{"id":599,"date":"2003-09-18T12:00:50","date_gmt":"2003-09-18T20:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lee.org\/blog\/archives\/2003\/09\/18\/finding-ferranti\/"},"modified":"2008-03-13T12:33:07","modified_gmt":"2008-03-13T20:33:07","slug":"finding-ferranti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/2003\/09\/18\/finding-ferranti\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Ferranti"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been looking for items related to my grandfather’s businesses for a couple years now. I found the first item completely by happenstance. I did a search on eBay for “Ferranti” and BAM, there was a bottle! I wrote the following email to Brian at Brian’s Breweriana.com<\/a>. Maybe posting this request to the internet will help. If you’ve got any info about such memorabilia, I’d love it if you contacted me!<\/p>\n

Hi I just found your site at the recommendation of an acquaintance.<\/p>\n

I’ve been searching high and low for breweriana from some of my grandfather’s companies. It would make me so happy if you came across anything of his. A few years ago, I found a glass bottle shaped like the old Coca-Cola bottle reading “Ferranti Bottling Company” and a promotional bottle opener reading the same thing.<\/p>\n

I’m looking for anything from:
\nAll companies were based in or around Scranton or Pittston, PA<\/p>\n

Ferranti Brothers Bottling Company – some time after 1946
\nYankee Brewing Co. of Pittston – owner from 1942 until at least 1946
\nYankee Premium Pilsener (sic) Beer – Made by YBC
\nOld Stock Yankee Ale – Made by YBC
\nLackawanna Beer and Ale Corp – owner 1935-1942
\nCity Bottling Co. – owner 1923-1935
\nFerranti Bros. Trucking Co. – owner 1930-1935<\/p>\n

Here, let me show you an excerpt from the Italian Who’s Who in 1946 to give you a better idea.<\/p>\n

Ferranti, Ernest
\nBrewer. Born in Jessup, Pa. June 11, 1907, the son of Mario and Regina (Becchetti) Ferranti, natives of Gubbio, Italy. Catholic. Democrat. Married Ida Weston, 1931. Three children: Dorothy, Marlene and Ernestine. Graduate of Jessup High School, 1923. President and owner since 1942, Yankee Brewing Co. of Pittston, manufacturers of Yankee Premium Pilsener Beer and Old Stock Yankee Ale. Production capacity, 150,000 barrels a year. Average production, 90,000 barrels a year. Past president, Lackawanna Beer and Ale Corp. (brewers), 1935-1942. Past owner, City Bottling Co., manufacturers of carbonated beverages 1923-1935 and of Ferranti Bros. Trucking Co., 1930-1935. Member Fox Hill Country Club; Scranton Club; Elks; Kiwanis; Scranton Chamber of Commerce; National Small Brewers Ass’n; etc. Home: 203 Grassy Ave., Jessup, Pa. Office: Main and New Streets, Pittston, Pa.<\/p>\n

Have a great day!
\nLee Sonko<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Update 3-5-08<\/strong>
\nIn 2003 I got an email from David Hagberg that might help anyone in their search for breweriana. Here it is:<\/p>\n

