The Harris Automatic Coin Changer was designed to operate on all kinds of vending machines including soda, cigarette and candy vendors. It could be modified to return change in many different combinations, as needed. An important feature at the time was the ability to prevent “jackpotting”, or releasing a gush of coins all at once.

The introduction of the automatic coin changer was announced in the August 1946 issue of “Billboard” magazine, with a projected release date of three months later. The device was named after Charles F. Harris, the inventor. According to a 1947 article in “Popular Science”, Harris got the idea for the machine years prior while he was working as an executive of a railroad. He was attending a murder trial at a courthouse on a very hot day when he tried to get a cold soda from a vending machine. He didn’t have the proper change and had to go a number of blocks to find a store where he was able to get a nickel. This frustrated Harris enough that he set about inventing a coin changer to be installed in the vending machines. Harris later served as head of the research and development department at Johnson Fare Box Company where they manufactured his coin changer.

The Johnson Fare Box Company was a manufacturer of fare boxes for trolleys, cable cars and later, buses. They developed the very first fare box around 1905. In 1955 the company was acquired by Keene Corporation, and in turn General Fare Industries bought them in 1980. They still operate today as GFI Genfare.

Manufactured by:
Johnson Fare Box Company
A Subsidiary of Bowser, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois

These items are not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Glascock Deluxe cooler, when it was built was the best Glascock had to offer. The $36 price tag was considered a lot at the time (the Standard cost only $15) but came with special features, such as a stainless steel lid and bottle racks. This model was created for storeowners that wanted a more attractive soda machine in their stores.

When the Deluxe was first released in 1930 it was an icebox. Later versions came out as mechanically refrigerated boxes with a price tag of $155. The electric powered compressor was located in the base inside the stand. The vending process was like that of earlier coolers, where a warm bottle had to be inserted into the cooler in order to vend a cold bottle. The vending capacity was 64 bottles of Coca-Cola, with 66 bottles in reserve.

Dimensions: 41 1/2”H x 31”W x 29”D
Produced: Early 1930s
Weight: 418 lbs.

Manufactured by:
Glascock Bros. Manufacturing Co.
Muncie, Indiana

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

Pictured here is a Westinghouse WD-5 machine that we restored years ago. The Westinghouse WD-5 Soda Cooler was a popular self-service soda machine because of its compact size. It needed a minimum amount of floor space but still had adequate storage space. It holds up to 120 bottles, which is a lot, considering the cooler’s size. The bottles position on their sides inside the cooler, rather than standing upright. The cooler lid lifts and the bottles are simply removed from the top of the machine.

The WD-5 is a dry cooler, which means it cools with cool air rather than with water or ice. This cooler is embossed on all four sides with the Coca-Cola logo. The WD-5 was manufactured from the late 1940s to late 1950s.

Dimensions: 28 1/2”D x 28 5/8”W x 36 3/8”H

Manufactured by:
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Monroeville, PA

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This is a Glascock Portable Cooler from the early 1930s. It is based on the Glascock Standard, with the addition of wheels (2 large on the sides, one smaller in the rear), and a push handle. The cooler could hold 72 bottles of Coke and 50 lbs. of cracked ice. Three cases of additional bottles could be stored below. As on other Glascock coolers, there is a bottle opener and crown catcher. The sides had removable panels and it is painted in the standard green and red colors. This cooler would have been just the thing to deliver bottles of cold Coca-Cola to people walking on the street or attending sporting events or fairs.

Dimensions: 40”H x 53”W x 28”D
Produced: Early 1930s

Manufactured by:
Glascock Bros. Manufacturing Co.
Muncie, Indiana

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Coca-Cola cooler in this photo is the Hemp 9022. It resembles a fishing or tackle box and is a fairly rare cooler. The 9022 was the smallest in the series of 9020-series Hemp coolers. Originally these coolers were painted with white tops. This example has been restored with a solid red color scheme.

Hemp and Company was a division of the American Thermos Products Company. The first thermos, or “vacuum flask” was manufactured in 1892 by the scientist, Sir James Dewar. In 1907 the American Thermos Bottle Company of Brooklyn, New York purchased the Thermos trademark. They began manufacturing insulated picnic jugs and coolers in 1955 and many of them were for the Coca-Cola Company.

This ad features four models of the Hemp line of coolers: the 9022, 9023, 9024 and the 9025, all manufactured in the mid to late 1950s. These have all been embossed with the Coca-Cola Company logo. They are insulated and have galvanized aluminum liners with places to attach bottle openers and ice picks in the lid.

Manufactured by:

Hemp & Company
Macomb, Illinois

The vintage photo above is of a Coca-Cola Dispenser Service delivery truck. This is a great old photo, not only of the 1919 Ford Model T truck, but it also shows a variety of vintage Coca-Cola bottle dispensers. These coolers were probably destined for Mom and Pop stores throughout the neighborhood.

