Mugs

All Memorabilia
markebrit
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:00 pm

Mugs

Post by markebrit »

I thought I knew but am trying to confirm what these were.
I thought the one on the right was the first in the series of 70's employee gifts, but I forgot which year it would be.
The one on the left I thought was made up by the RCA and the insert went with that one.
What do you think? Is my memory holding?
Attachments
IMG_4676.JPG
IMG_4675.JPG
User avatar
T.A. Workman
Posts: 609
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:02 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Mugs

Post by T.A. Workman »

That's always been my understanding also.
NRA Benefactor
Life Mem MOPH
Life Mem USMC
Clyde "Jug" Johnson - Six-Gun Man
67stingray
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:35 pm
Location: Iron City, TN

Re: Mugs

Post by 67stingray »

You're right, RCA offered red and black Steins and ashtrays like the one on the left. The other undated stein was the1972 employee Xmas gift and in 1974 through 1977 they were given had the years on them.
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
markebrit
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:00 pm

Re: Mugs

Post by markebrit »

T.A. Workman wrote: Wed May 04, 2022 2:58 pm That's always been my understanding also.
Thanks!
User avatar
T.A. Workman
Posts: 609
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:02 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Mugs

Post by T.A. Workman »

I chased the unmarked employee mug for along time before finding one. It cost me $125.00 and completed my set. At the time complete sets were selling for $350.00 - $500.00 & RCA Mugs & Ashtrays were averaging $75.00 each.
A few months ago on ebay a complete set of the employee mugs was offered @ $135.00,, ;) :) . Such is the nature of our hobby & is why new collectors are needed to help keep our hobby alive and appreciated.
Good Hunting
Terry
Last edited by T.A. Workman on Thu May 05, 2022 8:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
NRA Benefactor
Life Mem MOPH
Life Mem USMC
Clyde "Jug" Johnson - Six-Gun Man
67stingray
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:35 pm
Location: Iron City, TN

Re: Mugs

Post by 67stingray »

Same with me Terry, the undated one eluded me for quite a while until our buddy Don Findley gave me one at Tulsa a couple of years ago. Thanks again Don. The set on eBay was very tempting, if I hadn't already had a set I would have jumped on it.
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
johncdougan
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:32 am

Re: Mugs

Post by johncdougan »

Good morning guys,
I think that the owner of Von Sylvester is an uncle of Steve Vogel. I may be mistaken but, they are related. Another story; that upon seeing these Ruger mugs reminded me of, and I will share it with you guys. On my first trip to Southport to do research for Know Your Ruger Single-Action Revolvers, I stayed at Molly and Steve Vogel's estate in the guest house above the garage/stable. Molly would get up early and I would go up to the main house and drink coffee with her. Now, this was 1980 or so and Ruger collecting was still in its infancy. The cups that we were drinking from were the ceramic Ruger employee gift cups. I was excited, none of us even knew such a thing existed. So, we got to talking about it and I traded her a Ducks Unlimited cup for one of her Ruger cups. It was well used, but I didn't care, I was proud of it and I still have it in my collection.

Then about a decade later Don Findley and I were at the factory; Frank Bonaventura took us on a tour and then to the Red Barn, we went into the buildings out back where there were a lot of things being stored. Frank told us to choose something as a memento of our visit. Among the stuff were boxes of ash trays, mugs and coffee cups that were left over. The goodie I chose was a Single-Six casting and I don't recall what Donnie chose, maybe he can let us know. At that very moment I realized that the ceramics were not rare.

Then Jack Behn got a hold of us and lured us to his basement hideout which was full of goodies. We bought a bunch and 3 large boxes (70 lbs. each) of vintage paperwork going back to 1949. We barely had lunch money in our pocket when we left there.
d findley
Posts: 1228
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:51 am

Re: Mugs

Post by d findley »

John, I remember I also chose the casting. I recall Jack taking us to his garage where he had probably a hundred or more Super Bearcat boxes. These boxes were on shelves filled with small car parts, nuts, bolts, etc. In this garage Jack kept his collection of mint 1942 Packards.
Next morning got to the SR offices early. Jack opened about an hour before everyone else showed up. Jack allowed us to look at all the stuff in the cabinet (that is where all the one-of-a-kind and special Ruger handguns were). I remember spotting a box marked "Std Autos # 1 & # 2". Just I asked to open it some of the 8 AM employees showed up. At that point the tour was over, we were were instructed to sit.
flattop44
Posts: 2351
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 2:31 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Mugs

Post by flattop44 »

Don & John, great stories, wish I could have been there with you visiting with Jack!
Bill
johncdougan
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:32 am

Re: Mugs

Post by johncdougan »

Hey guys,

FYI, I just remembered; some of the sample prototypes of the RCA mug featured different colored eagles, yellow, green and blue and maybe brown. At one time, in the early 1990s I owned them but, I sold them shortly thereafter and have lost track of them. I acquired them from Jack Behn along with lots of other cool stuff. Most interesting were 10/22, M77 and Mini-14 stocks molded out of clear plastic, and sample pairs of wood grips made from about a dozen exotic species of wood, I still have the ebony pair.

John
Post Reply