Jay T. Last Collection of Beverage Prints and Ephemera: Finding
Aid
Finding aid prepared by Charla DelaCuadra.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Prints and Ephemera
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2013
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Jay T. Last Collection of Beverage Prints and Ephemera
Dates (inclusive): approximately 1840-1949
Bulk dates: approximately 1850-1915
Collection Number: priJLC_BEV
Collector:
Last, Jay T.
Extent:
approximately 3,240 items
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Prints and Ephemera
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract:
The Jay T. Last Collection of Beverage Prints and Ephemera contains approximately 3,240 printed items advertising beverage
products and related businesses in the United States from the 1840s to the 1940s, with the bulk of the items
spanning from 1850 to 1915. The collection consists largely of lithographed ephemeral items produced for American businesses
affiliated with the manufacture, distribution, and sale of beverages such as coffee, tea, juice, milk, carbonated beverages,
and alcoholic drinks including beer, wine, whiskey, and other liquors.
Language: English.
Note:
Finding aid last updated on November 20, 2019.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities.
The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the
researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Item title, Call number]. Jay T. Last Collection of Beverage Prints and Ephemera, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
This collection forms part of the Jay T. Last Collection of Graphic Arts and Social History, which was
donated to the Huntington Library by Jay T. Last in 2005 as a gift in progress. The bulk of the beverage prints and ephemera were transferred to the Library between 2010 and 2013.
Background
The Jay T. Last Collection is an unparalleled archive of printed paper artifacts that documents American lithographic, social,
and business history. The collection began in the early 1970s when
physicist and Silicon Valley pioneer Jay Last moved to Southern California and started collecting citrus box labels he found
at local flea markets and rummage sales. As his collection grew,
Last realized that these labels conveyed important information about commercial printing, graphic design, and social history,
and he expanded his collection to include other forms
of American visual culture. Today this collection contains more than 200,000 lithographic prints, posters, and ephemera of
mostly nineteenth- and early twentieth- century American
origin and represents works by more than five hundred lithographic companies.
Scope and Content
The Jay T. Last Collection of Beverage Prints and Ephemera contains approximately 3,240 printed items advertising beverage
products and related businesses in the United States from the 1840s to the 1940s, with the bulk of the items
spanning from 1850 to 1915. The collection consists largely of lithographed ephemeral items produced for American businesses
affiliated with the manufacture, distribution, and sale of beverages such as coffee, tea, juice, milk, carbonated
beverages, and alcoholic drinks including beer, wine, whiskey, and other liquors.
Materials are arranged in two series: small-size items (11 x 14 inches or less) and large-size items (more than 11 x 14 inches).
Small-size items are described broadly at the series level; large-size items and select small-size items are fully inventoried
and all printers,
artists, and publishers are indexed by name. The collection includes approximately 65 large-size items comprised mainly of
lithographed advertising prints and product labels for tea, coffee, and spirits. Small-size items number nearly 3,200 and
contain a variety of promotional materials including trade cards, calendars, die-cut scraps, booklets, and printed billheads
and letterheads with manuscript text.
The collection deals with beverage production, merchandising, advertising, and consumption -- including depictions of families
and other groups drinking together -- and the images provide a resource for studying the history
of American beer, liquor, coffee, tea, and carbonated beverage industries along with the evolution of their advertising in
the 19th and early 20th centuries. Materials in the collection produced for manufacturers and distributors of alcoholic
beverages also provide a perspective on their advertising strategies in the
face of a growing temperance movement in the United States leading up to Prohibition. As graphic materials, the prints offer
evidence of developing techniques and trends in printmaking, and of the artists, engravers, lithographers, printers,
and publishers involved in the creative process.
Note
The Jay T. Last Collection is a gift in progress. Container numbers may change as
the collection expands.
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Related materials in the Huntington Library
Arrangement
Items are arranged broadly by size in two series, which have been further arranged in subseries according to product type:
- Series I. Beverage Prints and Ephemera (small size)
- Subseries A. Beer, Liquor, and Wine (small size)
- Subseries B. Coffee and Tea (small size)
- Subseries C. Juice, Soda, and Water (small size)
- Subseries D. Milk (small size)
- Series II. Beverage Prints and Ephemera (large size)
- Subseries A. Beer, Liquor, and Wine (large size)
- Subseries B. Coffee and Tea (large size)
- Subseries C. Juice, Soda, and Water (large size)
- Subseries D. Milk (large size)
Indexing Terms
Genres
Billheads.
