Vernors Ginger Ale 150th B-Day

[SODABOB]

I/we may never be able to determine exactly when Keith's Non-VGA / C.G. CO. bottle was made, but I'll bet a nickle it was sometime between 1900 and 1906

Which is another way of saying ...

circa 1903 (Allowing a three year lea-way on either side)

 

[SODABOB]

I'm betting all of my nickles on there being a connection between ...

This bottle ...

(Keith's C.G. CO. Non-VGA)





And this 1904 advertisement ...

 

[hemihampton]

I/we may never be able to determine exactly when Keith's Non-VGA / C.G. CO. bottle was made, but I'll bet a nickle it was sometime between 1900 and 1906

I'll bet a dime. leon.

 

[VernorsGuy]

I thought this newspaper article was interesting ...

Detroit Free Press ~ February 9, 1907

Notice where it says ...

"A good portion of my forty years of business life has been devoted to the manufacturer and sale of ginger ale ..."

Note: 1907 - 40 years = 1867

(I wonder how many years of 40 years is considered "A good portion" ? / Apparently not all 40 years ? )

Also notice the reference to the "February 30, 1906 Food & Drugs Act" and the "Serial Number 1246"

View attachment 174808

View attachment 174809

View attachment 174810

Compare to this extract bottle that has the Food & Drugs Act label

Note: The same info is on some of the soda bottles, which also have the Serial Number 1246

View attachment 174811

View attachment 174812

Leon's Bottle

View attachment 174817

Somehow I missed this the first time around. I'm going through a much more thorough re-read of every post and am up to page 43. This letter from James Vernor is incredible. My interpretation of "A good portion of my forty years of business life has been devoted to the manufacturer and sale of ginger ale" is the fact he was a pharmacist. He wasn't a ginger ale maker by trade. He made and sold prescriptions. In fact, other articles quote him as saying the ginger ale took too much time away from the druggist business. Then, he must have not been making enough money as a druggist so he became a florist, too. I think he was successful with ginger ale in spite of himself. It doesn't seem like it was his first love. So, for 40 years he made ginger ale but it was not his main passion all those years. If 100% of his 40 years was devoted to ginger ale, he would not have been a pharmacist and florist.

Of course I'm biased. But, this is the best evidence yet. You owe yourself a book, Bob!

 

[hemihampton]

I don't think he got serious with the Ginger Ale until he moved into his new building in 1896. 1866-1896 = 30 years. LEON.

 

[hemihampton]

Why the 2 different Serial #'s on these bottles?

 

[SODABOB]

Just for the record ...

I have decided to give up the search for "Vernor's Ginger Ale" prior to 1880. The reason for this is because I have already devoted untold hours to the search and have come up empty handed. If James Vernor was involved with the production and sale of ginger ale prior to 1880, I cannot find what I consider a credible reference to support it. I acknowledge that just about every history ever written on the subject claims otherwise, but as things stand now, I disagree with those accounts. This does not mean I'm closed minded to the possibility of a date earlier than 1880, it just means I would have to see some form of documentation that was actually published between 1866 and 1879 in order for me to be convinced. Please note I am not referring to documentation that just hints at James Vernor's possible involvement with ginger ale prior to 1880, I would actually have to see the words "J S Vernor / James Vernor / Alderman Vernor / Etc" used in the same sentence with "Ginger Ale" to accept it as fact. And if such a document were ever to surface, it would have to of been published at the time of occurrence and not some later account such as the histories I mentioned. Therefore, I would rather not involve myself with any more debates or discussions on the subject, but will look forward to the day if/when it can be proven that Vernor's Ginger Ale has roots that extend beyond 1880, and possibly even as early as 1866.

However ...

This doesn't mean I'm giving up on the bottles! I look forward to devoting every resource at my disposal in an attempt to correctly identify and date as many Vernor's Ginger Ale soda bottles as I possibly can. I also look forward to the comradery that I anticipate will come from forum members in a collective effort to search for those oh so mysterious but amazing Vernor's Ginger Ale soda bottles.

Respectfully,

Sodabob

 

[SODABOB]

P.S.

I thought I'd post this newspaper snippet one more time with the declaration that it is the earliest time period reference I can find that uses the words "Vernor" and "Ginger Ale" in the same sentence, paragraph, or time period account of any type ...

The Detroit Free Press ~ Detroit, Michigan ~ June 28, 1884

 

[hemihampton]

Bob, Thanks for your time & many hours of research devoted to the subject. Much Appreciated. LEON.

 

[iggyworf]

Thank you from myself also. Bob you have done a great job in all your research. And thanx to Kieth and Leon and anyone else for their input as well!