The dark colored cooler on the rear of the truck is a Glascock Standard. This is the red and green chest cooler that Glascock manufactured from the late 1920s through the 1930s. It was the first standardized icebox that was manufactured for the Coca-Cola Company. The space under the cooler could accommodate up to 4 cases of bottles of Coke, in addition to the 72 bottles that fit in the ice-filled cooler.

As far as the other Coca-Cola coolers on the truck, if you can identify any of them, please send us your comments.

The Walrus Manufacturing Company of Decatur, Illinois was one of the many manufacturers that tried to cash-in on the ongoing soft drink craze in the early 1900s. This advertisement is from the “National Bottlers Gazette”. Walrus, like other manufacturers, was marketing their product directly to bottlers in the hope that they could become their cooler supplier. These two models are the Walrus Blizzard Beverage Cooler (top) and the Walrus Beverage Cooler. They were produced in the late 1920s to early 1930s.

Both of these models were self-serve, and used the honor system, where the customer would pull out a bottle of soda and then pay the storeowner. They have openers and cups attached for discarded bottle crowns. There is also a cup to hold straws. Both coolers were manufactured of painted metal and were available with either turquoise blue or tan paint finishes.

The Blizzard was the smaller of the two models. It cooled 36 bottles and the display held 44 additional bottles to be rotated into the ice. It took 35 lbs. of ice to cool the bottles in the Blizzard. The dimensions were 39”W x 27”D x 36 ½”H and it weighed 130 lbs. The larger cooler held 64 bottles and displayed 112. It held 75 lbs. of ice and the dimensions were 45”W x 28”D x 68”H.

These two machines are very rare, and we’d love to hear if you’ve ever seen one. Blog-in if you have any additional information to share.

Based on these advertisements, Arnold manufactured a range of soda bottle coolers in metal and wood. The liners were galvanized iron. The Arnold Junior Cooler also had a galvanized iron exterior.

The Club House Box was made with a wooden exterior with a mahogany finish. These were generic chest coolers that storeowners could hammer a tin sign onto featuring a particular soda brand.

This Quick Cooling Chest is also wooden and very similar to the Club House Box, except that it could be ordered in 6 different lengths, ranging from 3 feet to 8 feet. It was available with a ground cork insulation.

Pictured here is another Arnold’s Quick Cooling Chest that was being offered by the Frank F. Pasch Co. of Wisconsin. Frank Pasch was a German immigrant that settled in Milwaukee and was involved in several different businesses, one which evidently included the distribution of Arnold cooler chests.

Manufactured by:

G. J. Arnold Bottlers’ Supplies Co.
1131 South Broadway
St. Louis, MO

Vendo was founded in 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri. Their initial product line consisted of chest coolers, but after WWII they became known for their upright vending machines, which were made exclusively for the Coca-Cola Company. This chest cooler is one of the earliest—if not one of the first chest coolers made by Vendo.

This cooler is embossed for Cleo Cola, a soft drink that was introduced in 1935 by the Whistle soda company. Cleo Cola was named after the cigar favored by the company’s owner (presumably Antonio y Cleopatra cigars, manufactured since 1879). Advertising for the soda featured Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, which may explain the use of what then was considered an “oriental” typeface.

In addition to the photo of the Cleo Cola chest cooler, there are also photos of artist renditions of the Vendo chest and an additional cooler embossed with the Coca-Cola logo, in what appears to be an office. Perhaps this gentleman is a Vendo Company executive. In this last picture, it is possible to see the top of the machine with the rotating vending mechanism. This chest cooler represents an early version of the soda vending machines that Vendo continued to develop and became famous for.

Manufactured by:

The Vendo Company
Kansas City, Missouri

This is an eye-catching cooler manufactured for dispensing and promoting the sales of Coca-Cola in bottles and cans. It was manufactured in the 1960s by the Beverage-Air Company of South Carolina. It has a very large capacity, with 12 display racks. There are two glass doors that open to provide access to the cold the Coca-Cola. These large glass panels also keep the product visible, making it easy for the customer to find what they’re looking for. There is plenty of space for Coca-Cola in 6-packs and cans, as well as other Coke products such as Tab and Sprite.

The signage is illuminated and, combined with the clearly marked six-packs within, make this refrigerated cabinet a clever merchandising tool. As this ad states, “Every inch of width is equal to one cubic foot of effective signage and display space”.

Manufactured by:

Beverage-Air Company
Spartanburg, S. Carolina

The Westinghouse Half Junior was a countertop ice chest produced from the late 30’s to the early forties. The cooler had embossing on the front and back, as well as the sides. It was designed to hold 24 bottles of Coca-Cola and 20 pounds of ice. These little countertop coolers are rare, although we did own two at one time and restored at least one. You can find them with built-in recessed handles or with no handles at all.

