*Post written by James Wethington, senior library assistant of the University Archives and Special Collections.

*Item descriptions written by Mona Meyer, archives and special collections metadata librarian and Tom Lonnberg, curator of history at the Evansville Museum.

And then, there was only two artifacts! After a tight battle in the Final 4, the championship round is here! You can vote online at amusingartifacts.org or in-person at Rice Library 3021. The championship round voting begins April 1 until April 7 at 11:59 PM CST. The winner will be announced on April 8!

UASC

Cook Brewery Beer Bottles, n.d.

A city with a strong German heritage, Evansville once had as many as seven breweries. One of the largest was F.W. Brewing Company. The company began in 1853 as a partnership between Fredrick Washington Cook and Louis Reis. Cook became the sole owner in 1873 and the company was incorporated as F.W. Brewing Company in 1885. With small name changes, it was in business until the mid-1950’s. Goldblume Beer, which they advertised as “The Best Beer in the World” was one of their signature brews. Note that one of these bottles still contains some beer!

*Defeated “Nacho the Defender”, 177-148.

Evansville Museum of Arts, History, & Science

Lord Bryon’s Dueling Pistols, c. 1809.

These pistols were made for the famous English poet and politician Lord George Gordon Byron, 1788-1824. Among Byron’s best-known works are Don Juan and Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Lord Byron had several controversial relationships before he married Annabella Milbanke in 1815 who left him a year later because of his infidelity. The pistols are engraved with Lord Bryon’s coronet and a “B” and were crafted by H.W. Mortimer and Company of London circa 1809. These dueling pistols are gifts of Harry D. Oppenheimer.

*Defeated 1st West Side Fall Festival Program, 246-88.