Rainier Jubilee Series Can Question

[storzman]

I'd like to understand Mark's comment that the Party Series is older than the Cartoon? Cartoon only came from Sick's Seattle Brewing & Malting, Party came from both SSB&M and Sick's Rainier Brewing Co. Then Brewery only from the latter of the 2. It seems only to make sense Cartoon is the oldest - but I'll admit my assumption is based only on what the cans have on them. I'd guess many of you collectors in the NW know the history of when the brewery name changed??

[Scott]

The six can cartoon series is the oldest. This is not a topic for debate but simple fact.

Speaking of debate, for awhile I thought it was the Tacoma Narrows bridge on the one can as well. The bridges are similar but I'm inclined to think it is the Golden Gate. I've argued this with Ed in the past but think he is right, not that he would know the difference, he just got lucky on this one. The can has scenes from the west including Multnomah Falls outside Portland, the Seattle skyline and even a cactus at the bottom. Makes sense they would have something from California.

Scott

[Pokey]

After looking at the following pictures and noting the cross beams on each tower, the bridge does resemble the Golden Gate (with 4 cross beams) more than the Tacoma Narrows (with only 3 cross beams)

Tacoma Narrows:


Golden Gate:

[josh]

If it looks like a bridge, and smells like a bridge then it must be a pipe. What's important is you are all high on Crack.

[MikeS29]

So where does the one with the clock and the calendar fit in, series-wise? It is my only Jube thus far (thanks to Carl S for that one! )

[Rustmonger]

Is that a turkey or a chicken on the Christmas can???

[Leon]

Here's another view of Golden Gate Bridge, Thats me on left. LEON.

[MarkB]

Sorry Scott, but the Party series comes first. Here is the proof. I have copies of all of the documentation below in my files. Copies available on request. (I scanned in two of them for this post.)

June 1953: Newspaper ads show "Polychromatic Beer Cans". The ads clearly show the Party series.

July 1953 Modern Brewery Age shows the new "Jubilee Pack". The photo show the Party series.

August 1953: Modern Brewery Age shows the new Rainier billboard, again showing the Party series (see scan below)

June 1956: Modern Brewery Age shows the new Jubilee series, the cartoon cans. The photo clearly shows the cartoon series, including the rained on BBQ and the golfer cans.(see scan below) I also have an original 1956 ad showing the "new" cartoon series.

The cartoon series came after the party series. That's all there is to it. The original documents are clear on the subject. The trade press stories AND the original newspaper ads put the Party Series starting 3 years before the Cartoon series.


1953 Story and Picture:



1956 Story and Picture:


The brewery differences are interesting. Perhaps Spokane continued making the 3-year-old Party series while Seattle made the cartoon series--which didn't last that long. Or did Spokane stop canning and produce only bottles for a year? I suspect the former is more likely but more research is needed. The only thing settled is that the Cartoon series was introduced 3 years after the Party series.

Mark

[MarkB]

MikeS29: That's part of the Brewery series, the last one.

You'll find descriptions and links to examples of all the designs on my webpage.

http://www.rustycans.com/HISTORY/rainier.html


MarkB

[John S.]

Which came first: Indisputable and irrefutable evidence. Case dismissed.

[MikeS29]

MikeS29: That's part of the Brewery series, the last one.

You'll find descriptions and links to examples of all the designs on my webpage.

http://www.rustycans.com/HISTORY/rainier.html


MarkB

Thanks Mark, I'll check it out.

The bonus of only having one jube and living in Washington is that no matter what I find, I'll need it!

