Today's tap handles vary greatly in size, shape and the materials they are made of. You have to be different if you want to stand out on
the tap selection in most places. Although tap handles vary greatly, most can be found at beer shows or sales for 5-20. 00, depending on
the brand or brewery. They are usually made in significant numbers, and can be found with a little legwork-check online sites, local bars
and distributors.
But the older taps are what I collect, and these are called "ball knobs". These are about the size of a golfball, with a threaded base and a flat, circular plate advertising the brand of beer on the face. These were used from the end of prohibition (1933) into the mid 1950's. Some of the prominent manufacturers include Green Duck, A. H. Robbins and the Dakaware brand. There were metal and celluloid faces used on ball knobs, and color was added using a dura-enamel, which was pained on the face, then cured in an oven. Ball knobs range in price from 10. 00 up to hundreds of dollars. I paid 500. 00 for a tap from Minnesota, because it was the only one I'd seen of that brand. Sometimes you'll only get a single chance at purchasing an item, so I'd rather pay "too much" and have the pride in displaying a unique item.
If you've found a single tap, or a box of them-utilize my experience and send me an email.