Dimensions: 14”H x 25.5”W x 12”D
Manufacturer:
Westinghouse Corporation
Springfield, Massachusetts

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Victor Products Corporation started out as a commercial refrigeration manufacturer in the 1920s. They became well known for producing their uniquely styled, yet functional counter coolers. Victor built a series of counter coolers for the Coca-Cola Company that included one-, two-, three- and four-door styles, in addition to the very rare Victor Kooler Grill.

The C-31 was a 3-door counter cooler. It had a large capacity, able to hold 756 bottles of chilled Coca-Cola. The bottles were placed in the cooler horizontally, positioned on top of each other in alternating directions, to fit together like a puzzle. The doors on the cooler were roll-top style so they could be pushed up out of the way to access the soda bottles. The cooler was available with an optional black laminate countertop. It extended the length of the cooler and served as a sales and lunch counter. There were two built-in bottle openers with cap catchers and all four sides were embossed with Coca-Cola logos.

A restored Victor cooler such as this one would make a terrific retro style bar in a home or business and would also make a great addition to a gameroom or home theater.

Capacity: 756 bottles
Dimensions: 40”H x 75 1/2”W x 29”D
Weight: 605 lbs.
Produced: Early to mid-1950s

Manufactured by:
Victor Products Corporation
Hagerstown, Maryland

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This countertop cooler is from Mexico. The embossing on the front and back reads “Tome Coca-Cola”, or “Drink Coca-Cola”. The manufacturer is unknown. It was probably produced in the 1950s. The design is rather unique, with the very thin, flat lid that covers the entire top of the cooler. We got this cooler in pretty poor condition and have restored it to new condition.

The first Latino countries to be given permission to bottle Coca-Cola were Cuba and Panama in 1906. Coca-Cola was first bottled in Mexico starting in 1926 and is still very popular there today.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Glascock Junior was a single case cooler, capable of holding 36 chilled bottles. This makes it the same size as the Glascock countertop. The Junior had storage beneath for two cases of bottles and came on legs with casters.

It was equipped with a bottle opener. The sides were covered in removable panel inserts that could be changed out for different soft drink brands or messages, such as “Please Pay the Clerk”. They were painted a distinct Moroccan green that the Glascock coolers became known for. The bottles of Coke were kept cool with ice water.

Glascock was the first manufacturer to produce officially approved coolers for the Coca-Cola Company. The Junior model followed its predecessor, the Standard and was intended for stores with limited floor space. Coca-Cola was vended simply by lifting the lid of the cooler and removing a bottle. The customer then paid the store clerk for the soft drink. The original price for the Junior was $7.95.

Dimensions: 30”H x 17 1/2”W x 17 1/2”D
Produced: In the early 1930s

Manufactured by:
Glascock Bros. Manufacturing Co.
Muncie, Indiana

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The pages pictured here are from an old Coca-Cola Company equipment brochure, describing some of the equipment available for use by the vendors of Coca-Cola soft drinks. These are mobile, or stadium cup vendors that could be utilized at various events, such as sports, fairs or others gatherings. These appear to be manufactured by the same company as a stadium cup vendor we already blogged—the Glasco Corporation. They were all produced in the 1950s.

The first vendor featured on these pages is the 400-drink mobile dispenser. This vendor was designed as a pushcart and had space for four soda tanks and ice to keep the drinks cold. In addition to the Coca-Cola tanks, it would have also been necessary to add a cylinder of carbon dioxide for carbonation. The cold Coca-Cola was dispensed into the paper cups that were stored on the cart.

The 100-drink mobile vendor was a smaller version of the Coca-Cola pushcart. It could carry 1 tank of soft drink in an insulated compartment. There wasn’t any room for ice on this one, so the tanks had to be pre-cooled (for approximately 8 hours) before the vendor set off.

The last vendor is a carry pack. It was able to dispense 50 drinks from a pre-cooled tank that was inserted into an insulated compartment. This carry pack was equipped with a heavy-duty strap so it could be worn over the shoulder. The pack also had a compartment for paper cups as well as a small platform for the cup to sit on while the Coke was dispensed into it.

These are all clever designs, and The Coca-Cola Company appears to have gone to great lengths to get their product out to where people were seeking relaxation and entertainment—and getting thirsty. We believe these would not have been manufactured in very large numbers. If you have more information about vendors like these, please blog-in and share your thoughts.

Here is an interesting brochure we came across featuring the V-17 “Office Vendo Top”.

