FOHBC Hall of Fame Nomination for
Ferdinand Meyer V Houston, Texas FOHBC Director-at-Large, 2018 - Present President, 3 terms, 6 years, 2012-2018 2nd Vice President, 2010-2012
15 February 2021 Submitted by Jim & Val Berry
INDEX
03 - Nomination Letter - Jim & Val Berry 04 - Overview: Personal + Hobby + FOHBC 06 - An Interview with Ferdinand Meyer V - The New Face of the Hobby - Jeff Wichmann 10 - Peachridge Glass Collection 12 - Author: Feature Articles 14 - Peachridge Glass Website and Peachridge Glass Facebook 16 - FOHBC Website and FOHBC Facebook 18 - FOHBC Virtual Museum 21 - FOHBC Awards 22 - FOHBC National Events 24 - Club & Organization Design Assistance 25 - FOHBC National Event Souvenir Programs 26 - Publications 28 - Letters of Reference 2
NOMINATION LETTER
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OVERVIEW - Ferdinand Meyer V PERSONAL 1957
Native of Baltimore, Maryland, b.1957. Grew up in Towson, Maryland. Has two younger brothers and one younger sister. Father, Ferdinand Meyer IV was one of the founding members of the Baltimore Antique Bottle Club and show chair for their annual bottle show for many years. Father was an antique dealer and collected and displayed poison bottles among many other interests. Younger brother, Charles K. Meyer current and past treasurer for the Baltimore Antique Bottle Club. Chuck collects Baltimore beer bottles.
1975
Graduated from Calvert Hall College High School, a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland.
1979
Earned a BFA in Fine Art and Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design in Kansas City, Missouri. Four year scholarship 1975-1979.
1981
Moved to Houston, Texas in 1981 and was hired as a graphic designer at 3D/International, global architects.
1982
Studio Director at Intergraphic Design, Inc. in 1982.
1983
Founding principal of FMG Design, Inc. in 1983, a nationally recognized design consultation firm based in Houston, Texas.
1992
Married to Elizabeth Jane Meyer and lives in Houston on property called Peach Ridge. One daughter Edie Renee, and three grandchildren Adriana, Nicolas, and Isabella. Family involved in Quarter horses and related competitions. Interests include succulent gardening and antiques.
HOBBY 1966
Started collecting United States postage stamps at an early age specializing in areas such as general issue, revenue, plate blocks, coils, line-pairs, covers and Cinderellas.
2011
Peachridge Glass website: Released in April 2011. Developed, designed and implemented one of the more popular and robust antique bottle and glass websites with over 2,000 posts, 3 ½ million visits to date and over 40,000 images online. Peachridge Glass Facebook: Maintains one of the more popular antique bottle and glass social media pages. One of the most comprehensive bitters collections ever assembled. Specializes in color runs and the story behind each bottle.
2013
Bottle collection featured on television series “Extreme Collectors.” The $250,000 Bottle, Season 1, Episode 7, 2013 Received collectors at Peach Ridge to review collection including Bob Ferraro, Gerald & Helen Forbes, Sandor P. Fuss, Ed & Kathy Gray, Mike & Alice Seeliger, George Waddy, Lance Westfall, Jeff Wichmann, etc. Has written extensively for Bottles and Extras and Antique Bottle & Glass Collector magazines. In all cases, designed and laid out the article and designed cover if applicable. Supports the annual Houston Antique Bottle Show.
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Design consultant for various antique bottle and glass clubs and organizations such as the National Bottle Museum (NBM), National Insulator Association (NIA), 49er Historical Bottle Club, Atlanta Antique Bottle Club, New England Antique Bottle Club, South Carolina Bottle Club among others.
The Story of Drake’s Plantation Bitters, A 19th Century Cure-All by Q. David Bowers. Research associates Julia H. Casey and Ferdinand Meyer V, Foreword by Ferdinand Meyer V. 2020
Designed and published Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 with Bill Ham. 475 pages, hard-bound book, 2020.
FOHBC 2003
Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors member since 2003. Served as a FOHBC Board Member. FOHBC 2nd Vice President (2 years, 2010-2012). Served as FOHBC president for three terms (2012-2018). Presently serving as FOHBC Director-at-Large (2018-2021).
2009
FOHBC Virtual Museum. Asked by Federation President, Richard T. Siri at the 2009 Pomona National to develop a FOHBC Virtual Museum. One of three founding members of possibly the largest project in the hobby world. Responsible for museum design, website design, marketing, research and historical write-ups.
2011
Redesigned FOHBC Website. In 2011, FOHBC President Gene Bradberry asked that a new Federation website be developed that premiered the following year.
2011
FOHBC Webmaster. Took on this compensated position in an unofficial capacity in 2011, at no cost. Maintains to this date, the FOHBC website including posts, show calendar, historical archival components, members portal etc.
2011
FOHBC President’s Award 2011 presented by Gene Bradberry, FOHBC President. FOHBC National Conventions and Shows. Served as co-chair or on the event leadership teams for the 2016 Sacramento National (with Richard Siri), 2017 Chattanooga National (with John Joiner & Jack Hewitt), 2019 Augusta National (consortium) and the 2020 Reno National (canceled); now 2022 Reno National. Every show was a financial success.