Hi Lee,<\/p>\n

David Hagberg here. I do not really collect items from Pennsylvania,
\nexcept for the Meyersdale Brewing Company (SW corner of the state in Somerset
\nCounty, near the Maryland border). I was just bidding on the tray to see
\nwhat it sold for and to maybe pick up a bargain. I mostly collect MD, DC,
\nVA, and WV items, along with the Meyersdale, as noted earlier.
\nThere are a few other possible sources for you. I belong to several
\nclubs that may have someone who can help you. I recommend joining the first
\ntwo that I will list for you (ABA and ECBA) as they would be your best chance
\nat finding pieces and\/or information\/history. The third group that I will
\nlist (NABA) is also good but mostly deals with advertising only, such as
\nlithos, calendars, signs, etc., and not as much with the smaller items such
\nas cans, bottles, matchbooks, and other give-away items the brewery may have
\nproduced. Lastly, you may try the fourth group that I will list (BCCA) but
\nthey deal mostly with cans only, though a lot of the members are branching
\nout into other areas of collecting. With each group that I list I will also
\nprovide you with their website. Some are better than others, but check out
\nwhat information is provided and if there is a message board feel free to
\npost a message asking for information. The websites may also list other
\ngroups (or chapters) that are local. If there is one in the area you are
\ntalking about, ask them for information also. There may also be a listing of
\nupcoming shows to your area (or somewhere close). I highly recommend going
\nto the shows. Even if you do not see something that you want, some member
\nmay have something at home or at least some information. You never know. I
\nwill also list a website that has a contact for some people that do PA
\nbrewery history. They may be able to help you. I have asked a few questions
\nfrom him before, and sometimes he does give me a good lead to contact. Next,
\ncheck out the local paper, especially the smaller, more “home-towny” ones.
\nThey usually offer a “merchandise mart” section where people place
\nclassifieds to buy and sell stuff, and some have a separate listing for
\nauctions that are in the area. I have found some neat items that, while not
\nmy primary interest, I was able to pick up at a nice price and able to later
\nsell it for a profit. And lastly, check out the local antique stores.
\nAgain, you may not find anything the first time, but you may find someone who
\nknows someone, or has some information. Good luck.<\/p>\n

1). The American Breweriana Association (ABA): This club has great members,
\nseveral free sources for items (mostly new\/micro) and has a wonderful lending
\nlibrary with many books and a lot of good information. If you join, you also
\nget a members-only magazine 6 times a year.
\nhttp:\/\/www.americanbreweriana.org\/<\/p>\n

2). The Eastern Coast Breweriana Association (ECBA): This club, as you might
\nexpect, deals primarily with breweries on the East coast. They put on a nice
\nconvention in Frederick last year, and puts on a show in Somerset County (PA)
\nthat I usually attend. There should be some members who can help you. If
\nyou join there is a magazine that goes out to members four times a year and
\nis nice.
\nhttp:\/\/www.eastcoastbrew.com\/<\/p>\n

3.) The National Association of Breweriana Advertising (NABA): This club puts
\nout a nice magazine for members and has many wonderful members who are very
\nknowledgeable.
\nhttp:\/\/www.nababrew.org\/<\/p>\n

4.) Beer Can Collectors of America (BCCA): A good source for beer cans and
\nsome members know a good bit about brewery history.
\nhttp:\/\/www.bcca.com\/index.html<\/p>\n

5.) Pennsylvania Brewery historians: This is the website with the member who
\nis nice, and answers questions to the best of his ability, or will point you
\nto someone who may be able to help.
\nhttp:\/\/pabreweryhistorians.tripod.com\/<\/p>\n

If yo have any further questions please feel free to ask.<\/p>\n

Sincerely,<\/p>\n

David Hagberg<\/p>\n

American Breweriana Association member #6636
\nNational Association of Breweriana Advertising member
\nBeer Can Collectors of America member #30956
\nBaltimore Antique Bottle Club member
\nEastern Coast Breweriana Association member #2068<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here’s photos of Scott Perkins’ barrel turned lampshade. (see comments) What a find! He told me how (Scott, correct me if I’m wrong) he found it partially buried when he was 14 years old. Years later, he found the fourth ring that held it together. So in the photos 3 of the rings look different because they’ve been lacquered but the last one hasn’t been yet.<\/p>\n

Scott writes<\/p>\n

so far i know the keg was from between prob. 1935 to 1943 your Grandfather was pres. at that time. and the lion brewery which took over stegmier and is in wilkesbarre pa, in the old stegmier building, has a sales office in scranton. which I am told was the office of lackawanna beer and ale corp. so now ill have to trek off to see the building and mabe get some pics. but until then here is a full view of the lamp keg. pictures for your page so people can see the shade you mention.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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I’ve been looking for items related to my grandfather’s businesses for a couple years now. I found the first item completely by happenstance. I did a search on eBay for “Ferranti” and BAM, there was a bottle! I wrote the following email to Brian at Brian’s Breweriana.com. Maybe posting this request to the internet will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-notable"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/599","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=599"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/599\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}