Find Hamm’s Beer Collectibles at Past & Present Home Gallery !
If you grew up in the fifties or sixties, you may remember watching a familiar cartoon bear get into hilarious hijinks on your television screen, and odds are you may still remember this popular jingle:
“From the land of sky blue waters/From the land of pines, lofty balsams/Comes the beer refreshing…”
For many years, the Minnesota-based brand Hamm’s Beer dominated the advertising market with images, commercials, and exclusive merchandise such as toys, glassware, signs and more—all of which are still collected today. Now, you too can relive fond memories by taking home a piece of this notable brewery’s history from Past & Present Home Gallery in Alexandria!
A Brewery’s Humble Beginnings
Founded in 1865, Hamm’s Beer started as Excelsior Brewery located in St. Paul, Minnesota. By the 1950s, the company had expanded to become the 5th largest brewery in the entire nation.
So, when did the popular Hamm’s Bear come into play?
Mr. Bear Takes on a Life of His Own
Revolutionary for the beer industry, the official Hamm’s mascot was born in 1952 on the back of a restaurant napkin. Starting life as a mere doodle, the friendly cartoon bear was originally designed for Campbell-Mithun's advertising campaign by Minnesota Ojibwe artist Patrick Desjarlait, and was further refined by agency artist Ray Tollefson. But it was Bill Stein who became the bear's ongoing, steadfast designer. Stein continued to draw the bear’s likeness for well over three decades.
Stein created more artwork for this portly, log-rolling icon than any other artist. He designed most of the print ads and TV commercials of the bear's North Woods adventures, accompanied by the drum-beating jingle, "From the Land of Sky-Blue Waters."
Special thanks and a tip of the hat to Molson Coors Beverage Company and Peter Frost for the use of this video.
It only takes a few degrees of separation to connect artist Bill Stein to Past & Present Home Gallery. Bill was actually a close personal friend and mentor to Steve Henning, owner of AMS Digital, the ad agency who created our website and manages Past & Present’s social media pages.
Throughout the years, the icon rightly named ‘Mr. Bear’ has cultivated a legacy reminiscent of other universally renowned folklore. Ralph Campell, the founder of Campbell Mithun ad agency, once said: “We believe the legend of the Hamm’s Bear, like that of Paul Bunyan, will grow greater and greater as time goes on.” He certainly wasn’t wrong!
An Array of Unique Items Featuring the Hamm’s Beer Bear
In 1953, Mr. Bear made his grand debut as the official face of the Midwestern beer company. Featured both in print and on the small screen, it was only a matter of time before he found himself on various collectible items.
Available for purchase by way of mail-in ads, most Hamm’s memorabilia was given away freely to establishments that sold the beer as a gesture of thanks for supporting the brand. Before long, Hamm’s had amassed thousands of themed items ranging from dishware, figurines, toys, salt shakers, and clocks.
Some collectibles vary in color as seen in the artifacts above. Originally designed to be brown, the Hamm’s Bear was soon switched to black as brown bears are not native to Minnesota!
Renewed interest in retro and vintage objects has made collecting keepsakes from Hamm’s Beer more popular than ever. Traditional pieces such as the 1973 standing bear statue, matching bear hockey figurines or the porcelain bear in a blue barrel lined with gold detailing are terrific additions for all collections—big or small.
Larger Than Life:
In 2005, a 6 foot-tall granite monument of the Hamm’s Beer Bear - designed by Bill Stein - was erected outside the Hamm Building located in Downtown St. Paul!
Of course, Hamm’s keepsakes aren’t limited to the prolific cartoon bear. Other collectibles include vintage signs that date back over 60 years, various dinner and glassware, original wall hangers, metal coolers, placemats and the ever-popular rippling Scene-o-Ramas that the brand became infamous for.
With so many options to choose from, turning your house into the quintessential “Hamm’s Home” is easy by visiting Past & Present Home Gallery.
Blast Into the Past with Authentic Hamm’s Scene-o-Ramas
Still one of the most popular advertising pieces for any beer company throughout the years, Hamm’s ‘Scene-o-Rama’s continue to be a highly sought after centerpiece for any serious collector.
This vintage sign is bordered on either side by the architecture of a 1950s-1960s home. Constructed of plastic bricks, the scenic picture in the background features stars that blink as they light up to depict the Hamm’s Logo with four goblets beneath.
These prized signs were made in the early 1960s specifically for taverns and bars. Featuring various interactive elements such as light-up stars that formed the Hamm’s logo (as seen in the picture above), working clocks, and motorized effects that made signs appear to move, sizes of these signs ranged from over 5’ to 3’ across.
We Are The “Hammpions”
Are you a loyal fan of Hamm’s Beer? If so, the term ‘Hammpion’ was coined just for you. Be sure to wear this moniker with pride!
Ripplers (as seen in the photo at right) were made in 1956 and 1965. Signs in this category include scenic images of lakes and streams with surfaces that appear to move by use of an internal motor. Earlier versions of these are commonly referred to as ‘TV Box Ripplers’ as the scenic picture is framed by what looks like a 1950s TV set.
Take Home a Piece of History and Childhood Nostalgia
In 1999, the Hamm’s trademark was transferred to Miller who continues to market the popular beer to this day. Through MillerCoors, 3 signature Hamm’s beers are still offered for consumption: Premium, Golden Draft, and Special Light.
Even though the brand’s notable furry figure has since been retired and Scene-o-Ramas are mere figments of the past, Hamm’s game-changing advertising campaigns live on in the hearts of collectors across the country—especially in the brewery’s home state of Minnesota.
A celebrated fixture of Midwestern history, experiencing these nostalgic items doesn’t have to be from the inside of some museum. Stop by Past & Present Home Gallery and take home one (or more) of these collectibles today. We also have many other types of collectibles to shop for, so bring a friend!