2012
Bottles and Extras. Redesign of the Federation’s journal, Bottles and Extras starting in July 2012. Took the 72-page, plus covers magazine to full color. Added new sections such as Member Photos and Lost & Found. Bottles and Extras Design and Layout. Took on this official compensated position in an unofficial and uncompensated capacity from 2011 to 2018. Worked with the FOHBC Editor to compile magazine each issue from 2012 to 2018. FOHBC Design Standards. Development of brand and design standards for the FOHBC, advertising, national shows, events, Virtual Museum, magazine, website etc. FOHBC Digital Newsletter. Laid out and oversaw the FOHBC bi-monthly digital newsletter for a number of years until it was discontinued in 2018. Designed and operates the FOHBC Social Media effort including Facebook. Presently overseeing a consultant for Instagram.
2015
“Board Appreciation Award” for dedicated service, support and leadership, 2015 Chattanooga National banquet.
2018
“Appreciation Award” for serving as the FOHBC President for three terms from 2012 - 2018 presented at the 2018 Cleveland National banquet. National Show Fundraising. Designed a new generation of souvenir programs. Worked with financial teams that have raised in excess of $50,000 in recent years after deducting all expenses such as printing. Historical Archiving. Developed a method to archive all past issues of Bottles and Extras articles, The Pontil newsletters, display videos, notes of records etc. Developed FOHBC cloud storage.
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An Interview with Ferdinand Meyer V The New Face of the Hobby by Jeff Wichmann as published by American Bottle Auctions November 2012 As the hobby changes over the course of months, years and decades, it’s inevitable that new faces arrive on the scene. One such new face is that of Ferdinand Meyer V, and as most people will agree, has come onto the scene like a hurricane. Not only maintaining a world class collection of bottles, Ferdinand has taken the reins in many areas of the hobby. I wanted to know more about this interesting man and thought it was time to New FOHBC President, Ferdinand Meyer V - 2012 Reno National banquet do an interview. The following is some background information and his responses to some pointed questions. I think you’ll agree, if anyone is going to make their mark on the antique bottle hobby in today’s world, it’s Ferd as his friends call him.
Elizabeth Requejo (soon to be Meyer) & Ferdinand Meyer V
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Ferdinand Meyer V, President, Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and has a BFA in Fine Art and Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. He is also the founding principal of FMG Design, a nationally recognized design consultation firm. Ferdinand is a passionate collector of American historical
glass specializing in bitters bottles; color runs and related classic figural bottles. Ferdinand is married to Elizabeth Jane Meyer and lives in Houston, Texas with their daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. The Meyers are also very involved in Quarter Horses, antiques and early United States postage stamps. JW: Although you are becoming the new face of antique bottle collecting in this country and for all I know the world, you’ve really been most prominent leading the charge in the last four years or so, what happened?
No stuffed animals foritFerdinand. Jeff, I guess really has been kind of crazy now that I sit down and think a moment about where I am, where I’ve been and where I hope to go with antique bottles and glass. This all started in early 2002, so the first years I was the newcomer, the new kid on the block. One guy up north used to always squeeze in the word “neophyte” when we were talking. I thought that was pretty amusing. Just because I was just starting out did not mean I was new to collecting something great. I thank my grandparents for getting me into stamp collecting as a young child for this. I also immediately joined the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC). This was Jeff Noordsy & Ferdinand Meyer, 2011 Baltimore Bottle Show a no-brainer as I had always been a member of something or another. Membership gives you a sense of belonging and a feeling of having your sail full of wind. I was so excited when my card arrived. I was a “card carrying member of the FOHBC.”
Being new really worked to my advantage as it allowed me to fly under the radar the first few years and build the foundation of my bitters collection. I was also buying great bottles at a rapid speed almost immediately, so the word gets around. My first big moves were with Pacific Glass Auctions and this character I only spoke to on the telephone named Jeff Wichmann. I was so intimidated back then by you, Norm Heckler and Jim Hagenbuch. It was
kind of embarrassing, as I always felt like I might say something stupid to expose my newness to bottle collecting when I was on the phone participating in an auction. Seeing you guys in person at shows back than was off the charts intimidating. I think the ice broke, at least for me, back in November 2002 when I purchased the Doy McCall, Judge MacKenzie green Indian Queen from your shop.
I have always let my passion for life, art and living take the lead with unbridled control only to have to chase it down and steer it from time to time. Heart and brain working together. I move between the right and creative side of my brain to the left and controlling side with relative and surprising ease. I think this jockeying back and forth has always been my strength, come to think of it. I was tempted here to start telling my ‘bottle story’ again but I do not want to waste space. I have written a 2-part feature article on this topic for the FOHBC in Bottles and Extras back in 2009. Let’s just link and mention the stories and move on if you don’t mind. Read: Glass Passion and Color Part I: Life Transformation and Glass Passion and Color Part II: Exploration and Color.
