SODAPOPBOB
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I recently participated in a forum thread about a Escambia Pepsi-Cola Hutchinson bottle, and during the course of my research came across a brand of soda called Fan Taz. I had never heard of it before but noticed it was one of the brands sold by the Escambia Pepsi Cola Bottling Company in Pensacola, Florida in 1909. As it turns out, this was the same time period when the Pepsi Cola Hutchinson bottles were being produced. The more I researched Fan Taz, the more intrigued I became with it. Hence, I decided to post this thread about it in order to share my findings with everyone here. Be sure and read about the brand on the first link below as it has a great deal of information and will undoubtedly capture your attention as it did mine. On page 18 it concludes with a list of locals for the brand, which included the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. As the article indicates, the brand seems to have been sold primarily in the south and was targeted to compete with Coca Cola. However, despite all the hoopla about it, the brand must have been a flop because it eventually disappears just a mysteriously as it appeared. The earliest date I can find for it is 1909, with the latest being 1912. But why it disappeared, I do not know. Fan Taz was also sold in Oklahoma, North Carolina, and possibly other states as well.
Some of it's more interesting tag-lines were ...
The Drink That Helps You Think
The Drink Of The Fans
It's Rich ~ It's Red ~ It's Pure
As to what it tasted like, that's the $64 question. You will see in some of the ads that follow where it is described as ...
A suggestion of orange
Pure juices of six appetizing fruits
As you will see, the brand focused on sports, especially baseball. In fact, the syrup dispensers feature a baseball shape and is apparently why they are so popular with baseball collectors. As for the name itself, Fan Taz seems to have been a play on the word Fantastic
~ * ~
Following this introduction I will be posting pictures of a variety of Fan Taz collectibles, including Syrup Urns, Signs, and Pin-back Buttons. All of which are all cool in their own respects, but of particular interest to me involves the numerous references I've seen where Fan Taz was also sold in bottles. Along with bottles, there were also serving glasses with Fan Taz etched on them. Unfortunately, and despite the hours I have spent looking for pictures of those bottles and glasses, I have not been able to find a single example, yet. The closest thing I have found regarding a bottle is from the site I posted a link to below. Its a newspaper ad that depicts what appears to be two Hutchinson bottles. But whether its a depiction of the actual bottles used or just a generic artist rendering, I do not know. All I know for certain is that Fan Taz was definitely sold in a bottle of some type. I can't say whether those bottles were Hutchinson's or Crown's or both, but whichever they were, I suspect they had a paper label. I also suspect if a Fan Taz bottle or paper label is ever found, it would fall into the category of extremely rare, and possibly be quite valuable as well. If anyone who reads this now or in the future ever finds a Fan Taz bottle or paper label, please share it with us.
I hope everyone finds this thread to be both interesting and helpful in our seemingly never-ending pursuit of some of the more obscure brands of soda pop and their histories.
Sincerely,
Sodapopbob
~ * ~
This link is to a publication called "Printers' Ink" which was a journal for advertisers. This particular issue was published on May 18, 1910 and includes three full pages about the newspaper campaign that launched Fan Taz. The story starts on page 16 and concludes on pages 17 and 18. Its quite a story and makes for a very interesting read.
http://tinyurl.com/k8svlt5
This link is to a Sports Antiques site which features a Fan Taz syrup dispenser/urn that sold in 2008 for $16,450.00. Scroll to the bottom of the page where the author mentions and shows a picture of a Fan Taz tin sign.
http://www.sportsantiques.com/fantazdispenser.htm
This link is to a Fan Taz dispenser currently on eBay with a "Buy It Now" price of $24,995.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331429345567?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true
This link is to a newspaper site and shows a Fan Taz ad from the Pensacola Journal published on September 5, 1909. This is the only ad I have been able to find that shows the image of a bottle. The site has a zoom + feature for close examination of the ad.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062268/1909-09-12/ed-1/seq-8/
This link is to a Morphy Auction site which features a Fan Taz dispenser that sold in April of 2014 for $31,200.00
http://morphyauctions.hibid.com/lot/14971087/fan-taz-syrup-dispenser-?cat=0&sort=1&hide=0&qs=0&view=0&aView=0&q=Fan+Taz&selCat=0
[ Attachments ] ... (With more to follow)
1. Ad ~ The Pensacola Journal ~ Pensacola, Florida ~ September 5, 1909 ~ Escambia Pepsi Cola Bottling Company
2. Ad ~ The Muskogee Cimeter ~ Muskogee, Oklahoma ~ July 23, 1909 ~ "A suggestion of orange"
3. Ad ~ The Durham Sun ~ Durham, North Carolina ~ June 26, 1911 ~ "Six appetizing fruits"
Some of it's more interesting tag-lines were ...