Broadsides.
Business cards.
Business records.
Business records -- United States -- 19th century.
Business records -- United States -- 20th century.
Calendars.
Chromolithographs.
Ephemera.
Ephemera -- United States -- 19th century.
Ephemera -- United States -- 20th century.
Engravings.
Labels.
Leaflets (printed works).
Letterheads.
Lithographs.
Price lists.
Printed ephemera.
Promotional materials.
Relief prints.
Scraps (Decorations)
Trade cards.
Views.
Subjects
Advertising -- Beer.
Advertising -- Beverages.
Advertising -- Carbonated beverages.
Advertising -- Coffee.
Advertising -- Liquors.
Advertising -- Milk.
Advertising -- Soft drinks.
Advertising -- Tea.
Advertising -- Tea trade.
Advertising -- Wine.
Brandy.
Breweries -- Pictorial works.
Brewing industry.
Coffee industry.
Commercial streets -- Pictorial works.
Distilleries -- Pictorial works.
Gin.
Grain -- Pictorial works.
Grapes -- Pictorial works.
Groceries.
Horse-drawn vehicles -- Pictorial works.
Industrial buildings -- Pictorial works.
Mineral water industry.
Soft drinks -- Pictorial works.
Storefronts -- Pictorial works.
Tea trade.
Whiskey.
Wine industry.
Printer, Publisher, Artist Index
The following is a complete list of printers, publishers, and artists represented in the large-size items in this collection.
American Fine Art Co.
American Oleograph Co.
Berninghaus, Oscar E. (Oscar Edmund), 1874-1952.
Cosack & Co.
Crosby, Charles H., 1819-1896.
Crow, Thomas & Eno.
Deckert, J.
Donaldson Brothers (Firm)
Drummond, Dominick I., approximately 1830-1899.
Ehrgott & Krebs.
Graphic Company.
Henderson Lithographing Co.
Heppenheimer, Frederick, -1878.
Hinds, Ketcham & Co.
Ketterlinus Lithographic Manufacturing Company.
Kollner, Augustus, 1813-1906.
Lane & Scott.
L.E. Neumann & Co.
Major & Knapp Engraving, Manufacturing & Lithographic Co.
Reagles & Co.
Rease, W. H.
Rolph and Clark
Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith.
Shober & Roth
Strobridge & Co. Lith..
Strobridge Lithographing Company.
Thomas & Eno.
Ulffers, Mortiz.
Wagner & M’Guigan.
Wittemann Brothers.
Wimar, Carl, 1828-1862.
Series I. Beverage Prints and Ephemera (small size)
1840-1930
Physical Description:
approximately 3,175 items in 22 binders and in 1 flat-top box
Scope and Content
This series contains approximately 3,175 small-size printed items that pertain to the beverage industries and related products
in the United States from approximately 1840-1930. The materials consist of advertising and promotional ephemera, illustrations,
and business records related to beverage industries.
The beverage-affiliated entities represented in this series include breweries, distilleries, liquor distributors, tea and
coffee merchants, milk suppliers and dairies, and water and ice companies. Item types include trade cards, die-cut scraps,
calendars, booklets, product labels, and printed
billheads and letterheads with manuscript text.
The materials in this series either promote or are broadly connected to beverage-related products, services, or sponsoring
businesses. Many of the images depict bottles, barrels, and drinks, though the collection also has
a wide variety of other images, including young women; animals; children and families; comic scenes and caricatures of ethnic
groups such as Chinese, Native American Indians and African Americans;
views of buildings and landscapes; and patriotic symbols and vignettes.
Items are arranged mainly by product type and then alphabetically according to company name. Groupings include: Beer, Liquor,
and Wine;
Coffee and Tea; Juice (including ciders and cider vinegars), Soda, and Water (including ice); and Milk. Items smaller than
8 x 10 inches are housed in binders, while items that are between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size are
individually sleeved and arranged in folders in one box.
