-Cola outdid itself with idealized models and illustrators. Two of the earliest models were actress Hilda Clark and Metropolitan Opera star Ullian Nordica. (Any collector owning advertising with their original likenesses has hit pay dirt.) Artists who illustrated ads for Coca-Cola included some of the most famous names— Norman Rockwell, Hamilton King, N. C. Wyeth and Haddon Sundblom, who created the Coca-Cola Santa.

Coca-Cola Santa card

Since its inception, Coca-Cola has been a world leader in innovative merchandising and advertising policies. Coca-Cola’s first advertising calendar in the 1880s promoted the slogan “For Headaches and Tired Feelings. Relieves Physical and Mental Exhaustion.” By 1905, they had already produced calendars, stationery, booklets, logo-decorated ceramic syrup urns, postcards, coupons, bookmarks, trays, a plethora of signs, advertising clocks, fans, napkins, banners, posters, novelties and the once familiar Coca-Cola flare glass.

Coca-Cola tray

1940s Coke tablet

Coke popcorn box, 1960s

Coca-Cola Party Barbie

Flat-top cans were invented for soldiers in 1956. And, at a cost of a quarter of a million dollars, 300 Challenger Space Shuttle cans were produced in 1985. On July 31 of that year, Coca-Cola became the first carbonated beverage to be drunk in space.

Coca-Cola slogans
Let’s test your memory and see how far you and Coca-Cola go back.
• 1886—Drink Coca-Cola
• 1887—Delicious! Refreshing! Invigorating! Exhilarating!
• 1891—The Ideal Brain Tonic/The Delightful Summer-Winter Beverage
• 1904—Delicious and Refreshing
• 1905—Coca-Cola Revives and Sustains
• 1906—The Great National Temperance Beverage
• 1908—Good til the Last Drop
• 1917—Three Million a Day
• 1922—Thirst Knows No Season
• 1923—Enjoy Life
• 1924—Refresh Yourself
• 1925—Six Million a Day
• 1926—It Had to Be Good to Get Where It Is
• 1927—Pure as Sunlight
• 1927 – Around the Corner from Anywhere
• 1928—Coca-Cola . . . Pure Drink of Natural Flavors
• 1929—The Pause That Refreshes
• 1932—Ice-Cold Sunshine
• 1938—The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had
• 1938—Thirst Asks Nothing More
• 1939—Coca-Cola Goes Along
• 1939—Coca-Cola Has the Taste Thirst Goes For
• 1939—Whoever You Are, Whatever You Do, Wherever You May Be, When You Think of Refreshment, Think of Ice-Cold Coca-Cola
• 1942—It’s the Real Thing
• 1944—Global High Sign
• 1948—Where There’s Coke There’s Hospitality
• 1949—Coca-Cola . . . Along the Highway to Anywhere
• 1952—What You Want Is a Coke
• 1956—Coca-Cola . . . Makes Good Things Taste Better
• 1957—The Sign of Good Taste

1958 ad with carhop serving Coke to hipster grannies

• 1958—The Cold, Crisp Taste of Coke
• 1959—Be Really Refreshed
• 1963—Things Go Better with Coke
• 1969—It’s the Real Thing
• 1976—Coke Adds Life
• 1979—Have a Coke and a Smile
• 1982—Coke Is It!
• 1985—America’s Real Choice
• 1986—Red White & You (for Coca-Cola Classic)
• 1986—Catch the Wave (for New Coke, composed by David “Dave” Lucas)
• 1987—You Can’t Beat the Feeling (also by David Lucas)
• 1993—Always Coca-Cola
• 2000—Enjoy
• 2001—Life Tastes Good
• 2006—The Coke Side of Life
• 2007—Live on the Coke Side of Life

Sharon Fangohr Hodle and Wayne Mattox contributed to this story.

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Dr Pepper formula

When what is widely considered to be the original formula for Dr Pepper crosses the auction block at Heritage Auction Galleries on May 13 , the world will finally get a chance to see just what it was that originally gave one of America’s three greatest soft drinks—and certainly its first—that distinctive, so-hard-to-identify flavor.

