My Huge Breweriana Collection (My Other Hobby)

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For the past 30 years I have been an Avid collector of Breweriana (Beer Memorabilia)

Beermats is where I started when my brother gave me his beermat collection in the late 80s

Tegestology is the definition of the practice of collecting beermats

Everytime there was a new beermat it got picked up by my dad, I have sets amongst my collection some of which are really rare.

beer mat collection

I grew up around Public Houses and Clubs so I guess thats where my love of the subject comes from.

I also Collect retro Bar Fonts because back in the day a good Font could be a thing of Beauty (Art in its own right)

My pump head collection started out in the 1990s when I acquired a Mansfield Bitter & Holsten Export bar font.

Mansfield Bitter Pump Bar Font

Holsten Export Bar Font

I've since refurbished the Mansfield Pump head with some Humbrol enamel paint as the original paint was scratched and patchy.

Most of my collection has been picked up by being in the right place at the right time.

My collection has been bought from junk markets, car boot sales & eBay and most of it was picked up reasonably cheaply.

Sadly some of my collection came from Pubs that were closing down.

I stripped a Bar in North London of its pumpheads in 1999 when it closed to become flats.

I've only ever collected a Bar Font if I've served or drank the beer otherwise my collection would be even BIGGER.

My biggest expense was the 2 Budweiser Jukebox fonts I picked them up for around £80 each.

Budweiser Jukebox Bar Font Bar Light

Collecting Beer Memorabilia is a really great Hobby I enjoy it when I win a rare pump head on a selling site.

I've been doing my Hobby so long that I'd like to think I know my Breweriana and I also know what prices things are worth.

I've managed to get a decent collection of Carling Black Label pumpheads ranging from the 1960s to the 1990s

The Carling Font on the left is SUPER RARE as I've never seen one like it on a selling site since I purchased it a few years ago.

I was a bar cellarman in the early 1990s for Bass Charrington. In my time in the bar trade I've drank a LOT of different beers.

Various Bar Fonts Lager Bitter Bass Special

Bass Special used to be a tipple of mine until they stopped brewing it was formerly known as Brew Ten.

I used to drink Red Stripe on draught though most bars sold it in cans Clubs in London were charging £3.50 for a can in 1994.

Fosters/McEwans/Holsten were Lagers I drank over the years

But Red Stripe is favourite Lager

I'm only really after 1 more pumphead for my collection and I'm not telling anyone what that Bar Font is.

As soon as that font becomes available I'll try my HARDEST to win the auction but its super rare and I could be waiting a while.

I see the same pump head collections going round like the Magic Roundabout with no one buying them at the prices listed.

Some sellers on eBay really need to rethink their prices as they're not going to shift pump heads with the prices they've made up on the spot

Most of the beer related stuff that comes up on eBay is either damaged or overpriced.

I hate seeing really awful damaged pumpheads being listed on selling sites Condition is EVERYTHING!

If a Bar Font is damaged & in a poor condition it isn't going to be worth saving.

Damaged Bar Fonts are neither use to man nor beast so why people list old damaged Breweriana items on eBay I don't know

One eBay seller isn't going to get £650 for a damaged Budweiser Jukebox

Nor are they going to get the money they're asking for other Breweriana

Now back on the hunt. I'm sure the Bar Font I'm after will pop up on a selling site sometime.

My advice anyone thinking of collecting Breweriana is you need Patience, A Keen Eye... and Money!

Look at all available photos of an Item before committing to Buying or Bidding for the Item.

Everyone NEEDS a Hobby it just happens Breweriana and Internet Radio are mine.