I have never seen one of these and I doubt it was ever manufactured, given this is just a drawing. What’s interesting is that the Vend Top is on what is clearly a Cavalier Office Cooler, but the top appears to be from Vendo given it’s name of “V-17 Office Vendo Top”. Vendo always named its models by how many bottles they would vend, preceded by a “V”. For example, Vendo-81, Vendo 110, Vendo 39 and so on.

If anyone has any information on this, please blog-in and let us know. If it does exist, some photos would be great.

This brochure features another soda cooler designed especially for locations with limited floor space. It is the Westinghouse R-1 Coolerette, made for “home, office and store”. Introduced in 1957, the R-1 is essentially a small refrigerator. It has a 12-bottle capacity and came with a tray for making ice. These were made for the Coca-Cola Company and were usually all white.

Dimensions:

33¼” high x 14¼” wide x 17½” deep

Manufactured by:

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Pittsburgh, PA

These were the first of the mini-fridges and are pretty rare today. Do you happen to have one? Blog-in and let us know.

The Dr. Pepper Guiberson “88” was produced in the late 40’s. It was a simple, rounded ice chest that held 88 bottles when full. The front two doors hid a place for empties. It was not embossed but had a porcelain sign on the front, so I guess it could have been made for any flavor, but we have only seen it in Dr. Pepper. Guiberson also produced an electric version of this that was a coin-operated vendor. I love this little cooler and I wish we still owned it.

Dimensions: 36.5”H x 25.5”W x 19.5”D

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Westinghouse WD-12 Soda Machine is a dry cooler, meaning it cools without the use of water. It is very similar to the Westinghouse WE-6 except that machine is a wet box, and because of that, held fewer bottles. Also the WD-12 has the addition of stainless steel details. This Coca-Cola soda cooler has a stainless lid and trim and could hold 140 bottles. The two lids are hinged in the middle so a soda can be removed from either side. The WD-12 was manufactured from the mid-1940s to early 1950s. Pictured here is a machine we restored.

Dimensions: 28 1/2”D x 45 1/8”W x 36 1/4”H
Weight: 255 lbs.

Manufactured by:
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Monroeville, PA

View the video of this Coca-Cola Westinghouse WD-12 Soda Cooler

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This is the second part of our blog on the Victor Kooler Grill. Be sure to check out Part One where we give you a little history of this unique Coca-Cola cooler also known as the “Hot Dogger”.

Our restoration of the Victor Kooler Grill was probably one of the most challenging and time consuming restorations we had ever undertaken. According to the owner at the time, the cooler was found in a shed that pool chemicals were stored in. This left a lot of the parts in pretty tough shape because of the corrosive effect of years of being around chemicals.

As you can see from the ‘before’ picture, the stainless steel was in bad shape and it all needed to be remade or restored in some way. It was missing some parts like the hot dog grill itself and all of the signage. We also installed all new refrigeration equipment.

The Kooler Grill is essentially a three-door Victor with about a foot added to accommodate the grill, sink and bun warmer. Approximately the remaining two-thirds comprises the refrigerated section. As you can see by these photos we took the machine totally apart.

If not for all of the corroded and missing parts it would have been pretty much a straightforward restoration. The process was to take it apart, sandblast, execute bodywork, paint, reassemble and update the electrical and refrigeration systems. Of course, cleaning and remaking a lot of the stainless pieces including the distinctive arch, slowed down the process.

I understand that this cooler has changed hands a couple of times since the restoration and recently sold for a huge amount of money. So keep your eyes open, I am sure there are more of these sitting around somewhere collecting dust waiting to be found and restored. I hope you enjoyed our blogs and the photos of this unique machine.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

Today’s blog is part one of a two-part blog about the Victor Coca-Cola Kooler Grill. In part one this week, we’d like to introduce you to the one-of-a-kind Victor Kooler Grill and outline it’s history and uses.

This was one of the most unique coolers ever to be made. The Victor Coca-Cola Kooler Grill was a soft drink cooler and hot dog grill all in one. It was extremely functional and eye-catching as well. They were made exclusively for the Coca-Cola Company. They were manufactured in 1954 and there were only 50 of them produced. Only 9 of them are known to be still in existence today.

They were designed to serve as fully functioning snack bars. The built-in bun steamer and chili pot were standard equipment. As were the stainless steel hot dog rollers on the Roll-a-Grill. There is a cutting board, a stainless steel countertop and chrome trim throughout. The grill is set behind plexi-glass so patrons could watch the hot dogs while they sizzled. The cash register was made to match the rest of the cooler. There were optional accessories that were also available. These included a rack for empty bottles, a cup dispenser, a wastebasket and a drop-in pre-mix soft drink dispenser. It’s a very large machine, taking up more than 18 square feet of floor space. As if this weren’t enough to attract attention, atop the grill is a distinctive arch made of stainless steel tubing. Sitting atop the arch is an illuminated sign made up of a horizontal tube reading “grilled hot dogs” and a round halo sign with the Coca-Cola logo that lights up and revolves.