[Leon]

What came first, The Chicken or the Egg

[RustyRaindog]

AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! I have to concede on this. After further review( and putting away the pipe ) I agree it is the Golden Gate. The four cross braces are the giveaway. Even though the supports are not stepped but smooth looking like the Narrows bridge ( that's what tricked me) it has to be the Golden gate

I like the fact they put the ferry Kalaka on there also, and that the Smith tower is the tallest building in the skyline




OK back to the pipe now

[Pokey]

This may explain a little better why the "Rainier for Life" is on some cans and not the others. Looking at the 1953 ad, the gold line is blank. Being the first series, that would make sense. Then the words "Rainier for Life" were added in the middle of the Party series run. The new moniker stayed on all subsequent series until the end when it was removed for the final flat tops and the limited run of Zips.

Four of the five cans shown on the 1953 cans are from what I am calling the Party Series 2 (Beer Garden, Diamond Jubilee, Hunting & Fishing and Parties & Music). The only one from the Party Series 1 is Sports -- and Sports has been found in a 16 ounce, so maybe I have it in the wrong group!

Of course it is possible, that the Party Series was all one issue and only some of the designs were chosen for the 16 ounce cans. But that isn't nearly as much fun of a topic.

[Pokey]

So where does the one with the clock and the calendar fit in, series-wise? It is my only Jube thus far (thanks to Carl S for that one! )

That is "Naturally Aged from the Brewery Series, which I did not picture.

[MarkB]

Poeky, according to Modern Brewery Age, Rainier began using "Life" in a new ad campaign in late 1954. It included phrases such as "There's More Life to Rainier" and "It's Rainier for Life.". (MBA Jan 1955)

MarkB

[storzman]

OK - so here's a theory that might tie all the issues on which was the chicken vs. egg together - Party vs. Cartoon.

First set (1953) Party Series by Sick's Seattle Brewing and Malting
2nd set - Cartoon Series - also by SSB&M
3rd set - Party Series comes out again by Sick's Rainier Brewing Co. (Hey - they saved on artwork!)
Then the Brewery Sets

In 16oz cans - I have seen far less of the Party by SSB&M than the Cartoons. But I took this as meaning the Party transitioned between the 2 breweries and the SSB&M cans were made for a lot shorter time. But I guess if they were the oldest -that might make them scarcer too as the idea of Jubilees maybe was not tested in 1953 and maybe they did not produce as many cans. Then it became popular and they re-introduced the first set.

I don't know! I always have been with Scott that the Cartoon is oldest - but the ads Mark posted make you think.

Does anyone have a Party series can without R for Life on it? I've never seen one as a 16oz?

Eric

[Carl S]

Man, I need to rethink my Rainier Jubilee chronology now. If you notice the 1953 Party Series cans in the ad above do not have the 'Rainier for Life', then later series including the Cartoons had them.

I checked my copy of 'American Breweries II' and found that the Seattle brewery was Sicks' Seattle Brewing & Malting until 1956 and then became Sicks' Rainier Brewing Co. from then on. In Spokane, they started using Sicks' Rainier Brewery in 1958,

So the Cartoons could have come out in 1956 and been a one-hit wonder. Here is my revised Wolpe Chronology:

4A: PARTY series 1, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, gold band blank
4B: PARTY series 2, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, gold band blank
8A: PARTY series 1, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SPOKANE BREWERY, gold band blank
8B: PARTY series 2, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SPOKANE BREWERY, gold band blank

1: CARTOON series, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
2: CARTOON series, Flat, 16 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
3: CARTOON series, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SPOKANE BREWERY, "Rainier for Life" on gold band

6A: PARTY series 1, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
6B: PARTY series 2, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
7: PARTY series 1, Flat; 16 oz, SICKS' SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
9A: PARTY series 1, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SPOKANE BREWERY, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
9B: PARTY series 2, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' SPOKANE BREWERY, "Rainier for Life" on gold band

12: PARTY series 1, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' Rainier Brewing - SEATTLE, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
13: PARTY series 1, Flat, 16 oz, SICKS' Rainier Brewing - SEATTLE, "Rainier for Life" on gold band
15: PARTY series 1, Flat, 12 oz, SICKS' Rainier Brewing - SPOKANE, "Rainier for Life" on gold band

By the way, I have a full page newspaper ad from 1954 showing '6 New Jubilee Designs'. They are Party Series without the "Rainier for Life".
This is a great thread!

