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ABOUT BREWERY GEMS

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Profile of Brewery Gems and its Founder

Gary & steinI'm Gary Flynn of Bellingham, WA - a breweriana collector and brewery historian. I designed and launched my Brewery Gems web-site in June of 1999 as a means to downsize my collection of 35 years. I wanted an alternative to selling on eBay, and hoped for a more personal and direct means to interact with collectors.

In 2001, after selling our Bed & Breakfast Inn on Lummi Island, I found I had time to pursue my interest in the history of pre-Prohibition breweries of the West. I started with our own Bellingham Bay Brewery, and was pleased to have the history published as the feature article in the May-Jun 2005 issue of ABA's American Breweriana Journal. Then for the Sept-Oct '07 issue, my research on the Salem Brewery Ass'n. was published, and for their Mar-Apr '10 issue, the Aberdeen Brewing Co. was chosen as the feature article. Since then I've had a number of my articles appear in other publications.

In 2010, I was honored to receive American Breweriana Association's Excellence in Literature award for "Outstanding achievement in supporting the objectives of ABA and the Beweriana community."

I currently have other Brewery Histories in progress, and many that are completed, which I up-date when I find new material or images. Additionally, I am contemplating a book on the History of Rainier Beer.

My interest in Breweriana grew from bottle collecting. I chose to collect only Beers - seeking those of varying colors, sizes, shapes, and unusual embossing. I felt that a beer bottle collection needn't be boring. The bottles on display in my window containes either weiss beer, Lager, Ale, Porter, or Brown stout.Window display of beer bottles

From beer bottles it was hard not to add stoneware beer bottles, beer steins, trays and other attractive display items to my collection. Beer steins from pre-prohibition, western U.S. breweries, has become a real passion, and my article on this subject has also been published.

I enjoy collecting and sharing my knowledge with others. I often receive inquires as to the age or value of items, and while I'm not a professional appraiser I can often establish an age and approximate value of a piece.

I'm also interested in upgrading my own collection of distinctive embossed beer bottles, as well as adding to my Northwest breweriana archives. Check my Breweriana Wanted page.

If you are looking for specific items, I'll put you on a list to be notified if and when I find anything.
 

I often buy collections, so if you have any items for sale - please Contact me.
 

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I am a member in good standing with the following collector organizations:

  • NABA - National Association of Brewery Advertising - Member since May 1984

  • ABA - American Breweriana Association  - Member no. 0896

 

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I served thirty years with the U.S. Navy's Submarine Force and have a website profiling the units I served with, plus the site has some submarine memorabilia for sale.

AboutSubs contact graphic
...so if you have an interest in U.S. Submarine collectibles -
click on the submarine - www.aboutsubs.com
 

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