ON THE COVER -
January Issue 2006
The Calendars of Coca-Cola......by Robert Reed
Here is a classic tale. Recently sorting through the belongings of their late uncle, two women uncovered a large folder of vintage paper advertising. Near the bottom of the dusty stack were three Coca-Cola calendars in excellent condition. The two contacted an expert and it turns out the colorful 1940s calendars were valued at hundreds of dollars each. All things Coca-Cola are attracting a growing number of collectors. And with nearly a century of production behind them, Coca-Cola calendars are among the most favored of the Coke items.

THE ANTIQUE DETECTIVE
Early Tables Had Many Names, Uses

Would you recognize a “butterfly” table or a “chair” table? These are just two types of tables made in the 18th century. In those days a table was more than a table or had a double function. A good example is the “chair” table that easily converted. Also known as the hutch table, it sometimes had a storage compartment under a hinged seat. Another form, the circular hutch table, was built on trestle ends. By the early 19th century the chair table was mounted on turned legs.  It and other styles of tables changed over the 18th and 19th centuries, as the structure of American society changed. New fashions and manners also influenced these changes.

"Old Ironsides" An American Naval Legend....by Roy Nuhn
Launched over 200 years ago as one of our young nation's earliest fighting ships, the U.S.S. Constitution - affectionately called "Old Ironsides" by generations of Americans - has long been a most beloved national symbol of liberty and freedom. This gallant battle wagon of the high seas, victorious in everyone of its 30 battles, was among the first six frigates - ships of the line - authorized by Congress in 1794 to form the nucleus of a newly born u.s. Navy. The 44-gun, wooden man-o'-war was launched October 21, 1797, from Hart's Shipyard in Boston.

Q. I hear references to Stickley all the time but I am confused about who he was and why he was so famous. Can you shed any light on the subject?

Gators, Flamingoes and Palms! Oh My!....by Carol J. Perry
Clearwater, Florida - The venerable Belleview Biltmore Hotel was the scene of a remarkable gathering of shoppers, dealers and serious collectors of a very specific type of Americana. The event was the Florida Collectibles & Vintage Memorabilia Show and as the carpeted halls of the historic Victorian-era hotel rang with the sounds of live island music, visitors were treated to a huge selection of vintage Florida collectibles.