This Kooler Grill was a groundbreaker in both product merchandising and food service. Next week we’ll discuss the restoration we did of one of these unique Coca-Cola coolers.

Dimensions: 90 5/8”W x 31 9/16”D x 88 5/8”H
Vending capacity: 510 bottles and 510 hot dogs
Weight: Approximately 895 lbs.

Manufactured by:
Victor
Hagerstown, Maryland

Watch the Coca-Cola Kooler Grill Video

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

Carta Blanca beer is produced by a Mexican brewery that has been in business since the late 1800’s. So it is no surprise that they know how to market their products, and in the 1950’s that included colorful coolers.

We restored this cooler about 6 years ago. It was in very tough shape, but they are rare, so we decided to put the necessary work into bringing it back. Check out the embossing and the de-bossing all over this cooler. Front, back, inside and outside the lid. We went with a bright yellow paint scheme and added the pinstriping to the sides. This cooler still resides at the Retroplanet.com offices.

We also restored a slightly different version in red, look for it in a future blog.

Manufacturer – Unknown
Size – 22”W X 14.5”D X 39 ”H

View the video of this restored Carta Blanca Cerveza Ice Chest

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Jewett Bevador Giant Circular Cooler

The Bevador cooler is a beast, but yet a very interesting item! With the dome top it measures 7’ 6” tall and weighs in at 1050 pounds. It was produced in the 1950’s by the Jewett Refrigerator Co. of Buffalo, NY. Inside the cooler are seven revolving adjustable shelves. The door has five feet of white neon tubes between the glass. We owned one of these and considered restoring it several times but never got around to it. I have seen them restored as Coke bottles, but our idea was to take off the top and restore it like the 1960’s Coca-Cola Diamond pattern can. The one we owned was just in too bad a shape to do anything with so we sold it ‘as is’.

I believe the company is still in business and manufactures blood refrigeration cabinets. I’m not 100% sure, so if anyone has any information please blog-in and let us know.

Jewett Refrigerator Co.
94-98 Pearl Street
Buffalo, NY

Service Manuals for Coca-Cola Vendo 81, 44 & 39 Soda Machines

At the Retroplanet.com site we are offering free downloads of PDFs of service manuals for three models of Coca-Cola soda machines from the 1950’s. They are the Vendo 81, 44 and 39. These PDFs can be found at the Retroplanet PDF Library.

It is important to note that in the beginning of the manual you will see photos of vending machines that were restored by us at Vintage Vending. They may have been restored to look different from the machine you may have. The rest of the manual PDFs are of the actual manual and schematics. There are also photos and parts lists. Our hope is that these photos are of help to you.

The soda machines we have restored are not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

There is a great blog at Retroplanet.com about Coca-Cola coolers being used in various establishments in Southern California in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The photos included with the blog are literally snapshots of a way of life that is no longer with us. Head over to Retroplanet.com and the Blog heading of Vintage Vending Archives. Scroll down to “Coca-Cola Coolers”, and enjoy a trip down Memory Lane and remember what it was like when there were neighborhood grocery stores and filling stations, and of course, coolers of ice cold Coca-Cola.

Pepsi-Cola Mexican Mini Cooler

Here is a very interesting Pepsi cooler. Because it is a double-dot we know it is from the 40’s. We also think it is from Mexico because of the decals on the side of the original. It looks like more of a mini-fridge icebox than a cooler, and is definitely an original because it is embossed. We restored this many years ago and it is in the home of a private collector. We are showing the before and after but for additional photos, please visit the Retroplanet Museum at Retroplanet.com. If you have any information about this piece’s origin please blog-in and let us know.

It is a fairly small piece measuring 33”H X 18.5”W X 15″D

Paint code PPG DCC 18431 Light Blue
A sign painter applied all the other colors by hand.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

Glascock Countertop Cooler

In 1929 the first officially approved retail cooler for dispensing bottles of Coca-Cola was introduced. It was a Glascock cooler. This particular Glascock countertop cooler was introduced in 1931. This open-top cooler was both the smallest and least expensive cooler made by Glascock. It hit the market priced at $5.95. It held 36 chilled bottles, with no additional storage space. Galvanized metal was used for its sturdy construction. Essentially, it was the same as the Junior model offered in 1930, but without legs. It was designed to sit on a countertop in a retail environment. As with other soft drink coolers of the time, it was based on an honor system, where the customer selected a bottle of Coke and paid the store clerk.

