National Bohemian Pale Beer Cone Top Can

National Bohemian Pale Beer Cone Top

This 12-ounce can was produced for The National Brewing Company of Baltimore, Maryland. Manufactured with high-profile cone top construction, it bears an Internal Revenue Tax Paid (IRTP) statement, dating its manufacture to the mid-century era before federal tax mandatory notices were eliminated. Across the upper front, the label displays "First Brewed in 1885" above the prominent oval cartouche reading "National Bohemian" and a lower "Pale Beer" ribbon. Among cataloged variations of this label, this version is distinguished by the mascot's open right eye and brewery mandatory text that omits any mention of a New York office.

National Bohemian—colloquially known throughout Maryland as "Natty Boh"—was introduced in Baltimore in 1885. Created as a crisp pale lager, the brand gained deep popularity across the Chesapeake Bay region as an unpretentious, dependable working-class staple. In 1936, the brewery introduced Mr. Boh, a caricature defined by his handlebar mustache, parted hair, and winking expression. When asked why the mascot only had one eye, local folklore and ad banter famously answered that rival Gunther Beer had it, riffing on Gunther's slogan "Gunther's Got It!" National Bohemian later immortalized its Chesapeake roots through its famous advertising campaign celebrating "The Land of Pleasant Living." Although brand ownership later shifted to Pabst, Natty Boh remains an enduring cultural icon in Baltimore.

The National Brewing Company established its roots in Baltimore's Highlandtown neighborhood in the late nineteenth century. After weathering the dry years of Prohibition, the business was acquired in 1931 by the Hoffberger family, who modernized and aggressively expanded the plant. Under the leadership of Jerold Hoffberger—who also owned the Baltimore Orioles—the brewery linked its brand directly to Baltimore civic pride, making National Bohemian the official stadium brew during the club's glory years. Stiff competition and industry consolidation ultimately prompted a merger with Carling in 1975, leading to the closure of the historic Brewers Hill facility by the end of that decade.

Mid-century cone tops from prominent regional breweries hold a central place in breweriana collecting. Mr. Boh remains one of the most recognizable mascots in American commercial art, making early packaging that displays his likeness highly desirable to advertising enthusiasts and Mid-Atlantic collectors alike.