Arrangement
This series is grouped into 4 subseries:
- Subseries A. Beer, Liquor, and Wine (small size)
- Subseries B. Coffee and Tea (small size)
- Subseries C. Juice, Soda, and Water (small size)
- Subseries D. Milk (small size)
Subseries A. Beer, Liquor, and Wine (small size)
Binder 1
Beer, A-D by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 120 items
Binder 2
Beer, E-N by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 110 items
Binder 20
Beer, O-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 100 items
Binder 21
Beer, supplies and services, A-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 70 items
Box 1, Folder 1
Beer (between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size)
Physical Description: under 5 items
Binder 14
Liquor and Wine, A-D by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 110 items
Binder 15
Liquor and Wine, E-H by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 120 items
Binder 16
Liquor and Wine, I-P by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 120 items
Binder 17
Liquor and Wine, Q-S by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 90 items
Binder 18
Liquor and Wine, T-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 65 items
Box 1, Folder 2
Liquor and Wine (between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size)
Physical Description: approximately 15 items
Note
Select items in this folder have been fully cataloged and are listed below.
priJLC_BEV_003495
Pleasant Valley Wine Co. approximately 1878-1891
priJLC_BEV_004570
Indian Peach manufactured by Ford & Brother Lynchburg, Va. after 1866
Printers: Calvert Lithographing Co. (Detroit, Mich.)
priJLC_BEV_004571
Honey and Peach. 1874
Printers: Heppenheimer & Maurer
priJLC_BEV_004572
Cloud's invigorating cordial. after 1866
Printers: Calvert Lithographing Co. (Detroit, Mich.)
priJLC_BEV_004723
Pleasant Valley Wine Co. approximately 1878-1891
Subseries B. Coffee and Tea (small size)
Binder 3
Coffee and Tea, A-C by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 130 items
Binder 4
Coffee and Tea, D-F by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 245 items
Binder 5
Coffee and Tea, G-L by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 195 items
Binder 6
Coffee and Tea, M-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 270 items
Binder 7
Coffee and Tea, Arbuckle (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 345 items
Binder 8
Coffee and Tea, Atlantic-Pacific (1) (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 180 items
Binder 9
Coffee and Tea, Atlantic-Pacific (2) (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 55 items
Binder 10
Coffee and Tea, McLaughlin (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 260 items
Binder 11
Coffee and Tea, Woolson-Lion Coffee (1) (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 160 items
Binder 12
Coffee and Tea, Woolson-Lion Coffee (2) (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 60 items
Box 1, Folder 3
Coffee and Tea (between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size)
Physical Description: approximately 25 items
Note
Select items in this folder have been fully cataloged and are listed below.
priJLC_BEV_003512
Griswold's ground Santos coffee. approximately 1863-1875
priJLC_BEV_003513
Our Favorite tea. after 1881
priJLC_BEV_003514
Preciosa English breakfast tea. after 1881
priJLC_BEV_003515
Progress tea. after 1881
Subseries C. Juice, Soda, and Water (small size)
Scope and Content Note
Within this subseries, ciders are grouped with juice, and ice products are grouped with water.
Binder 13
Juice and Soda, A-Z by product (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 140 items
Binder 22
Water, A-Z by product (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 75 items
Box 1, Folder 4
Juice, Soda, and Water (between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size)
Physical Description: approximately 5 items
Note
Select items in this folder have been fully cataloged and are listed below.
priJLC_BEV_003520
Allen's root beer on draught. approximately 1919-1920
priJLC_BEV_003521
California orange sugar makes delicious orangeade. after 1891
Subseries D. Milk (small size)
Binder 19
Milk, A-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 105 items
Related Material
Items related to chocolate milk can be found with chocolate products in the Jay T. Last Collection of Food Prints and Ephemera.
Series II. Beverage Prints and Ephemera (large size)
approximately 1841-1940s
Physical Description:
approximately 65 items
Scope and Content
This series contains approximately 65 large-size advertising and promotional items related to beverage industries in the United
States from approximately 1841 to the 1940s, with the majority of items spanning from 1850 to 1912.
The series is comprised mainly of lithographed advertising prints produced for beverage distilleries, manufacturers, and distributors.
Genres represented include advertising prints, views of factories and storefronts, and product labels for tea, coffee, and
spirits. The prints are mostly color-printed lithographs,
but the series also includes uncolored and hand-colored images. Among the earliest items is an uncolored depiction of the
four-story storefront of tea and coffee merchants Hawthorn & Company from after 1841 (BEV_001209).
