L. Werrbach Milwaukee Wis

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blobbottlebob

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I was thinking about beginning a thread with random dive log entries. When we were first scuba trained, we were taught to log our dives in a book. This way we could track our depth, bottom time, conditions, gear used, etc... One advantage of doing this is to calculate the levels of nitrogen absorbed in your system (especially if you are going deep). You can then stay at the surface longer to lessen the risk of nitrogen related injuries. Another is to demonstrate your experience when on a dive trip. Presumably, by showing a vast number of logged dives, you would be more capable of going on more advanced adventures. (for example drift or deeper dives).

As soon as I started finding things, though, my dive log began to be a running record of adventures and finds. Early on, my log entries were more crude with simple drawings. As I continued to draw bottles and finds, I got a little better at it. The log is fun to look back on as a record of my adventures both good and bad.
 

blobbottlebob

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I tried to think of an early post and I thought of a dive about a year after we were certified. I found an interesting early soda bottle. By this time, we were finally getting some results and maybe even developing a little searching skill.

20180405_184553 (1).jpg
 

blobbottlebob

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Okay. Some observations about this log entry.
The location is accurate enough that I know where I was. Though on one tank, my drawing shows that I went about a mile underwater. (Unlikely). I mentioned two anchors that I brought back. That, I don't do anymore unless there was something really unique (or antique) about them.

The bottle information is funny now that I know more.
I wound up with two mug based weiss beer bottles. One from Graf, the other Gutsch. Both are fairly common but at least antique. I seem excited that finally I found two half pint milks that are ACLs. I had probably seen them come out before but never found one. I note that one of my dive buddies found a Cantrell & Cochran rounded bottom bottle. While they don't come out too often even now, it would be nothing worth mentioning. I also feature a Dr. S Pitchers castoria bottle. Which is not very good. The find of the tank, an early transitional hutch, I only briefly mention as a "new" one. That meant I had never found one from this manufacturer.
 

blobbottlebob

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The manufacturer was L. Werrbach, Milwaukee. That is how this thread started. I began to think of all the amazing Werrbach bottles that I found there. Really, quite a nice variety of types. I plan to tell some of those stories...

The bottle that I found that day has always been a favorite. I rarely find glass going back into the 1880s or earlier. It is super rare here (for me at least). I can count every embossed pontil, for example, on one hand. So, this bottle stands out. It is an hutchinson soda with the original stopper intact, but you can just see how early it is. Pre-hutchinson sodas or mineral waters featured long skinny necks and large blobs. As hutchinson sodas become more prevalent, bottle form evolves into shorter necks and stronger shoulders. This is because of the metal stopppers that sealed hutches. The rounded hutch shoulders provided a better seal for the rubber gasket.
 

blobbottlebob

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What I remember most about this trip was that my two dive buddies found what they thought was an antique wagon or small buggy. They kept going up and down stirring up the area. I wanted to keep looking for glass. As I drifted away, I found this hutch partially buried.

It has (what I think is) a beautiful matte patena from being down there so long. It has a thin ring-like blob and sloping shoulders. I don't recall ever finding a bottle the same shape. Here's a pic.

werr3.jpg
 

blobbottlebob

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Here are some of my Werrbachs. I found every one except the beautiful cobalt mineral water.

werr2.jpg

werr1.jpg
 

nhpharm

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Love them! What a cool lineup! And a story behind them all...that is just awesome.
 

CanadianBottles

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Those are some beautiful bottles! Several of those would be the find of a lifetime for me if I ever found a similar Canadian version.
 

blobbottlebob

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Hey thanks guys! Very nice comments.
hpahrm - I plan to tell more stories as I get around to them of the other bottles in the picture.
Canadian - I hope you do find similar Canadian versions.
 

blobbottlebob

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Fast forward to 1999.
It is the end of summer. I had never found a soda (or mineral water) earlier than the Werrbach discussed above. I was going to my favorite spot with no great hopes of early sodas in particular (because they are not found there) but maybe some nice glass could turn up.

Log lw.jpg
 

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