In Search of the Holy Grail
The Holy Grail . What is that exactly ? In the breweriana hobby it ’ s that elusive highly desired piece that you ’ ve seen but just can ’ t seem to find . For me it was the girl on the cardboard sign on the opposite page . A few years back one of our customers brought this sign to us for framing . I fell instantly in love with the sign and knew somehow I had to have one . The young collector didn ’ t want to sell me his , so I had to find my own . I had only ever seen two of these and I wondered if one would ever fall into my lap . I found out who the original owner was who traded the sign to our customer and asked how he could ever get rid of such a beautiful sign . He said he didn ’ t want to part with her , but the new owner was selling something that he wanted badly . He was showing off his collection to the young guy and when he saw the girl he fell in love and insisted that a trade be made for the piece he was selling . So the deal went down . So after all this knowledge it just left me wanting one and wondering if I ’ d ever find one ? Then one day out of the blue I get a text from Steve Miner and he says are you interested in any of this stuff and had included about 14 pictures . Low and behold one of them was my girl . Not in great condition , but still very desireable . I wrote back instantly and said yes to this blonde beauty and another piece . He said they are yours .
I was doing cartwheels around the house . I picked her up and she definately had some issues . Some kid drew a heart and wrote a love note about his girl friend . Then someone taped a Grain Belt coaster over this bit of artwork . And there were some cracks and wrinkles . So off to see Amanda Malkin our Conservator . She had it for about 7 months and I finally got the call that it was done . We picked her up the morning of the Mankato Show . What an improvement .
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