Ferdinand Meyer V, Norman Heckler and James Becker at Heckler Hayfield event, October 2011.
This gave me the confidence that I could move up a level and play with the players. Having the name Ferdinand Meyer V also helped, as many in the east coast knew my father Ferdinand Meyer IV who was very connected with the great Baltimore Antique Bottle Club. I also remember you or persons from your shop treating me special after we had done our first dealings. This also gave me confidence. Though I am not a gambler, I guess I thought I was getting the red carpet and high roller treatment. I suspect becoming president of the FOHBC was the catalyst for you suggesting this interview. Since I have been president of my own company for three decades or so, I have had all the responsibilities, trappings and the rest of the stuff that goes with this position for almost my entire working life. It has been one wild ride that continues today. My point is, this is no power trip for me now with bottles. Been there, done that. When I go home on the weekends, my dogs, grandkids and my wife are the bosses, although not always in that order. I can accept that. I am putty in their hands and paws. Monday, I know, is just around the corner. I also realize that being president of the FOHBC is a big responsibility. I am humbled and honored to now have this role. Having an ‘all star’ supporting cast is also exciting. We really have a great group of board members that all seem to be stepping up and not just relying on their name, which in most cases are legendary. Gene Bradberry is also sitting to my right and Hall of Famer Bob Ferraro to my left, so I feel secure. Gene has been the president of the FOHBC and the Memphis club like ten times so talk about experience! If that guy does not get the coveted Hall of Fame award during my term, I will eat my hat.
OK, back to the question you asked, what happened? In hindsight, I saw an avenue to give something back and to be part of a great movement of rediscovery with antique bottles and glass. I was quite frankly, amazed, concerned and startled by the talk I was hearing about the stagnation of our hobby. I was also noticing a lack of direction, cohesiveness and observing very little ‘new blood’ to carry the torch. I was also concerned with what I saw when I would sit in the audience at FOHBC Board meetings. I wondered, how could you have all these great people, our legends, be somewhat disconnected with the bottle and glass world around them? How in the world could this all be? Well, we are a sleeping giant about to wake. It is already happening. History is hot, we all want to look back to our roots and ancestry, we want to remember, we want to find, we want to learn, we want to cherish, adore and celebrate early American glass. Look at all the television shows alone that deal with antiques! Quite amazing actually. In the most simplistic terms, I am just a tool. I have given myself back to the hobby and the FOHBC because I can hammer and I can also paint. For selfish reasons, I also thought this would be a great adventure. My swan song. As a side note, my mother, with her masters degree in psychology, thinks this is all about me reconnecting with my father who passed away in 2005. We never really got along after my parents’ divorce and we lost our connection when I was a teenager. Bottles and glass has joined us spiritually in another dimension once again. My stepmother Jeane always says with amazement, “if your father could only see you now”. As I sit on a plane typing this out I want to cry. My mother is probably right. JW: Did you ever think you’d be where you are now? The face of the hobby if you will? Is this what you wanted? No, I just started down a path and doors started opening, the sun shined in different ways and I was given an opportunity to grow and learn which are my Wheaties and my fuel. I never really had too many friends in life because I was so dedicated to my business, so meeting new people, listening and being accepted in
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the bottle and glass community is exciting and rewarding to me. I really have met some great people at every level that I admire. Sometimes I feel so small. Though I am not a digger, I have been digging, scratching and clawing my way along trying to get as much knowledge about antique glass as I can. Some of the folks I know have been doing this for their entire life. Once I start something, I kind of really jump into it. This glass thing really bit me late in life though I am now thinking that it was always there, beneath the surface, waiting. JW: Regarding your personal collection, your bio says you collect bitters bottles, color runs and related classic figural bottles, what other favorite areas do you have of collecting in this amazing hobby and what are some of your own favorite bottles? Is there one bottle that you either have or don’t that you’d consider the bottle of all bottles? I suspect I may have one of the most comprehensive bitters collections out there. Picking an area to specialize in and excel, certainly allows me to be competitive, which I am by nature. The romantic and witty side of me wants to say my latest bottle conquest, or some other Zen-like answer is my favorite bottle. I won’t do that. I will use a morbid game Sandor Fuss and I play with surprising effect with our collection and other collections. We say to each other sometimes, “if there is a fire, which bottle would you carry out first?” My answer is “the blue fish.” This bottle is magic. It comes alive in your hand or wherever it is displayed. It blows away Sandor’s blue Old Homestead. Sandor and I are also very competitive together and use any opportunity to make a statement to the other whether it is direct or indirect. Oh, your last question. I am looking for a cobalt blue, Drakes Plantation Bitters. Ya’ never know!
Elizabeth & Ferdinand Meyer holding the legendary blue fish bitters. FOHBC 2009 Pomona National.
JW: As a kid, were you aware of the hobby, and did your father play a large part in that?
