Dr. Swett's or Dr. Sweet's?

Bandit · May 7, 2007

Going through some recently acquired NDNR bottles. I noticed this Dr. Sweet's. Is this possibly a misspelled and should be Dr. Swett's or was their a Dr. Sweets out there? It is dated on the bottom 1949.

Thanks in advance for any info.
~Bandit~

bearswede · May 7, 2007

Hey, Bandit...

This page is incredibly long and informative... If you go to almost the bottom, you will find where and when Dr. Swett's Root Beer became Dr. Swett's Early American Beverages with the logo that's on your bottle: the boy in the pilgram's hat...

Enjoy,

Ron

http://swett-genealogy.com/gws/DrGWSwett.html

Bandit · May 7, 2007

Ron,
Thanks for the link. I read up on it.... Very informative. However, Is this bottle mispelled? Since it reads Dr. Sweet's, instead of Dr. Swett's.

bearswede · May 7, 2007

It seems to me that would have to be the case since Dr. Swett's Root Beer evolved directly into Dr. Swett's Early American Beverages with the same logo that appears on your bottle... And this occurred right around the date that is embossed on your bottle, as well...

Ron

GuntherHess · May 7, 2007

It may have been a marketing decision to make a slight name change.
The original name may have sounded too much like Sweat , not a good name for a drink. Sweet sounds more appealing. maybe a case of market appeal trumping the historical legacy. Just a guess of course.

bearswede · May 7, 2007

I think, Matt, that after reading the link I provided that the author - a Swett relative- was so thorough in his research that he would have noted an official change in name... He did, however, make this interesting notation:

[blockquote]Nathaniel Sweet of this Parish, Cabinet Maker, and Amelia Hall of this Parish, Spinster, were married in the Parish by License with consent of Parents and Guardians this 29th day of November 1829 by me [--] Thomson, LLD, Rector. This marriage was solemnized between us, Nathaniel Swett and Amelia Hall or Swett. In the presence of Joseph H. McAllister, Hugh Mackie. Registered 27 June 1831. [RS 148 Charlotte Co., NB Records, page 327][/blockquote] Notice that the Rector spelled their surname SWEET whereas they spelled it SWETT. This pattern occurs many times.

Ron

GuntherHess · May 7, 2007

at least thier name was something like Sewage, i definately wouldnt buy Sewage Soda...[

]

bottlenutboy · May 7, 2007

i can see it now....people lined up round' the block to buy....SEWAGE WATER!

Bandit · May 8, 2007

I have emailed Ben Swett to see if he knows any info on this situation. I am really curious about the rarity of this bottle more than anything. I will keep you posted on his reply...as soon as I hear back from him.
Thanks for all the input on this.
~Bandit~

Bandit · May 9, 2007

I contacted Ben Swetts via email earlier tuesday. I received his reply just now. Here is what he wrote:
Dr. Swett's never changed its name to Sweet, so this bottle could be a misprint or an attempt to get around the Dr. Swett's trademark. I have found no evidence that Dr. Swett's was ever sold in no deposit no return bottles. When did they first come out?[/align]
[/align]Dr. Swett's had a Pilgrim Boy logo starting in 1945, but this one doesn't look like any other version I've seen. The change of label from "Root Beer" to "Beverages" first appears in 1950. The latest example I've seen is 1959.[/align]
[/align]Best guess: the one you have may be a prototype no deposit no return bottle made some time after 1950. In addition to the misspelling of SWETT, the drawing of the logo is crude and the upper left side of the oval isn't closed. All in all, it looks more like a sketch than a finished product. I think it probably was not put into production, because Dr. Swett's was still using ACL glass bottles in 1959.[/align]
[/align]Best regards,[/align]
[/align]Ben[/align] [/align]<note from ~Bandit~ the bottom of the bottle is dated 49>[/align]

Dr. Swett's or Dr. Sweet's?

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