Filling the cooler up with ice chilled the bottles. There was a faucet at the base to drain excess water from the cooler after the ice melted. The cooler is painted a “Moroccan Green” in addition to the standardized red and white. The embossed logos on the cooler sides were panels that could be pulled out and changed. Glascock coolers are considered the “Grandfathers” of all Coca-Cola vending machines that were to follow. This particular Glascock cooler is rare and very desirable to collectors.
For more photos of our restored Glascock cooler, visit the Retroplanet Museum and look under “Chest Coolers”.

Dimensions: 14” high x 18” wide x 26” deep

Capacity: 36 bottles plus 20 lbs. of ice

Manufactured by:

Glascock Bros. Manufacturing Co.

Muncie, Indiana

The Evolution of Soft Drink Dispensing

Recently, while doing descriptions for the soda fountain dispensers in the Retroplanet Museum, I was struck by how little I knew about how these IN-dispensable drinks evolved. Drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have become such a staple in the American diet that I think many of us take them for granted.

The first attempts at making a carbonated drink date back as far as the early 1770’s, when it was believed that natural mineral waters had curative powers. People flocked to spas where mineral water bubbled naturally out of the earth. Early scientists tried to replicate these bubbly drinks with health benefits for everyone to enjoy. In the early 1770’s a Swedish chemist and an English scientist invented equipment that combined water and carbon dioxide. This bubbly water was called soda water. In 1806 a Yale chemistry professor, Benjamin Silliman, purchased an apparatus and began selling mineral water (unflavored then) in New Haven, Connecticut. Sometimes Dr. Silliman added wine and sugar to his bottled mineral water, but it was Eugene Roussel of Philadelphia that is credited with making flavored soda water popular. In the late 1830’s he added a “soda counter” to his perfume shop where he offered soda water flavored with orange, cherry, lemon, teaberry, ginger, peach or root beer syrup. His success can be measured by the fact that he had nearly 50 competitors in his city within a very short time.

By the end of the Civil War, soda fountains were a common sight, and flavored soft drinks were commonly dispensed in drugstores at the soda fountain counter. These locations became even more important when the US government passed Temperance Laws forbidding the consumption of alcohol. Soda fountains allowed people to continue to gather and socialize, but without the presence of alcohol. The problem was that the drinks could vary greatly from one to the next, as there was not really a standard method of concocting them. After a pump or two of the syrup, the pharmacist would fill the glass up to the fill-line with ice-chilled carbonated water. This was then stirred and served to the customer.

In 1888 Jacob Baur started the Liquid Carbonic Co. that manufactured carbon dioxide in tanks. This led to the manufacture and sale of Liquid Carbonic soda fountains in the early 1900’s. This made it possible for pharmacists to make their own carbonated water, rather than having to buy it from a supplier. This arrangement still required mixing syrup and water by the pharmacist and therefore, room for variation.

The first automatic soda fountain dispenser that mixed the syrup and the carbonated water together was made in 1933 by Dole and was introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair. This model was the Dole Master Dispenser. Simply by pulling the handle, the syrup and carbonated water were mixed together. In order to cool the drink, ice could be packed into the dispenser.

Dole then released the Dole Junior in 1936. This was a much smaller, 1-gallon capacity dispenser. It could duplicate the same flavor in each ice-cold drink, much faster than was previously possible. The next major development in dispensers came in 1949 in the shape of the “Outboard Motor” design dispensers, like the Selmix Fountain Dispenser. Designed by the famous industrial designer Raymond Loewy, this dispenser was capable of dispensing a continuous flow of mixed carbonated water and syrup with only one pull of the handle. They were then followed by “Super” models that could dispense two types of soda, and in 1955 the Multiplex Faucet Company introduced the Red Barrel dispenser, the first multiple-drink Coca-Cola dispenser that was designed for use at places like movie theaters and drive-ins.

A very drastic change to dispenser design occurred in June of 1958 when the Dole Citation model was released. It was square and constructed mainly of plastic. It had a totally new and modern look. By 1962 dispensers were available as ice-cooled models or with mechanical refrigeration. These dispensers evolved into the 12- to 16-head self-serve dispensers seen in fast food restaurants we see today.

Help Us Identify Our Coke Cooler

We have added information in the Retroplanet Museum about our coolers. One of these is a Coca-Cola cooler from Mexico that we know very little about. Take a look and see if you might be able to help identify the name of the manufacturer and the approximate date.

The Cavalier Coca-Cola Office Cooler

The Cavalier Corporation produced this machine in the late 1940’s, early 1950’s. This Coca-Cola cooler was designed to be much smaller than the standard soda vending machines so it could be used in an office for use by employees, customers or patients. In other words, Coca-Cola was also interested in being in places where they would make low-volume sales in addition to more high-profile locations.

This 2-case cooler is powered by a Frigidaire motor and was not coin-operated. The cold bottles of Coke either would have been offered as a courtesy, or there would have been an honor system in place.

