On thin paper stock. Showing signs of age, wear and handling - mostly light toning. Has a tiny top right corner paper loss. No major issues to note. Eye-catching layout. Color text are vibrant. Overall, in good condition. Will display well in your collection. You will receive the exact piece shown in the photos. It measures approx. 3 1/2" x 6 1/4"
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Sheldon Distilling Company — Covington, Kentucky — “Whiskey Free!” Advertising Circular — c. 1905–1915
An interesting early 20th-century whiskey advertising circular issued by The Sheldon Distilling Company, Inc., of Covington, Kentucky, promoting an unusual rebate program through which customers could accumulate certificates redeemable for free whiskey or other liquors. Printed entirely in dark red ink on lightweight cream-colored paper, the circular features the attention-grabbing headline “WHISKEY FREE! Extra Special Announcement.”
The circular explains that customers placing orders of at least $5 for Sheldon whiskey or liquor would receive rebate certificates based on the value of their purchases. Orders placed on approval qualified for certificates worth 5% of the purchase amount, while orders accompanied by cash qualified for a more generous 10% rebate. Once a customer accumulated $10 in certificates, they could redeem them for $10 worth of whiskey or liquor of their own choosing, without additional charge.
The advertisement encourages customers to place orders immediately to begin accumulating certificates. It also identifies the Citizens' National Bank of Covington, the local postmaster, and express companies throughout the United States as references, an effort to establish credibility with prospective customers ordering liquor by mail.
Company and historical background
Covington, Kentucky, situated directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, was an important commercial center during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its proximity to Cincinnati, established transportation connections, and location within Kentucky's whiskey-producing region made it a favorable location for liquor wholesalers, distributors, and mail-order businesses.
The Sheldon Distilling Company advertised whiskey and other liquors directly to consumers, employing promotional techniques intended to encourage repeat purchases and larger orders. Although the firm's exact founding and closing dates have not been established, this circular illustrates the competitive nature of the pre-Prohibition liquor trade.
The rebate program is particularly interesting as an early example of a customer-loyalty incentive. Rather than offering an immediate discount, Sheldon encouraged customers to save certificates toward a future purchase, effectively rewarding continued patronage.
The reference to express companies is also significant. Before Prohibition, express carriers played an important role in the interstate shipment of alcoholic beverages, allowing liquor dealers to reach customers far beyond their immediate communities. This business became increasingly complicated as states adopted restrictions on liquor shipments and, eventually, national Prohibition took effect in January 1920.
Dating — approximately 1905–1915
The circular is undated, but its wording, typography, promotional format, and references to mail-order whiskey sales suggest an approximate 1905–1915 date, with circa 1910 a reasonable estimate.
Several characteristics support this dating:
- The elaborate rebate-certificate promotion is consistent with the aggressive mail-order marketing practices of the early 1900s.
- The references to nationwide express-company service reflect the established distribution networks used by liquor dealers before Prohibition.
- The company identifies itself as incorporated, using the designation “The Sheldon Distilling Co. (Inc.).”
- The absence of any reference to wartime restrictions or Prohibition supports, though does not prove, a date before the late 1910s.
An additional historical consideration is the Webb–Kenyon Act of 1913, which strengthened states' ability to enforce restrictions against interstate liquor shipments intended to violate their laws. Although interstate liquor sales continued where legally permitted, this legislation significantly affected the business environment for mail-order whiskey dealers. The circular's unrestricted promotional language is consistent with the period before or around that legislation.
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