Just For Openers Jan 2012 Issue #133

J U S T FOR OPENERS JAN 2012 I S S U E # 1 33PAGE 5BCCA Convention Covington Kentucky (Sep 1-4, 2011)The BCCA Convention had one big bang for me the firstnight. Just to prove to you, that Minn. openers are not theonly ones that bring crazy prices. Henry Smith, a local Cincinnaticollector and one-time JFO member, had an E-17-12 Lion Brewery Cincinnati (right, front and back picturesshown). He listed it 25 years ago and would flash it on hiskey ring whenever I would see him at JFO (1992 & 1993).Back then he would ask $200 for it. At the show Wednesdaynight he is walking around and I had not been therelong and we started talking and he showed me the E-17.The 2011 price was $600 and Moter had already laughed athim when he showed it to Larry. He followed me aroundand after awhile I said Henry, I will pay you $300 for theopener. He counters with $450 and we continue walkingaround. We actually end up in Larry’s room as I need toupdate Larry’s want list but Larry was at Micro Night. Hisroommate, John Fisher, is there and I sit down to work onthe list. Henry comes in and we banter back and forth for agood while. I again offer $300 and he countered first $600and then $450. I figure it is all talk when all of the suddenHenry acts like he is leaving and wheels around and saysgive me the $300. I paid him and you can now add me tothe list of “official crazy buyers” that I always complainabout in “Opener Trivia” in the JFO newsletter. I was surprised he sold it and of course the next day at the show hekeeps telling me he is having “seller’s remorse”, yea right. Who knows maybe he found another or knows of anotherone that has turned up. I know of no others and he said he knew of none. Anyway 11 E-17s in the collection and twoto go for “the set”! (Check my want ad).As for other action at BCCA, openers were scare. I did buy 4 more miscellaneous from Henry Thursday when theshow started (an A-13 Beaver Dam bottling, an O-8 Falls City, an A-8-1 Ruppert and a C-14 Royal Crown Soda (Ro-Loc process) for $120 and he had these four priced $450 so you get the picture). Visited with Norm and Judy and hebought 5 pieces from me for $250 (I did help him bring his stuff in from the car). Bob Post got one of the Montanacorkscrew sliders for $225 from a Montana dealer. Unlike last year at Valley Forge there were mostly cans this yeareverywhere and not near as much general breweriana as last year. The one exception was Ken Ostrow who on the wayhome from NABA bought a fantastic label collection.For BCCA he had it in a photo album type book andbeaming ear to ear as he told me it would greatly helpthe cause. He actually flew in and the book was all hebrought. Pretty amazing find for Kenny and glad hefinally hit a home run again.Has anyone seen or own a C-17 made by theRo-Loc process (steel opener painted white onone side with ad in blue paint)? Soda ad is forRoyal Crown Cola (opener at right).