Cavalier Corporation

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Cavalier began making Coke coolers in 1935, and closed in November of 2000. Perhaps you’ve seen a Cavalier cooler? Let us know. Blog-in using the form below.

The Coca-Cola VIP Cooler

This VIP cooler was made for Coca-Cola who directed their marketing for this product toward smaller venues, like offices, social clubs, hair salons, waiting rooms and hotels. It could fit 120 6.5-ounce bottles of Coke, was equipped with two ice cube trays and had additional space for “party fixings”. The VIP was available with either a Coca-Cola design or with walnut-clad sides.

Dimensions:
22” long x 26” wide x 38.5” high

Beverage-Air Company

700 Buffington Road

Spartanburg, South Carolina
Founded in 1944 by Herman Buffington, the Beverage-Air Company is still in business today.

1941 Vendorlator 120 Soda Machine

We have seen a lot of soda machines here at Vintage Vending, and I would have to say that this one could be the ugliest. Seemed like a good idea at the time, I would guess. It vends up to 63 different flavors and holds any size bottles. “It is modern and handsome in design, easy to load, simple and almost 100% automatic in operation,” says the brochure.

Manufactured by:
Vendorlator Manufacturing Co.
4000 Railroad Avenue
Fresno, California

The Vendo V-81’s and VMC-81 Soda Machines, Similarities & Differences

The Vendo Company eventually merged with its rival, the Vendorlator Manufacturing Company in 1956, but originally they were two separate entities building some very similar soda machines. In the mid 1950’s the Vendo Company was manufacturing the Vendo 81 exclusively for The Coca-Cola Company, and the Vendorlator Manufacturing Co. was making VMC-81’s for competing brands like Pepsi, 7-Up, Dr. Pepper and Royal Crown. Once the two companies merged, they continued to make machines under the two product names as before, making The Vendo Company the primary supplier to of the soft drink market.

There were three V-81 models manufactured by the Vendo Company from the mid to the late 1950’s. There was the Vendo V-81A, V-81B and V-81D. Up until 1956, Coca-Cola machines were painted a solid red, like the Vendo V-81A. Beginning in 1956 with the V-81B, The Coca-Cola company painted their machines red and white to emphasize Coke’s “clean and refreshing” image. The “Coca-Cola” logo that had been smaller and positioned closer to the bottle door was repositioned to be centered on the space to the right of the bottle door and the logo was enlarged. The logo was also made more prominent by being embossed in red on a white background, instead of in white on a red background.

The Vendorlator Manufacturing Company’s competing soda machine was the VMC 81. The Vendo 81 and the VMC-81 both held a total of 81 bottles for vending. Space inside the machine allowed for the pre-cooling of 17 additional bottles. Both machines had nine interior shelves, allowing them to vend up to nine different soda flavors. They used “slant shelves” that could be adjusted to accommodate different bottle sizes ranging from 6 ½ to 12 ounces. That flexibility makes these machines very popular today, since you are able to fill them with almost any soda, beer or wine coolers. These soda machines have the classic upright, “round-cornered” cabinet design of the 1950’s. Both the V-81A and V-81B are referred to as “small door” models, and the V-81D is called the “large door” model. This came about because the V-81D had a different coin mechanism that necessitated a larger door. The coin mechanism was redesigned to give change back, where previously the coin boxes only took nickels. The bottle doors in both the Vendo and VMC-81’s had lights placed within them to illuminate the bottles.

1958 was the last year of production for round-cornered soda machines made by The Vendo Company, with the exception of the Vendo 44. All of the Coca-Cola Company Vendo 81’s and the various brands of VMC-81’s are very collectible today. The Vendo 81’s are the most desirable of all the different models of Coke machines manufactured throughout the 1950’s. Fewer VMC-81’s were produced than Vendo 81’s, and of all the brands embossed on the VMC-81’s, Royal Crown soda machines are the most rare and collectible with the 7-Up machines close behind. Any of these soda machines would be quite a statement in any gameroom, den or office.

Dimensions: 53.75 in. high x 25 in. wide x 17.5 in. deep
Weight: 286 lbs.

Please blog in and tell us about your soda machine collection. We’d love to hear about your acquisition and restoration stories. If you have questions about your restoration, blog in and ask us as we’ve done many ourselves and would enjoy being of help to you.

The Vendo Galaxie Soft Drink Dispenser

The Vendo Galaxie Soft Drink Dispenser was the first pre-mix soda dispenser. Up until its creation in 1960, dispensers mixed the syrup and carbonated water when the handle was pulled. With this model, the syrup and carbonated water were stored premixed, outside of the dispenser. The complete soft drink was pressure fed by carbon dioxide gas through the dispenser. The futuristic look of the Vendo Galaxie was a result of the design collaboration of Clare Hodgman, a famous automobile and appliance designer, and the Engineering Department of The Cola-Cola Company. It was available in 1, 2, 3 or 4 dispensing valves. This model was made exclusively for Coca-Cola.

