I believe it was Andy Warhol that said “everybody gets to be world famous for 15 minutes.” It would appear, however, that Robert M. Green wanted a little more than that. The self-proclaimed creator of one of the most popular drinks of all time secured his place in history by leaving instruction in his will for the inscription on his tombstone. It simply reads “The Originator of the Ice Cream Soda.”
The temperatures were record-setting in Philadelphia the summer of 1874. So you can imagine the knot in Robert Green’s stomach when he ran out of ice while serving soda to a record crowd at the Franklin Institute’s Sesquicentennial. He quickly borrowed some ice cream from a neighboring vendor, substituted it for the ice and voila the ice cream soda was born.
Today, soda fountain collectibles are a hot commodity among the 25-40 crowd who find them the perfect usable collectible.
Ice cream dippers are one of the easiest pieces to find in this area of collecting with an estimated 125 different styles available. Dippers come in many shapes, from the standard “bowl” to cylinder and heart-shaped examples.
A little more difficult to locate, but worth the search, are the dispensers made from 1910-1920. Names to watch for include Jersey Crème, Cardinal Cherry, Liberty, Buckeye, Juleps, and Cherry Smash. The crown jewels of any collection are the salesman’s sample dispensers which have been know to bring in excess of $500 at specialized auctions.
Straw holders are found in clear glass as well as green, pink, frosted and, on rare occasion, blue. The earliest holders will be pressed glass with matching lids. The lids found by themselves are also worthy of purchase as many of them were broken through the years and collectors watch for lids to match their bases. Newer straw holders are glass with a metal lid, and of no interest to collectors.
Advertising memorabilia from old soda fountain shops is bountiful and comes in a variety of categories and price ranges. Glassware, tin and metal signs, store displays, die cut signs and trays are of interest, as are menus, photos and old postcards.
The soda fountain grew in popularity from 1890-1950, but it met it’s match in 1955 with the introduction of fast food. As the Golden Arches of McDonalds began to spring up across America, the concept of waiting for a made-to-order burger and shake no longer fit the public’s needs, and by 1970s the soda fountain had become a thing of the past.
“Rockwellesque” as the ice cream soda may now seem, it was not without controversy. Marketed for medicinal purposes, and thus considered by many to be a controlled substance, a number of local governments banned the sale of ice cream sodas on Sundays and Holy Days.
In an effort to keep their customers happy, vendors scurried to come up with a new treat to offer on the Sabbath. In place of the ice cream soda they offered a dish of ice cream with your choice of flavored toppings. Thus the creation of — you guessed it — the ice cream sundae. Until next time…Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com