I knew nothing about bottles as a kid. I was a stamp collector. I was not aware of this hobby until my father got into it pretty heavily. We were disconnected by then though I did hear about it when we talked or visited. It’s funny; I have always liked antiques and glass. Even at art school in Kansas City, Missouri, I would buy cheap bottles at antique shops just to put in windows
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or put pennies in. Also, I have always been designing and sculpting in glass since art school in Kansas City so my fascination with glass has been with me and contributed to my career and passion all along. JW: I believe most people see you as a fierce promoter of antique bottles and the hobby in general but what is it that you see about yourself that others may not? My fear of failure or rejection keeps moving me along. We will have to ask Sigmund about that. I push hard, but I am always thinking that Indians are circling or I have more work to do. I like to excel and as I said previously, I am very competitive. However, I am getting worried of late that some people are saying that I am distant or pre-occupied when we talk. I especially hear this at shows or when I am at dinner with friends. I guess I have too many things on my mind. I apologize to all I have offended. I really do care. I am working on fixing these crossed wires. JW: Your family obviously means a lot to you, your wonderful wife, Elizabeth, travels with you it seems to major if not all the bottle shows you attend, can we assume family is not only important to you but the most important part of your life? My wife, daughter and grandkids mean the most to me. I do all of this for them. But I do hear from my wife and grandkids under various guises, “You care more about your bottles than me!” Elizabeth is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. Without her, I shudder to think where or what I could be doing. She is my greatest fan and my biggest critic and boy does she know how to work it. I actually really feel guilty because she usually goes to the big bottle shows and events with me and I rarely go to her multi-day horse events. That is where we draw the line. JW: Your efforts in promoting the hobby are unequaled in the hobby today. How do you find the time to deal with the Peachridge Glass website, the FOHBC web site, the new FOHBC Presidents position, editorial head of Bottles and Extras, the FOHBC magazine, the Virtual Museum project (I’m sure I’m leaving something out) and all the other things you do just within the framework of the bottle hobby? Yes. Some of my Nearing the finish line at the 2011 Chevron Houston Marathon. days are busy. I usually wake at 3 or 4 a.m. every day out of habit. I actually enjoy this. I am very careful not to multi-task and allow myself time to work in each area if thinking and/or creative
work is required. I am an expert at taking short power naps and squeezing in working at an airport, between meetings or on a plane. I am also a problem solver. That is the core of my position with my company, FMG. Exercising is also part of my daily regimen as I started in 1975. I solve many problems while I run or are on the stairmaster. JW: In a recent poll done by Terry Kovel and her staff, based on the results of hundreds of thousands of items searched for on their website during April 2012, bottles were number two with dolls being first. Where do you think the hobby is in relationship to collecting in the US today? We are in the epicenter of something big. The moon and stars are aligned for the biggest movement our hobby has ever seen. I hear so many of the older collectors saying that the hobby is dying and that we do not have younger folks joining our ranks. This is so far from being correct. I assure you, there is a new breed of younger bottle collectors and historic glass enthusiasts that is Internet savvy in that they post bottle news on all of the great antique bottle and glass forum sites such as AntiqueBottles.net, facebook and the other websites such as my Peachridge Glass website, the Federation website and so many others. Many are also diggers. We need to embrace this community and welcome them into the waiting arms of the Federation, which unfortunately, in the past, seemed a little exclusive and out-of-touch to the next generation and the antique bottle and glass community as a whole. I also feel that the ‘Americana and Folk Art’ collectors will discover ‘bottle collecting’ in the very near future. This is already beginning to happen and when this does, we will go mainstream. I want this to happen on our terms, Federation terms. We are a union of great people, friends, collectors, glass authorities, auctioneers, dealers, diggers, pickers, finders, historians, authors and bloggers in every possible area of historic bottles and glass. All I can say is, buckle your seat belts. No more moving at a snail’s pace. Let’s all work together and make this happen. Let’s pave the road to the future of our hobby. This is so exciting! It is happening in just about every other area of antique collecting. Now, finally, it is our turn. I just need to figure out a way to join all these groups. We are also seeing the uniting of the foreign collectors with the US collectors. This is pretty exciting too. Glass did not start here! JW: Early on, it seemed whenever I called you, you seemed to be either at an airport or headed for one, is that still a major part of your schedule, lot of travel meeting with clients? Or are you spending more time dealing with the hobby?
