Diversification and collecting

Collecting diversification can be both a blessing and a curse. I am a collector. Which if I am honest with myself boils down to my having a hereditary hoarding gene, but I realized early that I needed to focus that gene, so I started collecting. Why do I collect? All humans have an inborn need for the thrill of the hunt, and that is what drives me. I actually have several collections/interests, some major, some minor, a few have been with me since I was a child like the Star Wars action figure collection. Some I have picked up over the years as my interests changed, the record collection would fit into this category.

Yet some evolve from the buying of what I call "Hey that's neat" items. The soda collection is one of those. I usually pick up "Hey that's neat" items when I can't find anything that I am actually full bore collecting at that particular moment, or a good source of "go with" items opens up that I can't ignore. Lately with the lack of interesting bottles, and an new source, has given rise to my picking up soda advertising signs. I've always liked this type of advertising, and had planned on getting into it, but they are usually far too expensive for my tastes. Then enters a source which has been fairly reasonable in their prices and I'm hooked, for the moment at least. You can really only spare room for so many of these. Here are some of the signs that I have acquired over the past four months.

This was the first one I picked up. I'd always liked these button signs; however, the more common Coca-Cola ones were just far too dull for me to own. I do like the Dr. Pepper 10, 2, 4 promotion and the font is from the right period.

Next and so far most expensive was this near mint Botl'o sign. Botl'o was the flavor line of the Grapette company during the 1940's and 1950's.

This is a sign for Mil-Kay which was an orange drink from the 1940's and 50's

This cardboard sign is advertising Ski-Hi Grape which was a flavor line produced by the Orange Crush Company in the 1920's and 30's.

This plastic Grapette sign is most likely from the 1960's. Even though it wouldn't be worth much, one thing to look for in soda advertising is if there is a bottle pictured.

Last but not least is this small Pop Kola sign which is most likely from the 1940's.

 To have an interesting collection you need to diversify, because it helps on those hunting trips where you don't find anything. It just gives you that thrill of satisfaction of finding something that strikes your interest. Who knows it could propel you into a whole new aspect of a present collection, or create a new collection altogether. Yet then again you could end up with far too many collections than your wallet can handle, or your abode for that matter. Collecting is fun, but sometimes you have to know when to let go of certain things as well.

Happy hunting,

Joseph Lee III