Houston 24 Expo – Educational Displays

The “Promising Cures” display winning both top honor awards, “Best in Show” and “Most Educational.”

We were fortunate to have H24 team member Andy Rapoza head up the displays and seminars at Hotel ZaZa. He is very organized, dedicated, and passionate about history, so he was perfect for these roles. With perseverance, Andy lined up an impressive 17 displays. The FOHBC encourages collectors to share their knowledge, enthusiasm, and interests with other collectors by displaying their collections or related material. H24 dealers and guests were asked to vote for “Best in Show” and “Most Educational” displays. The winners announcement and the awards presentation occurred on Sunday, 04 August, at 2:00 p.m., before the close of the Houston 24 Expo. The voting box was located at the front H24 FOHBC tables in the Piano Man Lounge.

The displays were as follows: “Kids Digging Texas,” Grayson, Crosby and Lyla DeWolfe, “FOHBC History,” Brian Bingham, “Texas Medicine Patents,” Eric McGuire, “Soda Water Bottles & Stoneware of William H. Hutchinson, Chicago, Illinois,” Brad Dalton, “Rare Colored Texas Soda Water and Related Bottles of San Antonio & Surrounding Areas,” Brad Dalton, “Texas Picture Hutches,” Jay Kasper, “Cabinville, Texas,” Ferdinand Meyer V, “Wannalancet Indian Bitters,” Tom Paskiewicz (*display scratched), “Promising Cures,” Andy Rapoza, “American Pontiled Snuffs,” Brian Commerton, “Wilson Pottery, 1857-1904: from Slavery to Makers & Distributors of Stoneware in Frontier Texas,” Jon St. Clair, “A Sampling from the Dr. Richard Cannon Collection,” Brandon and Tessa DeWolfe, “Early Houston, Texas Soda Bottles,” Brandon DeWolfe, “Reverse Glass Jars, Bottles & Signs,” Henry Tankersley, “Wm. Radam’s Jugs and Bottles,” Steven Weber, “Cider Bottles,” Tim Boyd and “Barber Bottles,” George Persick.

Andy Rapoza won both awards for his “Promising Cures” display in the Napoleon room by a landslide. Congratulations to all displayers who were also provided an H24 medallion to wear or display during the Expo.

All photographs are by Gina Pellegrini-Ott unless otherwise noted.

H24 team member, Brad Dalton, posing with his two displays in the Napoleon room at Hotel ZaZa.

Brian Commerton posing with his incredible “American Pontiled Snuff Bottles” display.

“Kids Digging Texas”

Grayson, Crosby and Lyla DeWolfe

The first “interactive” display as you enter the Phantom Ballroom Prefunction area was “Kids Digging Texas.” Almost like a lemonade stand!

Lyla DeWolfe standing behind her display, picture and bottles she has dug.

Much interest in the “Kids Digging Texas” display.

“FOHBC History”

Brian Bingham

FOHBC display set up outside the Piano Man Lounge at Hotel ZaZa. A special thanks to Jim Bender and Michael Seeliger for setting up the display.

Another angle of the “FOHBC History” display.

“Texas Medicine Patents”

Eric McGuire

In the July–August 2024 issue of Antique Bottles & Glass Collector, Eric McGuire, Western Region Director, posted in Shards of Wisdom about researching bottles. He told us about the U.S. Copyright Office embarking on a massive digitization project that will eventually include thousands of bottled products. He also tells us that an act of the U.S. Government, Patent and Trademark Division, allowed for the legal protection of certain trade names used by businesses beginning in 1870. Some states had already allowed for the legal protection of trademarks as early as the late 1840s, but the federal trademark act was legally binding in all states and territories. No one else had the rights to approved trademarks, which significantly reduced the ability of trade names and marks to be stolen by others. Houston 24 Display coordinator, Andy Rapoza, and Ferdinand Meyer V, H24 Chair, asked Eric to send examples of Texas trademarks for a special exhibit at Hotel ZaZa. Of the thirty or so examples received, we selected a few and enlarged the trademarks to 18 x 24 inch posters. The display turned out very nice.

Full front shot of the “Texas Medicine Patents” display.

Really great examples of mounted and enlarged Texas patent application images.

From the Sept–Oct 2024 issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector.

“Soda Water Bottles & Stoneware of William H. Hutchinson, Chicago, Illinois”

Brad Dalton

A nice photograph of the “Soda Water Bottles & Stoneware of William H. Hutchinson, Chicago, Illinois” display set up in the Napoleon room at Hotel ZaZa.

Spectacular, embossed W.H. Hutchinson soda water bottles.

Gustav A. Bode bottles and wooden keg advertising top.

