Heard it through the
Grapevine Building Renovations Uncover Early Dr. Kilmer Advertising Renovation work being done on an old building in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan, uncovered some unexpected history. When the plaster was removed from one of the walls, a large advertisement for Dr. Kilmer came to light. The ad, painted on the old brick walls reads, “SAMPLE BOTTLE MAILED FREE / DR. KILMER CO. BINGHAMTON, NY.” The building is located at 97 W. Michigan Ave. Image 1 is what the building looked like in 1940. Image 2 is what it looks like now. The other ad that can be seen in the photo is for Phil Hook’s Tavern and Budweiser. The building is believed to have been constructed in the early 20th century. Submitted by AB&GC reader Jim Lockmiller of Battle Creek, Michigan.
Image 2
Image 1
Got Corn? Get This Ralph Finch’s rebuttal For reasons I don’t fathom, my normally sweet wife, Janet, saw this item and commented that with the amount of corn I harvest, I should consider owning this sign. (It turned out, she was being sarcastic. Wives do that once in a while.) This colorful item was offered by Chupp Auctions of Shipshewana, Indiana. I was surely tempted. Lot 751 was described as “18 by13 inches, a flanged Dickelman Metal Corn Cribs sign, RARE!” (And note that it is a double-sided sign.) And I could save my jokes here, kept “Rat Proof ” in this corn crib (This is no Mickey Mouse outfit.)
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
However, one day before it closed on Jan. 15, the colorful item garnered 26 bids, pushing the price to $1,700. WOW! My corn isn’t worth that. (It’s worth nothing, someone whispered.)
OK, the auction is over, and I didn’t get it. Well, that’s corn over the dam. Darn. The final price? $8,000, plus a 20 percent buyer’s premium (plus tax?)! Still, it’s a nice, two-sided sign.