The most recent item is a die-cut circular product label for Radio Food Corp. roller process skim milk powder from circa the
1940s (BEV_001859).
Arrangement
This series is grouped into 4 subseries according to product type:
- Subseries A. Subseries A. Beer, Liquor, and Wine (large size)
- Subseries B. Coffee and Tea (large size)
- Subseries C. Juice, Soda, and Water (large size)
- Subseries D. Milk (large size)
Within each subseries, items are arranged numerically by call number and described in the following format:
-
Title of print. Date
- Artist(s) (when known). Printer(s). Publisher(s).
Subseries A. Beer, Liquor, and Wine (large size)
priJLC_BEV_000588
C.L. Centlivre Brewing Co., incorporated.
after 1896
Printers: Henderson Lithographing Co.
priJLC_BEV_000611
Engel & Wolf's brewery & vaults at Fountain Green.
approximately 1856-1859
Printers: Kollner, Augustus, 1813-1906
priJLC_BEV_000620
H. & H. Reiners. Distillery. 177 to 183 Stagg St. Brooklyn. N.Y.
approximately 1879
priJLC_BEV_000678
Manufactory of the Celebrated S. Tobias, Wine Bitters.
approximately 1845
Artists: Rease, W. H.
Printers: Wagner & M’Guigan
priJLC_BEV_001024
A. Baetzhold, importer of and dealer in wines and liquors.
approximately 1873-1880
priJLC_BEV_001841
Attack on an emigrant train.
approximately 1912
Artists: Berninghaus, Oscar E. (Oscar Edmund), 1874-1952
priJLC_BEV_001842
The father of waters.
approximately 1912
Artists: Wimar, Carl, 1828-1862
priJLC_BEV_001848
Bininger's old Kentucky bourbon 1849 reserve.
approximately 1860
Printers: Heppenheimer, Frederick, -1876
priJLC_BEV_001849
Bininger's genuine cognac brandy.
approximately 1860
Printers: Heppenheimer, Frederick, -1876
priJLC_BEV_001850
Bininger's old London dock gin.
approximately 1860
Printers: Heppenheimer, Frederick, -1876
priJLC_BEV_001851
Burnett's old tom gin : London.
©1859
Printers: Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith.
priJLC_BEV_001852
El celebre Schiedam schnapp's aromatico de Wolfe.
1862-1864
priJLC_BEV_001857
Medford N. E. rum, manufactured only by Daniel Lawrence...
1847
priJLC_BEV_001858
Old Challenge Whiskey.
1867-1872
Printers: Major & Knapp Engraving, Manufacturing & Lithographic Co.
priJLC_BEV_001860
Centlivre's nickel plate bottled beer : manufactured by C.L. Centilivre Brewing Co. Fort Wayne, Ind.
1893-1918
Printers: Ketterlinus Lithographic Manufacturing Company
priJLC_BEV_001861
Compliments of the Jacob Hoffman Brewing Co. Oriental Brewery, 204-218 E 55th St. New York.
1886-1906
priJLC_BEV_001862
O. Vill's lager beer : Minnesota City, Minn.
©1878
Printers: American Oleograph Co.
priJLC_BEV_001864
Fanny Ross copper distilled whiskey.
after 1884
Printers: Strobridge Lithographing Company
priJLC_BEV_001865
The high sport hand made sour mash whiskey.
1867-1880
priJLC_BEV_001866
Schmidlapp's live oak distillery : fine copper distilled bourbon whisky.
©1872
Printers: Ehrgott & Krebs
priJLC_BEV_001867
C. Vowinkel & Co. Monongahela rye whiskies, California & imported wines & brandies. Pittsburgh, PA.
©1880
priJLC_BEV_001868
Val. Blatz's premium export Milwaukee lager beer.
©1879
Artists: Ulffers, Mortiz
Printers: Wilttemann Brothers
priJLC_BEV_001869
Lauer Brewing Company Ltd. Reading, PA.
after 1893
Printers: American Fine Art Co.
priJLC_BEV_003490
Henriot & Co. Rheims champagne.
approximately 1873-1884
Printers: Graphic Company
priJLC_BEV_003491
Pabst extract Indian calendar 1906.
