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

Visit the Huntington Digital Library: Jay T. Last Collection   to view digitized items from this collection.

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

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

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

Printers: Cosack & Co.
 

 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

Printers: Cosack & Co.
 

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

Printers: Deckert, J.
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

Printers: Thomas & Eno
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

Printers:
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

Artists: Ulffers, Mortiz
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

Printers: Shober & Roth
 

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

Printers: Lane & Scott
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

Printers: Reagles & Co.
priJLC_BEV_004580

Teas only. Lovell, Pomeroy & Co. 1851

priJLC_BEV_005190

XXXX coffee. ©1903

priJLC_BEV_005191

XXXX coffee. ©1903

priJLC_BEV_005192

XXXX coffee. ©1903

priJLC_BEV_005193

XXXX coffee. ©1903

priJLC_BEV_005194

XXXX coffee. ©1903

priJLC_BEV_005195

XXXX coffee. ©1903

priJLC_BEV_005196

XXXX coffee. ©1903

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

Printers: Cosack & Co.
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

Printers: Cosack & Co.
priJLC_BEV_003523

Tufts' Arctic Soda Water: cooling off the sun and its children. 1882-1891

Printers: Cosack & Co.
priJLC_BEV_003524

Tufts' Arctic Soda Water: the only cool place in --- 1882-1891

Printers: Cosack & Co.
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