Bigger in TEXAS – The Cole Display

20 August 2013

Ferdinand, it was good to visit with you again this year at the (Houston) bottle show.

I have attached photos of the bottle display and the dog & cat hospital bottle. The display was purchased with a collection in the early ’80s. When I bought the collection, I didn’t know about the display. So, we went to pick up the collection in our 1979 Monte Carlo. In order to get the display home, we went to a hardware store and purchased eyebolts and a lot of rope and with two or three borrowed blankets, strapped the display to the top of the car. The display is 7′- 5″ wide and 6′ – 6″ tall. We proceeded thru the middle of Dallas causing quite a stir having a large TEXAS strapped on the top of the car. At one time on our trip a helicopter hovered above us taking a look. It made the trip safely, and bottles have been displayed on it since.

The dog & cat hospital bottle is embossed THE LARGEST / AND BEST EQUIPPED / DOG & CAT / HOSPITAL / IN THE SOUTH / HOUSTON, TEXAS. On the back side Burkey & Horning. I really had a hard time trying to get a good photo…so, I just gave up. The photo you have is the best I can do.

David (Cole)

“my bottle collecting mentor, and Texas bottle legend David Cole. He does not have a collection he has a museum.”

BRAD SEIGLER

Brad Seigler (kelly green shirt) at his sales table this past weekend at the Houston Antique Bottle Show. David Cole (yellow shirt) is showing Ferdinand Meyer V (lime shirt) a large picture of his state of Texas bottle display.

David Cole is the top collector of Texas Hutches and Crowns and resides in Bangs, Texas. In a recent post at Bottle Collectors on Facebook, Brad Seigler, himself probably the top Texas medicine bottle collector, says of David in a picture caption (see above), “The man next to the pres is my bottle collecting mentor, and Texas bottle legend David Cole. He does not have a collection he has a museum.”

From what I understand, The Texas display is only a small portion of David’s bottle collection. You can bet that I am planning on a visit!

David Cole at the 2012 Houston Antique Bottle Show

About Ferdinand Meyer V

Ferdinand Meyer V is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and has a BFA in Fine Art and Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. Ferdinand is the founding Principal of FMG Design, a nationally recognized design consultation firm. Ferdinand is a passionate collector of American historical glass specializing in bitters bottles, color runs and related classic figural bottles. He is married to Elizabeth Jane Meyer and lives in Houston, Texas with their daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. The Meyers are also very involved in Quarter Horses, antiques and early United States postage stamps. Ferdinand is the past 6-year President of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors and is one of the founding members of the FOHBC Virtual Museum.

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