gasted. Having my own web page and knowing what it takes to just maintain that, isn’t a virtual museum almost a virtual dream? How’s it coming along? I wrote an editorial on this recently about getting this project back on track. After a two-year delay with the last presidency of the FOHBC, it is moving forward again. This isn’t going to happen overnight. This will take years of work, like any museum, so do not look for completion any time soon. I do hope to have the first gallery open next year though. The heavyweights like Vuono, Fuss, Ham, Siri, Grapentine etc. are very supportive and are waiting in the wings to help. This will be great. Remember, all of the great pieces need to be photographed professionally and written up. JW: Where do you think the hobby is headed over the next five years and what is in store for all the collectors out there? The key is the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. We are stronger as a whole. We can do more as a group such as promote our Code of Ethics, have great national shows, promote regional and local shows thus increasing attendance, document our history, have a virtual museum, a bricks and mortar museum, develop collector and auction house standards for grading and colors, have interactive forums and websites, a great magazine, newsletter, influence legislature and understanding of our hobby and digging, culture the next generation, and have special events like our banquet, seminars, shootouts etc. that rarely happen elsewhere. The sum of the parts is much greater than any one of us so increasing membership is critical. We are up dramatically in FOHBC membership this past year and I attribute this to the machinery being oiled and moving at a faster and regular pace than it has been in years past. I frequently hear that Bottles and Extras, our bi-monthly, 72-page color magazine is what you get when you join the FOHBC. Well true, you do. The magazine is just the icing on the cake to me. I tell people that you get to be meet and belong to a group of the greatest and most passionate group of people on earth, who love antique bottles and glass. Thank you Ferdinand Reprinted from American Bottle Auctions, Sacramento, California. For original article go to americanbottle.com. Dreaming at Big Sur, California
It is late Friday afternoon and I am in transit between Virginia and Houston now. Going to recharge my batteries this weekend. Have to cut grass and fill some gravel that has washed out of our driveway at Peach Ridge. Monday I fly back to the east coast. It is more challenging when I have a bottle show on the weekend. Combining business, bottle shows and visits with collectors makes for some interesting trips! The Heckler - Keene, Baltimore and Auburn shows are typically bookended with business and collection visits. JW: When I first heard about a virtual museum I was flabber-
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Peachridge Glass Collection - Ferdinand and Elizabeth Meyer
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FEATURE ARTICLES - Ferdinand Meyer V, author Glass Passion and Color, Part I: Life Transformation, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2009 Glass Passion and Color, Part II: Exploration and Documentation, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2009 FOHBC Virtual Museum Project, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2010 Collecting Essentials, The Bottle Hunt, Ferdinand Meyer V, Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, April 2011
Sept-Oct 2012
Memphis or Bust! FOHBC 2011 Memphis National Show and Sale, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2011 New FOHBC Web Site…a Long Time Coming, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2011 Auburn, California 34th Annual 49er Bottle & Antique Show A Huge Success “The Best of the West,” Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2012 Coca-Cola Bottle Breaks Record, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2012 2012 Baltimore Bottle Show, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2012 FOHBC Virtual Museum Project, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, July-August 2012
Nov-Dec 2012
Reno Expo 2012 – The Best Show Ever, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2012 Reno Expo: The FOHBC Banquet, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2012 Big John Feldmann – the Amityville Legend, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2012 Meet John Akers – A Collector and his Cartoons, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2012 Transformation: Manchester and Your FOHBC (2013 Manchester National Report), Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2013
Sep-Oct 2013
2014 Lexington National News, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2014 With Precision and On Time: 2014 Lexington National Report, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2014 There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2014 “In hoc vinces” Romaine’s Crimean Bitters, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2015 Marketing FOHBC National Shows, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2015
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July-Aug 2015
Is There Really a Burton’s Bitters? Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2015 E. Dexter Loveridge – In the House, A Treasure Trove of Wahoo Bitters Items goes to Auction, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, July-August 2015 Chattanooga National Antique Bottle Show (National show report), Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2015 Memories from the Gulf Coast Bottle & Jar Club – The Ultimate Scrap Book, Alton Neatherlin & Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2015 A Graphics Exploration & Selection for Springfield, Mass. in 2017, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2015 The Color Purple or Amethyst in Antique Bottles and Glass, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2016
Nov-Dec 2015
What is Puce or “Pooce” as some call it?, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, March-April 2016 The Color Orange in Antique Bottles and Glass, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2016 OK Plantation Bitters – The Big Boys, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2016 2016 Sacramento National – Celebration of People and our Hobby (National show report), Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2016 The Color Amber – Not Brown – A “chocolate” Brown’s Celebrated Indian Herb Bitters, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2017
Jan-Feb 2017
Pale Orange Bitters and P. J. Murray’s Ghost, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, July-August 2017 Paine’s Celery Compound – Makes People Well, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, July-August 2017 Remembering Bob Ferraro – From Black & White to Color, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, September-October 2017 Alphons Dryfoos’ Wald Koenig Bitters and an amazing bottle design patent, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2018 Everything was Just Peaches and Cream in Georgia, 2019 FOHBC 50th Anniversary National Antique Bottle Convention, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2019
Nov-Dec 2019
Meet Steve Kehrer, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2020 Barkhouse Bros. & Co. Gold Dust Kentucky Bourbon, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, May-June 2020 Dorlon & Shaffer Pickled Oysters, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, November-December 2020 Shriver’s Baltimore Oyster Ketchup, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, January-February 2021 Ta Tsing Bitters – The Great Chinese Remedy, Ferdinand Meyer V, Bottles and Extras, March-April 2021 Mar-Apr 2021
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Peachridge Glass Website - Design and administration Developed, designed and implemented one of the more popular and robust antique bottle and glass websites with over 2,000 posts, 3 ½ million visits to date and over 40,000 images online. Peachridge Glass was released to the antique bottle collecting community in April 2011.
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Peachridge Glass Facebook page - Design and administration Peachridge Glass Facebook is one of the more popular antique bottle social media pages. The Facebook page feeds and leads visitors to the Peachridge Glass and FOHBC websites among others.
