Morphy’s March 11-12 auction features an exceptional collection of multi-piece Coca-Cola signs known as “festoons,” which were created by the soft drink giant specifically for display in soda fountains from around 1900 till the middle of the 20th century. Kevin Roche, a mergers and acquisitions adviser from Minnesota, spent the last 20 years building the collection to be auctioned, which contains many highly desirable rarities in superior condition.
“Back before the time when people could just go into a grocery story to buy Coca-Cola, they’d have to go to their local soda fountain to get it,” said Roche. “Coca-Cola would send festoons to some establishments on a regular basis, perhaps four times a year, and they’d be displayed behind the bar.” The subject matter on the point-of-purchase advertising varied, said Roche, but most often including smiling, good-looking people enjoying a leisure activity with Coke in hand.
Most festoons were of cardboard or paper, but some others were of wood and metal. Also, about one of every 10 festoons was designed with a fold-out appendage that enabled it to stand directly on top of a soda fountain’s bar counter.
Roche, who had been a collector of other types of Coke items, said he became attracted to festoons because of their beauty. “But I soon discovered that they were some of the hardest things to find,” Roche said. “They’re large and were not easy items to store, so many of them got thrown out. As a result, most festoons are quite rare.”
Recognizing their scarcity, Roche took great pains to have the festoons in his collection professionally framed using only the finest archival materials. Roche said they deserved to be protected and maintained to the highest standard possible. “Many of the festoons were absolutely mint and still in their shipping envelopes when I acquired them,” Roche said. “The first time they had ever come out of their envelopes was when I removed them so I could have them framed.”
Among the rarities in the collection is a 5-piece festoon with Oriental lanterns and a couple in festive costumes. “No one I’ve talked to has seen another one like it, and I can’t find it in any of the Coca-Cola reference books,” said Roche. Other top lots include a 5-piece “Wherever You Go” airport festoon with airline pilot and stewardess, and a 7-piece military-theme festoon with a young woman and uniformed officer chatting over the phone alongside a banner that says, “It’s a date at the fountain.”
A 1940s set comprised of nine wood-and-metal discs includes images of golf, baseball, tennis, sailing, bowling and several other sports scenes around a centrally positioned map of the United States. “It is very unusual to find this particular festoon in a complete state with the center piece present,” Roche noted.
Also extremely rare are Roche’s Coke festoons from what is known as the transitional period – the era during which the purchase of soft drinks moved from the soda fountain to the grocery store. These particular festoons have a mechanical component built into them. They would arrive to retailers boxed and in parts, and had to be assembled. Among the transitional festoons included in the Roche collection are a penguin, two cowboys, and a coveted Smokey the Bear that’s likely to attract crossover auction competition from collectors of Smokey material.
The Kevin Roche festoon collection boasts rarity, eye appeal and top-notch condition. Be sure to check out the many highlights in this fantastic 20-year assemblage of Coca-Cola advertising art to be offered in Morphy’s March 11-12 auction.
All forms of bidding will be available, including live in the gallery, absentee, by phone, or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place through Morphy Live or LiveAuctioneers.com. The entire auction inventory is presently available to preview at Morphy’s gallery, 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517.
For additional information, call 717-335-3435 or e-mail [email protected]. Visit Morphy’s online at www.morphyauctions.com.
