THE CALENDARS OF COCA-COLA
Part 1 - By Robert Reed
Here is a classic tale: 
Recently sorting through the belongings
of their late uncle, two women uncovered a large folder
of vintage paper advertising. Near the bottom of the
dusty stack were three Coca-Cola calendars in excellent
condition.
The two contacted an expert, and it turns out
the colorful 1940’s calendars were valued at hundreds
of dollars each!
All things Coca-Cola are attracting a growing
number of collectors, and with nearly a century of production
behind them, Coca-Cola calendars are among the favored
of the Coke items.
“Calendars are certainly the
most beautiful of all Coca-Cola collectibles,” declares
noted Coke historian, author and collector Allen Petretti. “Because
of the beautiful artwork and colors, and the rarity of
many, (Coca-Cola) calendars have become the most important
pieces in my collection.”
Prior to the 1880’s,
wall calendars for the masses were unheard of. They became
popular household items when advertising became the driving
force behind their production and distribution.
By the
beginning of the 1890’s calendars were seen
as a natural premium for advertisers. They were relatively
inexpensive when mass-produced. Major companies could have
them printed with the latest lithographic techniques and
then distributed to local merchants.
Sometimes the local
retailer or distributor added his own personal stamp
to the calendar. Like almanacs, any information the calendars
provided was bound to remain on display in homes or businesses
for the entire year.
Historical accounts say the first
Coca-Cola calendar was produced in 1891. A modest six
and a half inches by nine inches, it was printed by the
Clavert Lithography Company of Atlanta, Georgia. Like so
many that would follow, the calendar for Asa Chandler and
Company featured an attractive, wholesome young woman.
The lady wore a period dress and held a tennis racquet.
Over
the years, the featured Coca-Cola woman would be holding
other objects including an umbrella, skis, ice skates,
pen, fan and of course either a bottle or glass of her
favorite cola drink.
Throughout the 1890’s and into
the 1900’s
Coca-Cola continued to issue distinguished calendars highlighted
with attractive but usually anonymous women.
The son of
company founder Asa Chandler would write many years
later that early in the 20 th century working with the
Wolf and Company advertising agency of Philadelphia on
new calendars was a major thing.
“It was always one
of the high spots of the year when David Wolf would drive
up with several large portfolios containing proofs of the
calendars and hangers for next season,” he noted.
Starting
in 1904 the Coca-Cola Company and its accompanying bottlers
began issuing slightly different calendars for the same
year. For fountain sales locations the lovely lady would
be holding a glass—one which usually,
but not always, had Coca-Cola inscribed on it. For bottlers
the same woman would be holding a bottle instead of a glass.
For the most part models were “arranged” so
that the original image needed only slight alterations.
But in some cases the reworking was much more extensive.
In
the opinion of some advanced Coke collectors, bottle-holding
beauties became more prevalent because of the growing
dominance of product distribution by bottlers.
Coca-Cola
also sometimes turned from mere pretty faces to stars of
entertainment early in the 20 th century. Metropolitan
Opera star Lillian Norica was featured on calendars starting
in 1904. Another early “show biz” favorite
was legendary actress Hilda Clark.
Coca-Cola calendars were
both appealing and striking in design. Increasingly they
were given a warm welcome on the walls of potential patrons.
Their eye-catching graphics hung in full view for a full
12 months, before time ultimately became their worst
enemy. As soon as the New Year rolled around, past calendars
were immediately replaced and shamelessly discarded.
The
art on the calendars was so strong and compelling that
it was typically used on other Coca-Cola advertising
that same year or soon afterwards.
Recommended reading:
Classic Coca-Cola Calendars by Allen
Petretti, Kraus Publications.
Coca-Cola Part 2
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