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FOHBC Website - Design and administration Redesigned FOHBC Website. In 2011, FOHBC President Gene Bradberry asked that a new website be developed that premiered the following year. FOHBC Webmaster. Took on this position in an unofficial capacity in 2011 at no cost as it was previously a compensated position. Maintains the FOHBC website including posts, show calendar, historical archival components, members portal etc.
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FOHBC Facebook page - Design and administration Social Media. Designed and operates the FOHBC Social Media effort including Facebook. Presently overseeing a consultant for Instagram. Efforts direct to FOHBC.org and FOHBCVirtualMuseum.org
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FOHBC Virtual Museum - Museum Design and administration FOHBC Virtual Museum. Asked by Federation President, Richard T. Siri at the 2009 Pomona National to develop a FOHBC Virtual Museum.
One of three founding members of possibly the largest project in the hobby world. Responsible for museum design, website design, marketing, research and historical write-ups.
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FOHBC Virtual Museum - Marketing FOHBC Virtual Museum. Publishes almost daily, specific museum specimen bulletins to FOHBC board members, Facebook and Instagram that are re-directed to Bottles and Extras and FOHBC members.
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FOHBC Virtual Museum - Fundraising with Alan DeMaison The FOHBC Virtual Museum operates independently from FOHBC general account funds derived from membership. The three founding members, Alan DeMaison, Richard T. Siri and Ferdinand Meyer V developed a comprehensive system to raise money from donations to support the design, development and operation of the FOHBC Virtual Museum. The effort has raised close to $40,000 to date. The trio also maintains a Donor Wall within the FOHBC and FOHBC Virtual Museum websites.
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FOHBC Awards
The President’s Award 2011 was presented to Ferdinand Meyer V for “Outstanding Contribution” by FOHBC President Gene Bradberry at the 2011 Memphis National banquet.
August 2018. The FOHBC Board presented Ferdinand Meyer V an “Appreciation Award” for serving as the FOHBC President for three terms from 2012 - 2018 at the 2018 Cleveland National banquet.
July 31, 2015. The FOHBC Board presented Ferdinand Meyer V an “Appreciation Award” for dedicated service, support and leadership to all the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors at the 2015 Chattanooga National banquet.
2012 Reno National Expo Shootout - Best Drake’s Plantation Bitters, Reno, Nevada
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FOHBC National Events - Leadership Teams FOHBC National Conventions and Shows. Served as co-chair or on the event leadership teams for the 2016 Sacramento National (with Richard & Beverley Siri), 2017 Chattanooga National (with John Joiner), 2019 Augusta National (consortium) and the 2020 Reno National (canceled); now 2022 Reno National. Each show was a financial success.
Worked with 2014 Lexington show chairs Randee & Sue Kaiser and Sheldon Baugh and provided organizational support on national event logo, event designs, advertising, marketing and design of souvenir program resulting in revenue of $1,425 from floor sticker ads and $6,475 in program advertising. Show resulted in a $12,295.06 profit for the FOHBC.
Worked with 2015 Chattanooga show chairs John Joiner and Jack Hewitt and provided organizational support on national event logo, event coordination and designs, advertising, marketing and design of souvenir program resulting in revenue of $12,060 in program advertising. Show provided a $15,428.03 profit for the FOHBC.
Worked with 2016 Sacramento show chairs Richard & Beverley Siri and provided organizational support with host hotels, conference center, events, national event logo, event designs, advertising, marketing and design of souvenir program that resulted in revenue of $14,320 in program advertising. Show provided a $19,050.19 profit for the FOHBC.
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Worked with 2017 Springfield show chairs Jim Bender and Robert Strickhart and provided organizational support for opening reception event, national event logo, event designs, advertising, marketing and design of souvenir program resulting in revenue of $16,750 in program advertising.
On team with 2019 Augusta show consortium with Bill Baab, Walter Smith, Mike Newman, Marty Vollmer, and Eric Warren. Provided organizational support for host hotels, convention center, museum event, national event logo, event designs, advertising, marketing and design of souvenir program resulting in revenue of $16,285 in program advertising. Show provided a $8,580.09 profit for the FOHBC.
Worked with 2017 Springfield show chairs Matt & Elizabeth Lacy and Louis & Lindsey Fifer and provided national event logo, event designs, advertising, marketing and design of souvenir program resulting in revenue of $17,620 in program advertising.
On team for 2020 Reno show chaired by Richard Siri. Provided organizational support, national event logo, event designs, advertising and marketing until the show was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. On team for the rescheduled Reno 2022 event.
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Assisting Bottle and Glass Events and Institutions - Design Services When asked, without compensation, provides bottle show flyer designs to national antique bottle clubs for their events. Designed the marketing material for the NIA 2019 Orlando Insulator Show & Convention. Provides design assistance to the National Bottle Museum.