The Drink That Helps You Think
The Drink Of The Fans
It's Rich ~ It's Red ~ It's Pure
As to what it tasted like, that's the $64 question. You will see in some of the ads that follow where it is described as ...
A suggestion of orange
Pure juices of six appetizing fruits
As you will see, the brand focused on sports, especially baseball. In fact, the syrup dispensers feature a baseball shape and is apparently why they are so popular with baseball collectors. As for the name itself, Fan Taz seems to have been a play on the word Fantastic
~ * ~
Following this introduction I will be posting pictures of a variety of Fan Taz collectibles, including Syrup Urns, Signs, and Pin-back Buttons. All of which are all cool in their own respects, but of particular interest to me involves the numerous references I've seen where Fan Taz was also sold in bottles. Along with bottles, there were also serving glasses with Fan Taz etched on them. Unfortunately, and despite the hours I have spent looking for pictures of those bottles and glasses, I have not been able to find a single example, yet. The closest thing I have found regarding a bottle is from the site I posted a link to below. Its a newspaper ad that depicts what appears to be two Hutchinson bottles. But whether its a depiction of the actual bottles used or just a generic artist rendering, I do not know. All I know for certain is that Fan Taz was definitely sold in a bottle of some type. I can't say whether those bottles were Hutchinson's or Crown's or both, but whichever they were, I suspect they had a paper label. I also suspect if a Fan Taz bottle or paper label is ever found, it would fall into the category of extremely rare, and possibly be quite valuable as well. If anyone who reads this now or in the future ever finds a Fan Taz bottle or paper label, please share it with us.
I hope everyone finds this thread to be both interesting and helpful in our seemingly never-ending pursuit of some of the more obscure brands of soda pop and their histories.
Sincerely,
Sodapopbob
~ * ~
This link is to a publication called "Printers' Ink" which was a journal for advertisers. This particular issue was published on May 18, 1910 and includes three full pages about the newspaper campaign that launched Fan Taz. The story starts on page 16 and concludes on pages 17 and 18. Its quite a story and makes for a very interesting read.
http://tinyurl.com/k8svlt5
This link is to a Sports Antiques site which features a Fan Taz syrup dispenser/urn that sold in 2008 for $16,450.00. Scroll to the bottom of the page where the author mentions and shows a picture of a Fan Taz tin sign.
http://www.sportsantiques.com/fantazdispenser.htm
This link is to a Fan Taz dispenser currently on eBay with a "Buy It Now" price of $24,995.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331429345567?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true
This link is to a newspaper site and shows a Fan Taz ad from the Pensacola Journal published on September 5, 1909. This is the only ad I have been able to find that shows the image of a bottle. The site has a zoom + feature for close examination of the ad.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062268/1909-09-12/ed-1/seq-8/
This link is to a Morphy Auction site which features a Fan Taz dispenser that sold in April of 2014 for $31,200.00
http://morphyauctions.hibid.com/lot/14971087/fan-taz-syrup-dispenser-?cat=0&sort=1&hide=0&qs=0&view=0&aView=0&q=Fan+Taz&selCat=0
[ Attachments ] ... (With more to follow)
1. Ad ~ The Pensacola Journal ~ Pensacola, Florida ~ September 5, 1909 ~ Escambia Pepsi Cola Bottling Company
2. Ad ~ The Muskogee Cimeter ~ Muskogee, Oklahoma ~ July 23, 1909 ~ "A suggestion of orange"
3. Ad ~ The Durham Sun ~ Durham, North Carolina ~ June 26, 1911 ~ "Six appetizing fruits"
