From Eric McGuire

Rick,

The FOHB Southern Region Show has come and gone and I thought I would give you a Westerner's view, with the mind that next year's Expo will be held in Sacramento. I will give you captions for the attached photos - listed by the last three digits:

 

 

The show was very well attend and held in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. The venue was downright massive with a more than ample and well lighted exposition hall. This is a photo of the crowd comprised of early lookers and dealers as the doors first opened

 

There were a good number of displays with most showcasing a variety of Southern bottles. This joint effort display was an assemblage of some of Tennessee's most desirable bottles

 

 

Included in the Tennessee bottle display was a pint size D.KIRKPATRICK & CO. / CHATTANOOGA / TENN. flask, one of my favorites, with a "road kill" eagle embossed on the front. This is truly a rare bird, and there was actually a quart version in another display

 

 

This display included one of the best collections of Charleston eagle soda bottles I have ever seen. The photo speaks for itself

 

 

 

As in nearly all regions of the country, older colored soda bottles are always a desirable collectible. This display included only Southern soda bottles

 

 

 

Something that is not well represented in the West compared to most parts of the country is pottery. A number of sales tables had examples of early Southern pottery for sale

 

 

Midwestern bottles were also for sale, as noted by this sales table

 

 

The birthplace of Coca Cola was the Southeast and Southerners do like to collect painted label sodas. It is extremely popular there just as it is gaining momentum in the West as the supply of older bottles has slowed down

 

 

A sales table of just pretty and different liquor flasks

 

 

The bottle auction associated with the show was a lively event and well attended

 

Overall, this show was a great experience and just a little taste of what will happen in Sacramento next year. I saw no more than half dozen Western bottles for sale, with the best being, perhaps, a cobalt blue Bay City soda. This is in stark contrast of what will happen at the Sacramento Expo which is already in great demand for sales tables, hotel rooms and dinner reservations. Please keep that in mind.

 

Eric M

 

Thanks to Eric for this great report on the Show - rs -