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FOHBC National Event Souvenir Programs - Design & Administration Designed and administrated FOHBC national event Souvenir Programs from 2014 to 2019.* Souvenir programs prior to these dates were lucky to break even with advertising sales after subtracting the printing and shipping costs. *No program for Reno 2020 as event was canceled due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Net Profits: 2014 Lexington $3,850 profit. 2015 Chattanooga $7,613 profit. 2016 Sacramento $7,365.79 profit, 2017 Springfield $10,195.50 profit. 2018 Cleveland $11,388.50 profit. 2019 Augusta $10,991.87 profit.
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Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 - co-authored with Carlyn Ring & Bill Ham Provided the design, layout, factual research and project management for Bitters Bottles Supplement 2. The third book in a series has 474 pages and is hardbound. There is an extensive color plate section. Included Indexed Bitters listings for Bitters Bottles, Bitters Bottles Supplement and Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 Started work in the Fall of 2020 for Bitters Bottles Supplement 3. All new finds are researched, validated and recorded.
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The Story of Drake’s Plantation Bitters - A 19th Century Cure-All co-authored by Q. David Bowers Research associates Julia H. Casey and Ferdinand Meyer V, Foreword by Ferdinand Meyer V. Provided many support images.
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Jeff Wichmann
RE: Ferdinand Meyer, V To the Officers of the FOHBC: It is my pleasure to offer my support for the nomination of Ferdinand Meyer to the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Hall of Fame. Ferd, as most of us call him, has been not only a devout collector with a keen eye for America’s early glass bottles, but has excelled at sharing his insight and love of the hobby. As I understood from the beginning, Ferd began collecting bottles with his father. As he became more educated and learned, he concentrated on the different companies that ordered bottles and the glass houses that made them. His website, Peachridge Glass, is the go-to site to learn more about antique bottles with an explosive amount of information and beautiful pictures. In addition to his own website, he also maintains an extensive site for the FOHBC. Both are without a doubt the most useful and extensive antique bottle websites ever created. It isn’t unusual for Ferd to spend a vast amount of time researching just one company. His specialty is bitters and visiting his house and seeing his collection this year in Houston was a privilege that many of us have enjoyed. Ferd’s wife, Elizabeth, has also devoted much of her time to the hobby. Lifetime friends and partners, the two have enjoyed working together studying and promoting the hobby and being an intricate part of the federation’s duties. Ferd’s house displays a vast collection of bottles lining his shelves in different rooms including an amazing collection of aqua bottles in multiple categories. His collection centers on color runs of figural bitters and other rare bitters examples. But Ferd’s collecting prowess is only a part of what he’s accomplished while enjoying this wonderful hobby. Many years ago, the two of us sat at a FOHBC meeting wanting to offer our help in both design and layout and distribution of their in-house magazine, Bottles and Extras. A natural transition for Ferd, his marketing company, FMG Design, had been providing marketing and design nationally for years. While our offer wasn’t accepted back then, it motivated Ferd to better pursue a position with the Federation. As I look back today, he not only completely re-designed the publication, but also became the FOHBC president for six powerful years and literally changed the hobby into what we see today. His time and effort dedicated to the Federation’s other brainchild called the Virtual Museum, it has become an even greater bonus for the hobby and given collectors a chance to see some of the finest antique bottles ever made in a three-dimensional format. I could go on, but you get the idea. Without Ferdinand Meyer, this hobby would be a lot different today. His efforts, along with Liz, have brought color, excitement and a new path to the hobby. When you consider that only 15 years ago it was very difficult to see the rarest and the best bottles in the country, today Ferd has opened a whole new window into this wonderful hobby. Suffice it to say, Ferd has brought the bottle hobby to a whole new level and I wholeheartedly support his nomination to the FOHBC Hall of Fame. Jeff Wichmann
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Jerry McCann
RE: Ferdinand Meyer, V To the FOHBC Board of Directors: With great energy, Ferdinand can be found dashing around at our bottle shows, gathering information, answering questions and attending to the many tasks he has taken on to promote the Federation through our hobby. Using his professional skills, Ferdinand has given the Federation a public face that supports information about collecting antique bottles, joining bottle clubs, promoting antique bottle shows in general and our annual show in particular, developing a virtual museum and publishing a high-quality magazine that encompasses all of the above. Although some of these Federation activities have always formed the base of our organization’s mission, it is under his leadership that laser focus was applied to each activity. As president, he successfully transferred our energies from solely relying on local bottle clubs to generate collector interest to directly promoting the hobby to individuals. Along with his participation in FOHBC management, he publishes the website PeachridgeGlass.com hosted by Ferdinand and Elizabeth Meyer stating, “We hope to share our passion for collecting and dealing in Early American Antique Bottles and Glass.” The great photos and graphics inspire us to focus on the beauty and history of one of our country’s earliest industries dating back to Colonial times. His talented use of graphics has made Bottles and Extras into a first-rate publication and was also offered to help Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham produce Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 a monumental reference guide to the original seminal work Bitters Bottles and its 2004 Bitters Bottles Supplement. Although also a collector of early American glass, it is his collecting of information with tens of thousands of captured images that have made him a great resource for collectors and allowed his in depth participation in the hobby. Ferdinand’s contagious “passion” has left his fingerprints everywhere throughout the antique bottle hobby. Thus, it is with great pleasure that I support his nomination to the Federation’s Hall of Fame. Jerry McCann 21 December 2020