[RustyRaindog]

The only 16 I have without R for life is the Choicest can

Not as clean as Pokey's, but better than others on the same shelf

Could someone email me a copy of the Wolpe list please so I can reference Carls' post? Thanks

Man there some nice jubs out there!!! Love this thread

[Scott]

Man I don't know what to think, for years now it has been common knowledge that the earth is flat. Now along comes Mark who says it's round. Next somebody is probably going to tell me it is actually a geoid.

I have to admit that there is strong evidence that yet once again....Wolpe is wrong.

Scott

[RustyRaindog]

The new moniker stayed on all subsequent series until the end when it was removed for the final flat tops and the limited run of Zips.

Which of the big un's come in zip tabs anyway, as I don't have any large ziptops?
Do any of the zips have the Rainier for Life on them? None of mine do.

[Pokey]

Carl,

What are the 6 designs that are on your full page newspaper ad from 1954?

That would tell me which Party Series cans belong to the "B" group.

Possible Chronological Order then...

1953: Party Series Groups 4A & 8A; Sick's (city) Brewing & Malting; blank gold band
1954: Party Series Groups 4B & 8B; Sick's (city) Brewing & Malting; blank gold band
1955: Party Series Groups 6A/B, 7, 9A/B; Sick's (city) Brewing & Malting; "Rainier for Life"
1956: Cartoon Series Groups 1, 2, & 3; Sick's (city) Brewing & Malting; "Rainier for Life"
1957: Party Series Groups 12A/B, 13 & 15A/B; Sick's Rainier Brewing - (city); "Rainier for Life"
1958: Brewery Series groups 19, 20, 24, 25, 29, 33; Sick's Rainier Brewing - (city); "Rainier for Life"
1962: Brewery Series groups 17, 27, 28, 31; Sick's Rainier Brewing - Seattle; blank gold band
1963: Brewery Series groups 18 & 32; Sick's Rainier Brewing - Seattle; blank gold band - ZIP TOPs

Anyone?

[Cap-Sealed]

Wow - all this chatter about Jubs makes me want to collect them again..... I still have a few. I like the cartoons the best but also like the Winter/Snowflake cans. And Jubs are a blast to dig!

[Pokey]

Looking at the 1953 advertisement, it shows the SPORTS design as part of the initial release of 1953. FOOD should be moved to the second release of 1954.

Thanks Scott & Ed for the pdf of the advertisement.

[MikeS29]

Man, I gotta get out there and dig. My lazy a$$ has been talking about it.... I could really see myself getting bitten by the Jubilee bug.

BTW, my Naturally Aged is a 12 oz. Seattle without Rainier for Life... Thanks for the picture, Pokey, and the link, Mark. And the can, Carl!

[rustamust]

I have 3 only. 11, 12 and 16oz but I need a zip.

[Carl S]

Carl,
What are the 6 designs that are on your full page newspaper ad from 1954?

Here are photos of the ad from 1954 - clearly shows the Party Series cans.
BTW, I can't find my Wolpe catalog Did I lend it out again??

[Cap-Sealed]

1953

[Monkeysqueak]

1953?..... arghhhhhh!!! I'm DEFINATELY more confused now than when this thread first started, BUT this has been interesting as hell thus far!! Conflicting info from both the knowledgeable guys and literature. I hope when the dust settles it can be all tied together somehow. I'm gonna post what I've got tomorrow. I THINK what can be agreed upon is that yes, the Brewery Series came last.... right?

[Pokey]

Ed,

Are you positive about the date of your ad? Is it still in the magazine? I was thinking of going down to the local used magazine shop here in Portland and hunting down some of these ads. Does anyone know which magazines to look through? Northwest specific??

Pokey