©1905
priJLC_BEV_005189
Pure grape brandy...Senator Leland Stanford's Vina distillery.
approximately 1881-1893
Printers: L.E. Neumann & Co.
priJLC_BEV_005198
Silver spring brewery ltd., Victoria, B.C. "the life saver."
approximately 1902-1928
Printers: Rolph and Clark
priJLC_BEV_005199
J. Peacock. Manufacturer of superior xxx cream pale and stock ales.
approximately 1858-1863
Subseries B. Coffee and Tea (large size)
priJLC_BEV_000670
Horniman’s Pure Tea the Leaf Not Coloured.
after 1852
priJLC_BEV_001067
Ten minutes for refreshments.
©1886
priJLC_BEV_001843
Climax coffee.
1880-1890
Printers: Hinds, Ketcham & Co.
priJLC_BEV_001844
Climax coffee.
1880-1890
Printers: Hinds, Ketcham & Co.
priJLC_BEV_001845
Climax coffee.
1880-1890
Printers: Hinds, Ketcham & Co.
priJLC_BEV_001846
Treasure Japan tea : full value : the pure tea leaves.
approximately 1882
priJLC_BEV_002475
Commercial coffee house, corner of Milk & Batterymarch Sts. Boston. Levi Whitney, proprietor.
1844-1848
priJLC_BEV_003481
Green mountain chop.
after 1853
priJLC_BEV_003482
Registered chop gilt edge.
approximately 1867-1895
priJLC_BEV_003483
Gold joss chop.
approximately 1867-1895
priJLC_BEV_003484
Golden egg chop.
approximately 1867-1895
priJLC_BEV_003485
Talisman chop.
approximately 1867-1895
priJLC_BEV_003486
Talisman chop.
approximately 1867-1895
priJLC_BEV_003487
Temple bell chop.
approximately 1867-1895
priJLC_BEV_003488
Sunbeam Japan tea.
after 1853
priJLC_BEV_003489
Schilling's blossom tea.
after 1880
priJLC_BEV_004578
Trade circular and price list of the Baltimore City Roasted Coffee and Spice Mills.
1874
priJLC_BEV_004579
The great American tea company...price list of teas.
1864
priJLC_BEV_004580
Teas only. Lovell, Pomeroy & Co.
1851
priJLC_BEV_005200
You will find in every package of Arbuckle's ariosa coffee one of a series of 50 instructive, interesting and artistic cards.
©1889
Printers: Donaldson Brothers (Firm)
Subseries C. Juice, Soda, and Water (large size)
priJLC_BEV_001847
The American ginger ale manufactured by Coburn, Lang & Co. 100 Worcester & 116 Water Streets. Boston, Mass.
approximately 1872
Artists: Drummond, Dominick I., approximately 1830-1899
Printers: Crosby, Charles H., 1819-1896
priJLC_BEV_001854
Belfast ginger ale. : Mineral water. : Manufactured by Moses Fairbanks and Co. Howard Athenaeum Building Howard St. Boston.
approximately 1873-1874
Artists: Drummond, Dominick I., approximately 1830-1899
Printers: Crosby, Charles H., 1819-1896
priJLC_BEV_001855
Genuine Belfast ginger ale : G. D. Dows & Co. 55, Sudbury St. Boston.
approximately 1873-1874
Artists: Drummond, Dominick I., approximately 1830-1899
Printers: Crosby, Charles H., 1819-1896
priJLC_BEV_001856
Tuft's Arctic Soda Water: the fountain of youth.
1882-1891
priJLC_BEV_001863
"Up and going" "Excelsior" ginger ale made by John Klee Dayton, O. Joseph R. Peebles' sons, sole agents, Cincinnati, O.
©29 August 1885
priJLC_BEV_003522
Tufts' Arctic Soda Water: the fountain of youth.
1882-1891
priJLC_BEV_003523
Tufts' Arctic Soda Water: cooling off the sun and its children.
1882-1891
priJLC_BEV_003524
Tufts' Arctic Soda Water: the only cool place in ---
1882-1891
priJLC_BEV_005197
"True fruit" orangeade.
approximately 1880-1915
Subseries D. Milk (large size)
priJLC_BEV_001859
Radio extra grade roller process skim milk powder distributed by Radio Foods Corp. Lawrence, Mass.
approximately 1940s