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Richard & Beverley Siri
RE: Ferdinand Meyer, V FOHBC Board of Directors: It gives us great pleasure to nominate Ferdinand Meyer V, to the FOHBC Hall of Fame. Ferdinand served three terms as FOHBC President making sure the Federation was moving on and keeping up with the changes in our hobby. He always supported everyone’s efforts in keeping the hobby alive and well. Ferdinand is a major force in producing the convention program in the last several years, reaching out to gain support and advertising revenue for the programs. He has also been involved with organizing the conventions themselves and was a great help in the 2016 convention we chaired in Sacramento, California. Ferdinand has done an amazing job getting the Virtual Museum up and running. He works on it daily and it will be the best thing to happen for our hobby since it started. His research and attention to detail cannot be matched. The Virtual Museum will ensure that Ferdinand’s work will be long remembered. The website, Peachridge Glass, maintained by Ferdinand and his wife, Elizabeth, has also added much to the hobby. Ferdinand is at the top of our list as someone who has earned the right to be placed in the FOHBC Hall of fame . Sincerely Richard and Beverley Siri FOHBC Past President – Life Member Past Convention Chairs
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Alan DeMaison
RE: Ferdinand Meyer, V I am writing to recommend Ferdinand Meyer to the FOHBC Hall of Fame. I have watched as his work in development of the FOHBC Virtual Museum and funding practices for the FOHBC Show program have transformed and impacted the FOHBC. It was March of 2011 at the semi-annual FOHBC Board Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland that I became aware of a concept involving a virtual museum for historical bottles. The idea had been introduced by Richard Siri two years prior at the FOHBC National Bottle Show in Pomona, California in 2009. Frankly, I don’t even remember the mention. Ferdinand skillfully described an online historical bottle museum, a substitute for a real brick and mortar building. His design had floors with rooms that would contain bottles in categories. Not just common bottles, but rare, historically significant examples. Being able to visit a museum from the comfort of your home 24/7 had an immediate appeal. His insistence of including historically significant bottles and a 3-dimensional spin of those bottles elevated the FOHBC Virtual Museum above all other sources. At that time, there was nothing on the web even remotely similar and that statement remains true to this day. It was then that I became involved as Treasurer for the FOHBC Virtual Museum. Ferdinand was able to gather a small group together that tackled all the challenges that are inevitable when traveling a new road. Reducing imaging costs and website designing were early challenges that Ferdinand provided leadership to overcome. His vision led to the development of a museum where historically significant bottle images were displayed in a three dimensional format with ability to control the spin and magnify images. His experience and ability to research brought together the known history of that particular specimen to an update-able and expandable resource. In 2015, Ferdinand developed a promotional video that was used online and at the National Shows to encourage and educate the bottle collectors to the vision and development of the museum. Ferdinand opened doors to some of the most significant collections to gain images for the museum. Word of mouth about the professionalism displayed by the imaging team soon opened many more doors. As of my letter, some 420+ spins reside in the FOHBC Virtual museum along with historical information on each. The design of the online, expandable museum is also immediately update-able as new information is discovered. Hundreds of volunteer hours from Ferdinand in creating and designing each page along with donated time through his company have brought us to where we are today. The following is a recent email quote from Jeff Wichmann; “I remember having to travel half a day to see a great bottle and now they are in my iPad. It’s a useful tool with beautiful results.” Ferdinand’s unwavering dedication to the original vision is paying dividends with collector compliments and donations to continue the work. The trust that early donors displayed is being rewarded with a museum that will educate and attract collectors to the hobby. I found myself as Treasurer and later Business Manager of the FOHBC having the responsibility of auditing the FOHBC National Shows. The FOHBC National Souvenir Program was designed as informational with advertising intended to cover only catalog costs. When Ferdinand became involved in designing the program, he saw it as an opportunity. Ferdinand’s pro-active approach to soliciting ads produced an increasing stream of advertisers and revenue for the National Show. Each year Ferdinand added new advertisers while encouraging existing advertisers to continue. In 2018, the Cleveland National Show benefited from Ferdinand’s influence and contacts. A record $17,515 in advertising was attained while spending only $6,234.50 in production costs. The Pomona National program in 2009 had 80 pages while the 2018 Cleveland program needed to expand to 140 pages with the increased advertisers and content. Ferdinand’s constant and continuous commitment to the hobby and the FOHBC and its Virtual Museum has earned him my recommendation for the FOHBC Hall of Fame. He is building bridges to the future for new and upcoming collectors, as well as, all existing collectors. His time, efforts and dedication have definitely earned him the honor of induction to the FOHBC Hall of Fame. FOHBC Virtual Museum Alan DeMaison, Treasurer 1605 Clipper Cove Painesville, OH44077 440-358-1223 a.demaison@sbcglobal.net
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Bill Ham
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Bill Baab
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - Gerald Forbes
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FOHBC Letter of Reference - John Pastor
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