Original Listing Description

COCA-COLA ~ HAVE A COKE ~ DINER SODA FOUNTAIN DISPENSER TOPPER ADVERTISING SIGN \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ THIS MONTH, WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER MANY FINE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE ARTIFACTS AND RARITIES FROM MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA ESTATES AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS PLEASE CHECK OUR OTHER EBAY LISTINGS FOR MORE EXAMPLES OF EARLY ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ DESCRIPTION THIS 6-INCH TALL COCA-COLA SODA FOUNTAIN TOPPER SIGN MEASURES 13 X 6 INCHES OVERALL, WITH A STRONG, RETRO APPEARANCE THAT SEEMS TO DATE FROM THE MID-20TH CENTURY. THE MAIN BODY IS COMPOSED OF A HARD MOLDED COMPOSITE, DISPLAYING A SOLID RED FINISH. THE BORDERS, FEATURING A CHROME-LIKE FINISH, APPEAR TO BE CHROMED METAL, ADDING A SLEEK AND DURABLE ACCENT. THE TOP SECTION DISPLAYS THE MESSAGE HAVE A COKE IN BOLD LETTERING, WHILE THE FRONT TRANSLUCENT PANEL DISPLAYS DRINK COCA-COLA IN CLASSIC RED SCRIPT. THIS PANEL WAS LIKELY ILLUMINATED BY A LIGHT SOURCE WHEN MOUNTED, GIVING IT A GLOWING EFFECT TO ATTRACT ATTENTION IN A SODA FOUNTAIN OR DINER SETTING. TO THE REAR, APPLIED LABELS INDICATE THE BEVERAGE OPTIONS AVAILABLE AT THE FOUNTAIN: FANTA GRAPE AND FANTA ORANGE, ALONG WITH A PARTIALLY VISIBLE COCA-COLA LABEL, WHICH SUGGESTS THIS TOPPER WAS CONNECTED TO MULTIPLE DISPENSER LINES. THIS PIECE REPRESENTS THE ICONIC BRANDING AND INSTANT RECOGNITION OF COCA-COLA PRODUCTS, MADE TO BE BOTH EYE-CATCHING AND FUNCTIONAL AS A FOUNTAIN DISPLAY ELEMENT. CONDITION REPORT > SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FUNCTIONAL IN ANY RESPECT ~ OFFERED AS A COLLECTIBLE ELEMENT ~ OPINION OF CONDITION SHOULD BE DEVELOPED BY EXAMINING THE IMAGES OFFERED. HISTORY OF COCA-COLA In May, 1886, Coca Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. John Pemberton concocted the Coca Cola formula in a three legged brass kettle in his backyard. The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton's bookkeeper Frank Robinson. Being a bookkeeper, Frank Robinson also had excellent penmanship. It was he who first scripted "Coca Cola" into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo of today. The soft drink was first sold to the public at the soda fountain in Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta on May 8, 1886. About nine servings of the soft drink were sold each day. Sales for that first year added up to a total of about $50. The funny thing was that it cost John Pemberton over $70 in expanses, so the first year of sales were a loss. Until 1905, the soft drink, marketed as a tonic, contained extracts of cocaine as well as the caffeine-rich kola nut. By the late 1890s, Coca-Cola was one of America's most popular fountain drinks. With another Atlanta pharmacist, Asa Griggs Candler, at the helm, the Coca-Cola Company increased syrup sales by over 4000% between 1890 and 1900. Advertising, was an important factor in Pemberton and Candler's success and by the turn of the century, the drink was sold across the United States and Canada. Around the same time, the company began selling syrup to independent bottling companies licensed to sell the drink. Even today, the US soft drink industry is organized on this principle. Until the 1960s, both small town and big city dwellers enjoyed carbonated beverages at the local soda fountain or ice cream saloon. Often housed in the drug store, the soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages. Often combined with lunch counters, the soda fountain declined in popularity as commercial ice cream, bottled soft drinks, and fast food restaurants came to the fore. On April 23, 1985, the trade secret "New Coke" formula was released. Today, products of the Coca Cola Company are consumed at the rate of more than one billion drinks per day. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ PLEASE USE THE EBAY "CONTACT SELLER" FUNCTION TO CONTACT US AND RESOLVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING FREE SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM TO DOMESTIC ADDRESSES ONLY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING AVAILABLE FOR SOME ITEMS ~ CONTACT US FOR A RATE QUOTE BEFORE BIDDING >

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Coca Cola collectors and appraisers.