It will also be the culmination of one of those stories you hear only on radio or TV about a seemingly random find that ends up being a one-of-kind treasure.

“I was driving back home to Tulsa from a business trip in Texas when I stopped to look in some antique shops late in the afternoon in Shamrock,” said consignor Bill Waters. That’s Shamrock, Texas, by the way, a little town just outside of Waco. “I’ve always been a rare-book and manuscript aficionado, so the woman at the place brings out an old box of stuff. It was a neat old medicine-bottle crate with an old book stuck in a plastic bag wedged in the back of it.”

Waters bought the notebook, not knowing what was in it, but knowing that it came out of the estate of L. B. Woods, who at one point owned and operated a shoe store out of the same space as the Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas, well known as the birthplace of America’s first soft drink, Dr Pepper.

“Two months later, I was actually getting ready to list it on eBay, trying to figure out how to show people what I had there,” Waters said. “I thought I should say something about the store it came out of, with reference to that store at one time being the Old Corner Drugstore. I popped it up on Google, and the first thing that came up was Dr Pepper. I started saying to myself, ‘wait a minute.’”

Old Corner Drugstore

Within a few days, however, Waters knew what was going on and realized that what he had in his possession was a notebook containing the original formula for “Dr Peppers Pepsin Bitters,” or Dr Pepper, written in the hand of its inventor. That notebook has now made its way to Heritage in Dallas and is one of the highlight lots of the company’s May Political & Americana Auction.

“It’s an exciting thing, obviously,” said Mary Beth Webster, collections manager at the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco. “We hope that somewhere along the line, someone would see fit for this rare and important piece of history to reside here at the museum for others to see and for its research potential for both Dr Pepper and Waco.”

The humble creation of pharmacist, and University of Texas graduate, Charles Alderton, an employee of Wade B. Morrison at the Old Corner Drugstore—circa 1885—Dr. Pepper was welcome refreshment to the harried citizenry of Waco, then a major cattle and train transportation hub.

What gave it that distinct flavor, alternately sweet and spicy, became a source of great debate over the course of the next century across Texas and the nation. Only Alderton and Morrison knew, and soon the syrup was parlayed into a soft-drink empire that, for a time, rivaled the market share of competitors Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola. If that market share has since diminished, the curiosity about that distinguishing taste has not.

The notebook in which the Dr Pepper formula was written

“It’s safe to say that the formula represented in this original notebook is not the same formula that Dr Pepper uses today,” said Tom Slater, director of history at Heritage. “The original formula called for ‘denatured rum’ and vanilla, among other things. The Dr Pepper Co. insists that the current formula contains neither of these things. Still, though, this is an amazing piece of American pop culture and commerce, not to mention its secondary value as a great piece of Texana.”

The formula is written in Alderton’s unassuming hand, on pages 14 and 15 in a notebook labeled “CASTLES FORMULAS.” Morrison, who bought the drugstore from John W. Castles at some point in 1883, hired Alderton in 1884. While experimenting with different soda formulas in the store, Alderton came up with a unique flavor that both he and Morrison found to be to their satisfaction. More importantly, when they tried it on the public, they found excellent results. The exact date of Dr Pepper’s conception is unknown, but the U.S. Patent Office recognizes December 1, 1885, as the first time it was served.

“Dr Pepper is not only the first of the big three American colas,” said Slater, “it’s the only major soda invented west of the Mississippi. It’s a native Texan.”

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Art Deco greeting card

You remember the days when a lady never went to church without a hat, gloves, handbag and matching shoes?

My mother was not the glamorous daughter. That label was deservedly bestowed on her elder sister, the statuesque, nearly 6-foot blonde, who could cause traffic accidents by merely crossing the street.

No, my mother was said to be classic, handsome and tailored. She did not, unlike her sister and mother, inherit the clothes gene. My mother’s ensembles were simple man-tailored suits, walking skirts with silk blouses and sensible shoes that were well made and usually considered a long-term investment and that went with everything.

