Vernors Ginger Ale 150th B-Day

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SODABOB

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Please see my new post "Message from Sodabob"
 

SODABOB

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Picked up this Vernor's bottle today at a Antique store. Appears to have a 1930 date embossed near the bottom. other side is embossed Registered. Bottom embossed Vernor's ect, ect. Nothing else on the outside. I assume it had a paper label at one time. I don't remember seeing another one with this 1930 date. I've seen lots of Vernor's bottles but don't go out of my way to look at them all. Curious if anybody else has this bottle or knows if it's a tough one or common? THANKS, LEON.

View attachment 178443View attachment 178444


LEON

Sorry for the delayed reply - computer problems ...

I found this 1927 example and suspect there are also 1928s and 1929s. I don't know anything specific about them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-192...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


Vernors 1927 Front.jpg

Vernors 1927.jpg

Vernors 1927 Base.jpg
 

hemihampton

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Welcome back Bob. Yeah, I seen that one on ebay & kinda liked it but did not like the high $13 shipping. Especially when Toledo is so close to Detroit. LEON.
 

SODABOB

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My computer is still up and running - But could crash any moment - If I disappear again, you'll know why - And will return if/when possible. In the meantime ...

If you thought some of my earlier observations were far-fetched, this next one is a real doozy. Check it out!

Detroit Free Press - April 7, 1868

*Discussed earlier. But uncertain if the Arctic soda fountain was used by Vernor or just sold by him.

Vernor April 7, 1868.jpg

I'm not certain what model of Arctic fountain the article refers to, but suspect it might have been the "Cottage" pictured here - or one similar to it?

1. 1869 Patent

Arctic Fount April 27, 1869.jpg

2. Similar Arctic fountain - 1871 Ad

Arctic Fount 1871.jpg

3. "Cottage" model - 1872 Ad

Arctic Soda Fountain Apparatus 1872 (2).jpg

4. Cropped close up of 5th knob "Ginger / Arctic"

Arctic Soda Fountain Apparatus 1872 (3).jpg

5. Actual "Cottage" Arctic Soda Fountain that sold in 2012 for $15,000

https://new.liveauctioneers.com/item/10853142_190-the-cottage-marble-soda-fountain


Arctic Soda Fountain Apparatus.jpg


(To be continued)
 

SODABOB

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Now for the Doozy / Far-fetched part ...

1. Vernor's Drug Store - Circa late 1870s

*Notice the segmented window panes.

Vernor Drug Store 1870s Original Windows.jpg

2. Vernor's Pharmacy - Circa 1877 or later*

*Earlier I established that the segmented windows were replaced with plate glass windows in 1877

** I recommend saving this picture to your files where it can be zoomed and tinkered with for detail.

*** Study this picture closely and you will notice that some of the imagery on the windows is reflected from across the street - especially the trees, etc.

Vernors Drug Store (2).jpg

3. Here's the same picture that I tinkered with and lightened.

*Notice the area I circled in red where we see "something" that appears to have "round knobs"
**Also notice the pictures of the Arctic soda fountain that I inserted.

Vernors Drug Store (3).jpg

4. Here's a cropped close up of the so called apparatus with knobs.

*Notice where I placed the red X and what 'might' be a fountain handle above the knobs

Vernors Drug Store (4).jpg

5. Now compare the handle on the 1872 Arctic fountain to the so called handle in the window image.

*Save and zoom and you should notice a similarity between the two "handles"

Arctic Soda Fountain Apparatus 1872 (4).jpg


Long story short / Questions ...

1. Is it even remotely possible that the "thing" in the circa 1877 window is an Arctic soda fountain - or possibly some other brand of soda fountain?

2. If it is a soda fountain apparatus of some type, what does that tell us, if anything?
 

SODABOB

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3. Or am I just seeing things that don't exist and the so called fountain in the window is just a reflection from across the street?

Answer:

I don't think its a reflection - but other than that I can't say for certain what it might be - and we may never know for sure. But if it is a fountain, then that means James Vernor did indeed have a soda fountain in the front of his store around 1877 or later. But whether it was actually used or was just for sale, like the one mentioned in the 1868 ad, we may never know for sure. What say you?
 

SODABOB

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​For future reference ... Page 18 - Post # 343




Speaking of "glass," I came across the following that I thought was kinda interesting ...

This newspaper snippet is from the Detroit Free Press and is dated June 17, 1927. Its one of a series of articles the newspaper used to run about what happened on a particular day in the past. In this case, the particular day it refers to is June 17, 1877, which is exactly 50 years to the day when the 1927 article was published. Because of the way its worded, I'm assuming it refers to actual articles the Detroit Free Press published and is sort of like a "This day in history" column.

Anyway, notice it says ...

"James Vernor is putting in a glass front to his drug store at 235 Woodward avenue."

( I looked for the original 1877 article but have not been able to find it - at least not yet)

View attachment 174661

Take a close look at the glass front in this early picture (exact date unknown to me but often described as circa 1870) and notice the windows appear to be in segments ...

View attachment 174659

Now take a close look at the glass front in this next picture (which I also do not know the exact date for) and compare it to the windows in the last picture. Notice they are no longer segmented but are full panes of glass ...

View attachment 174660

When you take into account what is says in the newspaper article and compare the pictures, it leads me to suspect the last picture was taken sometime after June 17, 1877, which might help to narrow down the date a little more, such as "circa 1877" (at the earliest).
 

SODABOB

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I don't know if its my computer or what, but my last post just shows Attachment numbers but no actual images. In case its not just me who sees the Attachment numbers, here's the 1927 article about the new windows ...

Detroit Free Press - April 17, 1927

Vernor New Windows 50 years June 17, 1877 June 17, 1927.jpg
 

SODABOB

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Just for the record ...

If you open this link that I posted earlier about the Arctic Soda Apparatus, you'll see where it was Patented on ...

June 30, 1863

... so its possible this was the same model that James Vernor was selling in the April 7, 1868 ad.

https://new.liveauctioneers.com/item/10853142_190-the-cottage-marble-soda-fountain

Here's a picture of one of the plates, which appears to be the same type of plate on the Arctic fountain that sold in 2012 for $15,000 shown in the link.

Arctic Soda Apparatus Patented June 30, 1896.jpg

Arctic Soda Apparatus Patented June 30, 1863Close Up.jpg

Notice the plate on the side of this Arctic Soda Fountain

Arctic Soda Fountain Apparatus.jpg
 

SODABOB

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Interesting Side Note ...

I searched every Detroit, Michigan newspaper I could find between 1866 and 1880 and the absolute earliest mention of "Ginger Ale" I could find in any way, shape or form is from ...

The Detroit Free Press ~ May 21, 1871


"Imported Belfast" / "At Bush & Graves"

Ginger Ale Detroit Free Press May 21, 1871 Bush & Graves.jpg
 

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