Finding Coca-Cola Stuff…..

Being known as that “Coca-Cola Bottle Man”, I have people send me a lot of photos of stuff they find. It’s great! I get to see things that I otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to see.  Here is something my brother-in-law came across in Northern California. He was out there helping his son (my nephew) bottle around 500 bottles of his own wine. (Can’t wait to get a few bottles of it, Sean)  While out one day he came across this Coca-Cola cooler that has found a new life as something else……

Coke cooler

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70,000 and Counting

I hit the 70,000 visitor mark this week!  Thanks everyone for stopping by.

Roaming Around Rome

A few weeks ago I was able to travel to Rome, Georgia for the 41st Annual Rome Antique Bottle Show.  It is a small show, but always a good one. Here is an article from the local paper on the bottle show: http://www.romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/21600145/article-Bottle-collectors-see-one-man%E2%80%99s-trash-as-their-own-treasure-?instance=home_news

I grew up as a “Navy Brat”, and then joined the Navy once I was old enough. So, we never really had a ‘home town’ growing up, but if I could pick one it would be Rome, Georgia. The rolling hills, the river, a great downtown area with lots of restaurants and shops. Of course Rome has several great antique stores to check out too.  It has the conveniences of a large town, but has a small town feel to it.

While there I got to speak with Frank Barron Jr. His family started the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Rome around 1901. (I wrote about Frank’s book a few years ago: https://cocacolabottleman.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/another-good-read/) He is certainly an interesting man to speak to. I enjoyed talking ‘Coca-Cola’ with him and asking him about the bottling side of the business.

Also while in Rome Frank took me over to the Rome Area History Museum. Some of his collection is on loan to the museum and I was eager to see it. While there I met the Executive Director of the museum, Leigh Barba.  She runs a GREAT museum!  There were MANY interesting exhibits on display. If you are ever in Rome, be sure to check it out.  http://www.romehistorymuseum.org/

All in all it was a great day in Rome: found a few bottles at the Rome Show I had been trying to find for awhile and saw some bottle collecting friends, got to meet Mr. Barron and speak with him, got to tour the museum and even had time to  hit a few antique stores.

Rome Area History Museum

Rome History Museum

The Ups and Downs and Highs and Lows of 2013

Well, I hope 2013 is starting out as a good year for all of you!    I’ve had a few issues, in a span of three days I managed to: Break a tooth, spent 4 hours in the Dental Chair having repairs. The next day, while attempting to clean a wooden Coca-Cola crate from the Netherlands, I managed to slip, fall and bruise my side and my elbow. Then the next day I managed to walk into a door, toes first! As I lay on the floor, I hoped that would be the end of my accidents. Although it has been 3 weeks and the toes are still causing issues.  It has been hard to walk any distance. I still have swelling and bruising.

    The week after all my accidents we went to Chattanooga to see some friends daughters compete in a Cheering Competition. We had a great time, but walking was an issue for me.  We stopped at a few Antique Stores, but didn’t cover as much territory as normal due to my hobbling around.

   I did run into a friend of mine from the Coca-Cola Club while in a North Georgia Antique Store. He lives in Tennessee and came down to see if any new Coca-Cola items had turned up. It is always great to run into Club members while out.

   I did manage to find a few bottles, one Coca-Cola bottle from a City/State I did not know existed and found some sort of prototype for the Coca-Cola 32 ounce bottle as well as a few paper items dealing with Coca-Cola.

  So, even though I had a few rough days in a row, I tried not to let it slow me down too much and still get out and have fun.

I hope you all have been able to venture out this winter and see collecting friends and find a few items to add to your collection!

AND remember-watch out for those doors!!!