Occasionally, she would step out of the box and attempt to glam-up her look. This would usually result in her muttering under her breath as she stood in front of her full-length mirror, “Lillian, you look like Mrs. Astor’s pet horse.” This remark would ultimately throw her into a frenzy of clothes changing, and she would happily return to her suits of choice.

The ‘boys’—no match for mother

I’m the youngest of four boys with a 13-year span between youngest and eldest. At any given time, and for many years, there would be six males, the boys, as we were always referred to, my father and his father, sitting around the dinner table. You would think, weighing in heavily on the male side, that we would dominate the scene. Not so, my mother was the overseer and would hold court at her end of the table.

We were instructed in dining etiquette, taught how to make pleasant conversation, encouraged to engage in opinions on politics, world events, cultural happenings and to avoid unseemly topics that were deemed inappropriate for dinner-table conversation. In short, under mom’s tutelage, we were well-schooled diplomats.

Don’t get me wrong, we were normal, or at least, normal enough. We all, the boys, sang in the Episcopal Church choir. This was not something that we did for fun or needed to do to fulfill our yearning for Anglican sacred music. Rather, we were paid professional singers, part of a men-and-boys choir that totaled more than 45 singers. We sang at two services a Sunday, the 9 and the 11 o’clock. This meant that we would have to be up early to drive the 40 minutes and arrive on time. Our choir mother, Mrs. Merkel, was a pill about punctuality. She could afflict you with frostbite with one glance if you arrived after final rehearsal had already commenced.

Father rushes, mother futzes

Shirts starched, shoes polished, suits pressed, ties, pretied so we could just slip them over our heads, would have been laid out the night before in readiness. My father would drag us out of bed, point us in the direction of the bathroom, the boys shared one, and disappear to make breakfast. My mother would then begin to lay out her clothes for the day. She’d hold one seemingly identical blouse up against suits that looked remarkably similar to the one before and deliberate on how to put together her outfit.

Meanwhile, we had breakfasted, and my father had gone down to the garage to rev up the Chrysler. He would pull it up to the house, and we would all pile in waiting patiently for mother to arrive. My father was one of those men of infinite patience whose quiet surface was rarely ruffled. Except, he hated to be late. We knew when dad’s patience was being tested when he started to hum some themeless, nameless tune. The humming started this particular morning as we waited for mom to arrive. Oh, and along with the humming, my father would gradually start revving the car by degrees by way of supposedly hurrying mom wordlessly along.

This Sunday happened to be Mother’s Day. My father had laid a gardenia corsage in its plastic excelsiored box by her breakfast place. We were to meet my grandmother, my mother’s mother, and her glam sister at the country club after church. I’m sure, knowing this, my mother was thrown into spasms of delight as she envisioned both mother and sister in creations by Dior or Chanel or Schiaparelli, with the perfect hats, high-heeled shoes with pointy toes, makeup and hair perfect, pearls with a scattering of diamonds, appropriate for the occasion, and scented with Shalimar and Chanel No. 5.

Dior clip earrings

Chanel heels

Schiaparelli hat

Mom threw on her original suit after changing it four times, slapped on her gold wristwatch, grabbed her handbag and in a streak of what could be called defiance and knowing that the fashion police would have something to say about it, recklessly slammed a cartwheel hat in pale lavender straw, trimmed with cabbage roses and matching lavender bow, on her head.

Mom rushed to the car while she pulled on her gloves and navigated the huge hat carefully into the car. My father, having seen her approach in the rearview mirror, made no comment as he pulled away from the house. We also made no comment as we stared at this confection that we had never seen before sitting on her head.

We had not even gotten to the bottom of the driveway when mom started to ask each of us what we thought of her hat. She started with the eldest and worked her way down to the youngest son sitting in the backseat. “Thomas, what do you think of my hat?” Tom, who was clueless, commented, “Fine.” “Raymer, what do you think of the hat?” My brother, Raymer, equally clueless, said it was OK. “Matthew, do you have an opinion?” “Ah, well,” was his reply. “Christopher, what do you think of my hat?” “Well, Mom, now that you mention it, I don’t really think it works with the suit.”

