China gimmicks now collectors’ items

Press, 6 February 1982, Page 6

China gimmicks now collectors’ items

A clink of ice, a subdued splash, and a drawn out sigh heralded the arrival of one of the chief “Beamers” to Christchurch yesterday. Mel Peterson, president of the James B. Beam Distilling International Company, then presented his "card” —. a miniature bottle of ; “Jim Beam,” inscribed with his name, and settled ' back to join his fellow “Beamers” at’ the New Zealand Annual Jim Beam Clubs Convention this week-end. Surrounded by a host of bourbon guzzlers, Mr Peterson proceeded to explain his fraternity of “Jim Beam bottle-nuts.” . In 1952, the United States Government introduced a tax on all liquor which had been held in storage for more than

eight years. As the distilling company, at that time, held considerable stocks of its bourbon, a way out was needed.

An enterprising company president came Cup with a solution — produce a special “Jim Beam” bottle for Christmas gifts. '

In 1953 the company produced glass cocktail shakers, and decanters, each filled with bourbon. In 1954 a pyrex coffee warmer was introduced, and in 1956 the company started production of decanters made of Regal china.

Since 1953 the Jim Beam Company has produced more than 800 china and glass bottles for collectors or “Beamers.” The bottles come

in all shapes but all contain Jim Beam bourbon.

“We make only a certain number of each bottle then we kind of break the mould. We actually grind it down because a few years back people were stealing our broken moulds and repairing them —- but that didn’t last long.” Mr Peterson said that the bottles were now “very valuable,” pausing only to point out a particular bottle that was on display in readiness for auction today. “I know of three people who have full sets — that one there’s a Duesenberg — and each set is worth about $125,000. You’ll recognise the Model T. I own a fair few, but my wife gets tired of dusting them.”