*RARE* Antique Elizabeth City NC Coca-cola Bottling Plant Cement Sign Concrete

Description

Coke collectors
.....betcha don't have one of these!! This is THE exterior sign from the Dawson Building in Elizabeth City, NC. Also known as the Elizabeth City Coca Cola Bottling Works. It was demolished about 20 years ago. The signs have been MIA until one surfaced recently. There were initially 2 from this building, but this one seems to be the only complete one to publicly surface. From the grandson of Mr. Dawson.....one sign was supposed to be on display at the Museum of the Albemarle, whose building now sits where the bottling plant was, and the other was supposed to be sold for a charitable donation. As of this posting, I have been able to verify they do have PARTS of the second sign. He also said that there aren't many pictures of the plant, because Mr Dawson believed that nobody would be interested in seeing them. The picture I've included is THE plant, and THIS sign. I will also include the actual newspaper page you see in the pics. The sign was kept in a warehouse while they prepped for demolition, and it was flooded, being directly on the waterfront. I have NOT, and will not, clean the sign before sale. Most of these signs that you see online are still on buildings and used as photo props on cool historical buildings. There is only ONE more sign like this for sale on the entire internet. It is located on the West Coast, and costs more than my first car times 7. This sign is very rare, to say the least....and very big when assembled. The sign and it's border are modular. The sign is in large, separate, panels and the border is in various lengths. Overall measurements are approximately 16'w x 3't x 4"d. This sign cannot and will not be shipped. It is currently located near Winston Salem, NC I will be glad to work out pickup or delivery options. It appears to be made out of a terracotta and stucco type cement mixture. It was installed somewhere between 1914 and 1924, per the family. The condition is as you see it. The first picture is a close panoramic photo, so it look like it bulges. The sign is a straight rectangle. It could use a cleaning, if you want to. I don't feel comfortable removing the history and patina from it. There are 2 small broken corners, less than 6". I have the pieces. There is one small chunk missing. It's only about a 3" piece. There are minor chips in the finish on the border pieces, but it still looks great. The bottle end panels are in great condition and all of the raised writing on the bottles, and the Trademark info on the script, is intact. The bottle panels sell at auction by themselves for a few thousand each. This is a very 3 dimensional sign. It comes right out at you. If I was to keep it, I would clean it. I think it would look incredible. The pictures in this auction were taken when the sign was first purchased. It was found buried in weeds outside a building. Since then, it has been exposed to the sun and rain and the dark spots have lightened up. I believe the sign will clean up nicely! Can you imagine the story this thing would tell???? There can only be a few of these things around, and they aren't going to find some secret vault full of them.....the value here is incredible. The history is even more than that!! What would your friends say?!?! Please ask any questions you may have. I'm open to reasonable offers. Delivery will be .50 per loaded Mapquest mile. That will need to be prepaid. Below are some interesting excerpts I found while researching this item.
_____________________________________________________[Ad for Coca-Cola Bottling Works], The Daily Advance (Elizabeth City, N.C.), 18 November 1932 By 1932, Coca-Cola had already boastfully proclaimed itself as “the drink of a nation.” In this advertisement dedicated to the Wright Brothers, particularly interesting is that the Elizabeth City Coca-Cola bottling works found it necessary to point out that their product was made from deep well water. Clearly fears of malaria and other diseases from shallow and stagnant water still held a prominent place in the minds of eastern North Carolinians.
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ELIZABETH CITY COCA-COLA BOTTLING WORKS. -This business is incorporated and has been operated under the present management for five years, the capacity during this time having been greatly increased, which in itself shows more than words can express the ability with which the business is now managed. Mr. W. C. Dawson is the manager and Mr. A. F. Cathey is president. There is no doubt of the fact that Coca-Cola is the most popular drink on earth, and the products of this plant are shipped throughout all of northeast North Carolina. They are also bottlers of all kinds of carbonated beverages and do a very 'extensive business as manufacturers of plain and fancy ice cream.
The C. E. Weaver Series ILLUSTRATED CITIES
CENTRAL PUBLISHING CO., Inc.
RICHMOND, VA.
Illustrated
1915
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