Early 20th-century card

With each answer, mom made no comment. My father, anticipating the question, reacted by speeding up the car, thinking that with the acceleration, he could dodge the question that he knew was going to be lobbed his way. “Raymer,” my dad was also Raymer, “what do you think of my hat?” My father, who invested heavily in candor, replied, “Frankly, Lillian, I think it looks like hell.”

The temperature noticeably dropped in the car. In a timbre that we boys recognized as “no nonsense” and pronounced in pear-shaped tones, my mother said, “Stop the car.” My father accelerated. “Raymer, stop the car.” Pretending not to hear, he, instead, intensely studied the road as if he was doing a quality-control check on the application of the white lines bordering his lane. With one quick motion, my mother pressed the window button, and as the window went down, she took the brim of the hat with her other hand and threw it out the open window. Without comment, she pushed the button again, and the window went up.

For the 30 minutes remaining in the trip, there was a silence in the car that could only be called cryptlike. My father was not a big laugher, meaning he was not the ha-ha, gusto type. Instead, when he laughed, the laugh would start with his shoulders beginning to shake. Then, the shake would travel the length of his body. By the time, we arrived at church, he could barely stand up he was laughing so hard.

1972 Royal Copenhagen Mother's Day plate

My mother was still silent. Ignoring him, she ushered us in the direction of the choir room. Then she disappeared. My father, thinking that she would drop us off and then proceed into the church as she had done for years, went in and sat in our pew. No mom. The organist began to play the prelude. No mom. The choir, fully dressed in cottas and cassocks, were gathering at the back of the church. No mom.

Just before the opening chords of the hymn were about to start, there was a muffled commotion that started at the back of the church where we were all congregated. The choir parted like the Red Sea, and there was my mother standing in the midst of us. On her hatless head was now a coronet of flowers, courtesy of the adjoining graveyard, consisting of lilacs, azaleas and mock orange that were woven into a halo and placed on the top of her head. With a poise and confidence not unlike a Pope dispensing indulgences or a blushing bride, she walked down the center aisle of the church and quietly took her seat, carefully avoiding the rubbernecking, smiling, and gawping stares she encountered on her way.

1924 Mother's Day card

My father took one look at her, and his whole body began to shake. He shook so hard that mom had to grab his arm for fear of his falling out of the pew into the aisle. She began to laugh, too, and her laughter was of the Wagnerian, Valkyrie type, starting low and working itself up into a crescendo. Soon the whole front of the church was laughing with them. The laughter spread down one side of the church and up the other. Meanwhile, the organist, known for his impish humor, had started playing “Here Comes the Bride” in response to mom’s march to the pew. This got the whole congregation laughing even harder, which was unheard of in an Episcopal church.

Hearing the laughter, the minister appeared and tried to shush the congregation. With the hilarity slightly subsiding, he asked my parents, in light of my mother seeming so bridelike, if they would like to renew their marriage vows. My parents, still laughing, looked at each other and said in unison, “Absolutely.” They sealed 27 years that day.

First edition Peanuts Mother's Day plate

– By Christopher Kent, a member of the WorthPoint board of advisers and director of evaluations for WorthPoint. He is also an antiques and collectibles generalist, fine-arts broker and president of CTK Design.

Want to let your mother know how much you care? Send her WorthPoint’s “Happy Mother’s Day” video compiled from vintage postcards.

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Official 2009 poster

It is billed as the most exciting two minutes in sports. And it is for 3-year-olds only. We’re talking about the ultimate horse race known as the Kentucky Derby.

The race may just be two minutes, but the festival in Louisville, Ky., begins two weeks in advance. Over the past 50 years, it’s grown into the biggest event in Kentucky with parties, dinners, honors, discussions, events, warm-up horse races, golf, balloon races, fireworks, paddle boats, cruising, mint juleps and, of course, souvenirs. Collecting Derby memorabilia is the second largest pastime in Louisville, and it continues well after the hooves of the winner have fallen silent.