This counter-mounted dispenser was advertised as “The most modern way to dispense Coca-Cola (Pre-mix!).” Covered in a baked enamel with chrome and stainless steel accents. The top of the machine was illuminated and displayed the “Drink Coca-Cola” logo.

As the brochures show, the Vendo Galaxie soft drink dispenser was also marketed to be sold with an ice-making machine, like this Polar Chips Icemaker. The dispenser was installed directly onto the ice maker, making it quicker and more convenient to make a nice cold Coke.

Manufactured by:
Vendo Company
Kansas City, MO

You may have seen one of these drink dispensers or something very similar, since this machine can still be in use today. Blog-in with any additional comments you may have.

The Coca-Cola Vendo 6-Case Vertical Cooler

I like this machine, but this upright cooler never really caught on with collectors. I would guess that’s because of its size. I refer to it as a cooler because there is no coin mechanism. Therefore, it’s not fair to call it a soda machine, even though it looks like a Vendo 81 except for the glass door on the right side. Vendo did make a version of this machine with a coin mechanism and it was called the Vendo 110. But if you have the space and are looking for a machine to restore, this is a good candidate. There are no coin or vending mechanisms to mess with and because they were self-service coolers and not vending machines, they were usually kept indoors so you can still find them in pretty good shape. The shelves inside are adjustable so it will hold different size bottles, including longneck beer bottles. Judging by the name I’d guess it holds 144 bottles; 110 ready to vend and 34 pre-cooled. I don’t recall us ever restoring one at Vintage Vending but we did own quite a few over the years.

Vendorlator also made this machine in Pepsi, Royal Crown, Dr. Pepper and (not 100% sure, but would assume) 7-up.

Size:
63” high
32.5” wide
18” deep

Weight: 200 pounds

Produced from the late 40’s to mid 50’s

Manufactured by:
Vendo Company
7209 N. Ingram Ave.
Fresno, CA

If you have ever restored one of these, please ad to the blog with some restoration tips.

Coca-Cola has always done a great job getting their products into as many locations as possible. The Vendo D-56 was an attempt to get Coke into locations where a soda machine might be out of place, like an upscale office. The D-56 was basically a soda machine with a decorative door on the front. The doors were offered in five styles; warm and exciting Mediterranean, bold and sleek Danish, sculptured and classic Provincial, light and charming Colonial and crisp and trim Traditional. I don’t think the concept really took off, but it was an interesting idea. Coca-Cola offered many smaller machines for low volume situations over the years and we will be posting others soon.

The Frostidrink Cup Soda Vendor

I don’t know too much about this machine except it was invented by W.W. Bowman of Dallas, Texas in the late 30’s. Amazing what you find when you google something. The machine appears to be a 3-selection cup vendor done up in Royal Crown Cola. Nothing too exciting about it, but I thought the pictures were neat. The pictures look to be from the late 40’s or early 50’s with the machine in some sort of university. One of the pictures is labeled “The P.K. Younge School of Experimental Education”. Has anyone ever heard of it? University of Florida at Gainesville?

Please let us know if you have any information on the machine or the location.

The B-1 Lemon-Lime Soda Six-Pack Vending Machine

Is this the coolest vending machine ever, or what? This machine vends an entire 6-pack of B-1. I have never seen anything like it before and I am not sure how many of these were ever made, but it is wild. A 6-pack of B1 for fifty cents! Not the best picture, I am afraid, but it is all we had. If you have any information on this unusual machine please blog in and let us know.

The Coca-Cola Company used many different manufacturers for their dispensers and coolers. The 1930’s Moss Cooler is one that does not seem to have withstood the test of time. Its main competitor was the Glascock cooler. Moss coolers are very rare today, where the Glascock are easier to find. Vintage Vending was fortunate to have owned a Moss cooler.

The Moss bottled beverage cooler was made of durable metal construction. It was painted in a dark green, oven baked crackle finish. The hardware was nickel and cadmium plated. There was a bottle opener and a cap catcher for the customer’s use. It had casters so the heavy cooler could be moved more easily since these weighed 44 and 55 lbs. without the ice and bottles. The bottler supplied the signs to be inserted on the sides of the cooler. One, two or four signs could be installed. The coolers came in two sizes: 2-case and 4-case.

Manufactured by:
J. Moss Equipment Co., Inc.
78 19th St.
Brooklyn, NY

It is interesting to note that the reverse of this brochure was used by someone who typed a story about Dizzy Dean, the pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1930-1937. Perhaps this copy was to be used for a news broadcast or was a rough draft for a newspaper story.

Blog in and let us know if you’ve ever seen one of these or have anything interesting to add.