From spoons to vending machines, check out this Gatineau's man Coca-Cola collection

Gatineau man's Coca-Cola collection A Gatineau man has a large collection of Coca-Cola branded items, with some dating back more than 100 years. CTV's Peter Szperling reports.

Many enjoy the taste, while others collect everything with the famous Coca-Cola logo on it.

Claude of Gatineau, Que. says he’s one of thousands in Canada who collect Coca-Cola items.

“You know, it's a really iconic brand.  You could collect Pepsi or 7Up, but there's a really big group of Coca-Cola collectors in the U.S. and Canada, and I'm in touch with a bunch of them."

Claude's collection has just about everything you could think of – signs, glasses, clocks, lamps, chairs, to bigger items like a functioning vending machine from 1956, which he purchased from someone in Ottawa.

His kitchen and dining area is filled with red, and the famous logos everywhere.  He estimates there are about 180 items in the collection.

One of his prized items is a more than 125-year-old syrup dispenser, “that they gave to high volume Coke distributors, soda fountains and pharmacies."

"This is from 1896, and it was like a showpiece to put on their counter that they had to sell 100 gallons a year in order to be given this syrup dispenser,” he tells CTV News Ottawa.

Claude even showed an unopened bottle of Coca-Cola from 1905, as well as other original bottles. There is even a Coca-Cola cuckoo clock, which has a small bottle that pops out.

Claude says the collection all started a decade ago with a straw holder, while battling with his health.

“I was diagnosed with throat cancer, and it was stage four, so it was really serious. And I went through a year of battling it and it was tough. I mean, it was really hard. And after I came out of it slowly, like I said, I don't know, I just was killing time, going online, looking at things.”

He purchased the straw holder on E-Bay, and “I just started collecting little bits and pieces," he says.

While he says he’s not buying anymore items as of now, he’s always browsing. He does drink the occasional Coke, but says he prefers drinking Diet Coke. Just don’t offer him a Pepsi, “no, no, I’m Coke all the way.”