Let’s review just a few of the official ones.

The horse
The ultimate souvenir of any Kentucky Derby is the winner itself, a 3-year-old colt, gelding or filly. Exact figures of what it takes to breed a Kentucky Derby winner varies, but the value increases to the millions after the awarding of the blanket of 554 roses to the winner. This is one collectible that continues to appreciate once it is retired to pasture.

Photo signed by trainer of 1994 winner, Go for Gin

Churchill Downs 1947 spring meeting book

(If you would like more information about a pictured item, click on the image.)

The winning ticket
Ah, but the second biggest collectible is at the pay window. Taking home the winnings from the Kentucky Derby is the ultimate collectible, and it comes with free bragging rights. What a deal. Interesting, but I’ve never seen losing tickets auctioned online anywhere.

The mint-julep glass
All right, these are great collectibles for the rest of us. The mint julep is the favorite drink of the Kentucky Derby, so naturally there is a special glass made both for enjoying the drink and for collecting. Official Kentucky Derby mint julep glasses became instant collectibles when they were introduced in 1938.

1950 mint-julep glass

As with any collectible, there are variations each year. According to Horse-Races.Net, there were aluminum and Bakelite glasses during World War II. The 1950 and 1951 glasses are the rarest, but 1974 had the most variations from two different companies due to a printing error. Read Audra Blevins blog about the mint-julep glass and how to make what goes inside one.

1941 Bakelite Derby glass

World War II-era Bakelite glass

The official silk scarf
Silk scarves are a relatively new collectible for the Kentucky Derby. Chuck Starr of Collectors Gallery says the first officially sanctioned scarf was introduced by Churchill Downs about 1995. Only about 200 are made every year, which makes them very rare, indeed. The only place to find the officially sanctioned Kentucky Derby 2008 silk scarf is through the exclusive distributor sanctioned by Churchill Downs, Horse Art Gallery, at a cost of $365 each. Look for the twin-spires graphic on each corner of the scarf to know it is authentic.

The official Kentucky Derby Festival pin
Each year the Kentucky Derby Festival issues a decorative commemorative pin. Beginning in 1973 with a plastic Pegasus pin, there are now festival, corporate, chairman and balloon pins, too. There are so many pins that it is hard to get “pinned” down on just how many styles there are. Each pin is available individually or as part of sets from online auction sites. Visit the Kentucky Derby Festival store their store, and see a selection of 2009 pins.

1974 Pegasus pin

1978 Pegasus pin

The official Kentucky Derby Festival poster
Since 1981, when renowned artist Peter Max designed the first colorful festival poster, artists from around the country have competed to provide the right prerace excitement every year. For 2009, it was two for one when it came to artists. Twins Doreen and Janeen Barnhart, designed this year’s exciting poster. Their design is featured on tote bags, glasses, T-shirts, glasses, hats and other Derby collectibles. Visit the Kentucky Derby Festival store if you’re interested in purchasing 2009 items or ones from past years. All of the past Derby posters are still available by visiting their store and ordering your favorite.

C. W, Vittitow, print signed by the artist

Finally
There are other Derby collectibles beyond the officially sanctioned ones. There is an early travel poster such as the one issued by the C&O Railroad that advertised Kentucky as a travel destination rather than the Derby itself, plus old tickets, programs, newspapers featuring the winner, hats, balloons, key rings, T-shirts, Beanie horses, books, whiskey bottles, shot glasses, photos, DVDs, plates, software games, trivets and . . . who knows what else?

If you’re interested Kentucky Derby collectibles, don’t miss these informative videos, “Kentucky Derby Collectibles,” “Kentucky Derby Collectible Glasses” and “Kentucky Derby Museum.”

Coke bottle commemorating 1983 Kentucky Derby

Beanie Baby 123rd Derby horse

1945 shot glass

If the Kentucky Derby is the ultimate in horse racing, then it is also the ultimate in horse-racing collectibles, too. So, get them while you can. Ready? Aaaand, we’re off!

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