Very special aquamarine embossed W. H. Hutchinson & Son bottles. Notice the three round-bottom bottles and their special holders.

W.H. Hutchinson & Son display placard and wooden Bottle Caps box.

“Texas Rare & Colored Soda Water and Related Bottles of San Antonio & Surrounding Areas”

Brad Dalton

“Texas Rare & Colored Soda Water and Related Bottles” display in the Napoleon room at Hotel ZaZa.

Top of display cabinet reserved for larger bottles and the top row of great bottles within the illuminated display cabinet.

Beautiful Texas colored and embossed glass drug store bottles in various sizes.

Texas colored and embossed soda water bottles.

Spotted—one amber Texas Coca-Cola bottle!

Another angle of the Texas colored and embossed soda water bottles.

Second display case of “Texas Rare & Colored Soda Water and Related Bottles.”

Three “Morley Bros. Druggists” bottles.

“Texas Picture Hutches”

Jay Kasper

Glass display cabinet of aquamarine “Texas Picture Hutches” (Hutchinson Bottles).

Top shelf detail “Texas Picture Hutches” (Hutchinson Bottles).

Bottom shelf detail “Texas Picture Hutches” (Hutchinson Bottles).

“Cabinville, Texas”

Ferdinand Meyer V

“Cabinville Texas” display. Note the three H24 blue commemorative bottles.

Lots of color in this striking display of figural log cabin Bitters bottles, each illuminated by base LED light boxes.

“Cabinville Texas” during evening hours.

“Wannalancet Indian Bitters”

Tom Paskiewicz

Display scratched. Look for a story in the January–February 2025 issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector.

“Promising Cures”

Andy Rapoza

Andy posing with his “Promising Cures” display in the Napoleon room at Hotel ZaZa.

One of the four “Promising Cures” display cases.

Cabinet detail of “Promising Cures” display.

One of the four “Promising Cures” display cases.

Andy & Gail Rapoza posing with their crystal awards and FOHBC ribbons for their “Promising Cures” display. Best in Show and Most Educational awards, the two top honors.

FOHBC ribbons presented to Andy Rapoza for his “Promising Cures” display.

“American Pontiled Snuffs”

Brian Commerton

Three internally illuminated cabinets of “American Pontiled Snuffs” (snuff bottles).

Brian Commerton posing with his “American Pontiled Snuffs” display.

Left cabinet detail of “American Pontiled Snuffs” (snuff bottles). Fantastic colors and forms.

Detail photograph pf specimens from “A. Delpit New Orleans.”

Snuff bottle detail of “Linton & Woodward,” “Railroad Mills” and “J.J. Mapes” examples.

Center cabinet detail of “American Pontiled Snuffs” (snuff bottles). Base pontils displayed.

Right cabinet detail of “American Pontiled Snuffs.” Paper labels evident on some examples.

“E. Roome Troy, New York” snuff bottles.

Right cabinet detail of “American Pontiled Snuffs.” Paper label examples.

“Wilson Pottery, 1857-1904: from Slavery to Makers & Distributors of Stoneware in Frontier Texas”

Jon St. Clair

“Wilson Pottery” display in the Napoleon room at Hotel ZaZa.

Detail “Wilson Pottery” display.

“A Sampling from the Dr. Richard Cannon Collection”

Brandon and Tessa DeWolfe

“A Sampling from the Dr. Richard Cannon Collection” display set up outside the Phantom Ballroom at Hotel ZaZa.

Detail of the “Dr. Richard Cannon Collection” display.

Detail and photograph of Dr. Cannon.

Detail from the “Dr. Richard Cannon Collection” display.

“Early Houston, Texas Soda Bottles”

Brandon DeWolfe

“Early Houston, Texas Soda Bottles” display set up in the Hotel ZaZa corridor connecting two H24 dealer rooms.

“Early Houston, Texas Soda Bottles” display set up outside the Phantom Ballroom at Hotel ZaZa.

Detail “Early Houston, Texas Soda Bottles.”

“Reverse Glass Jars, Bottles & Signs”

Henry Tankersley

Incredibly beautiful display of reverse painted glass signs and artifacts set up in the Phantom Ballroom at Hotel ZaZa.

“Wm. Radam’s Jugs and Bottles”

Steven Weber

“Wm. Radam’s Jugs and Bottles” display set up in the Phantom Ballroom at Hotel ZaZa.

Detail “Wm. Radam’s Jugs and Bottles.”

“Cider Bottles”

Tim & Missi Boyd

Embossed Cider bottles on display outside of the Hotel ZaZa Fountain room in a seating niche commandeered for the display.

Embossed Cider bottles on display outside of the Hotel ZaZa Fountain room. Each displayer was provided an H24 medallion specially designed for the Expo.