Back In The State Where They Belong:

[Robby Raccoon]

Our friend Antlerman23 and I made a business-transaction for two bottles, but as a kind gift he sent me a third as well. So..... thanks, Spencer! []

The first one I'll talk about is Battle Creek Lithia Water Co.:L. W. Macomber-- born October 8th, 1865-- was originally a machinist responsible for a few patents, but in 1898 he discovered a Spring outside of Battle Creek and was finally able to obtain the land in the Fall of 1902 according to this helpful page. As my bottle was made by S. B. & G. Co., which went out in 1905, my bottle is likely 1903 - 1905. It has a 4 on the heel, and that is likely a mold-number, but it is possible that that is the year made (not likely.) I cannot find another one online even though the business was still around in 1912 directories, so it is likely a rare tooled-crown. Another note: Lithia Water is a type of mineral-water with lithium-salts in it.

The second one: The Battle Creek Brewing Co:Somewhere, something is wrong here. I had thought that the 'Registered Pure and Without Drugs or Poison' statement was mandatory on all alcohol bottles starting in 1899-- and indeed, I have one that was S. B. & G. Co.-made with that statement-- so.... Is my memory failing me, or is the information on The Battle Creek Brewing Co. found here incorrect, or is there something else amiss? Here's what I know:Battle Creek, part of Calhoun County, voted in 1909 to go dry by 1912. And indeed they did, thus severely impairing the Brewery prior to National Prohibition (The Brewery began attempting to move to Kalamazoo in 1909 and began thinking about converting to an ice-factory instead of sitting idle or doing non-alcoholic drinks in 1915.) So then I wonder: Is Battle Creek Brewing Co. different than The Battle Creek Brewing Co.? My memory's information puts my bottle at pre-1899 when the site says that they started in 1901. If they are indeed the same, it appears that they didn't start brewing until 1902-- the year they elect officers-- or had limited operation in 1901. My bottle is also S. B. & G. Co.-made and is a nice Baltimore Loop-Seal with nice reddish-amber color. Here is a plate from them.Here is a tray.

Here is a very interesting gift from Spencer:Warner's White Wine of Tar Syrup from Coldwater, Michigan. An interesting feature of the bottle is that the majority of the vent-holes are on 2 corners. According to this helpful site, Collatinus D. Warner-- born in 1839-1840-- began manufacturing his products and became "Dr. Warner" in 1872-- first located in Reading, Michigan. By 1887, he had relocated to Coldwater and continued until 1909 with manufacturing Warner's White Wine of Tar Syrup in which his son, Hiram Warner, changed the name to the delightful Warner's White Wine and Tar. Collatinus was a Civil War veteran and was injured and honorably discharged.

Mouth.Another pic of the tooled bottle. All 3. Again: Thank you, Antlerman. []

 

[Robby Raccoon]

An observation that I forgot to mention: Initially, I had thought that the name was just Lithia Water Co. of Battle Creek because of how the bottle is embossed: Battle Creek / Mich. / L. W. Macomber / Prop. / Lithia Water Co. I had thought it odd that the town and state were above the company's name. And because of where they placed 'Mich.', I had thought that Lithia Water Co. of Battle Creek and Battle Creek Lithia Water Co. were separate entities. It's an interesting bottle in the placement of words. I'm sure this is meaningless to most collectors here, but it is unique to me-- just like the number on the heel of the bottle, for I haven't seen that in the God-knows-how-many numbers of shards and few intact S. B. & G. Co. bottles that I've seen.

 

[antlerman23]

Holy Moley! good research! Its pretty cool that the lithia water was most likely only made for a few years! Im glad you like them, they are all exceptionally attractive bottles in my honest opinion! Im glad they are back in their home state again []

 

[Robby Raccoon]

The Lithia bottle was certainly made for only 2-3 years, but the company was around until at least 1912. It's now my earliest tooled crown that I can verify age on next to one other (but this one is prettier.) So thanks. I'm very glad to have them.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

All highlighted now and on display in my room.

 

[hemihampton]

I found one of those Lithia water bottles here in Detroit while digging what I thought was a privy but was really a trash pit most likely. The bottle was broken & everything else in the hole was looking like newer 1940's stuff so I stopped digging it & filled hole in. I seen Steve Deboode selling some of thos lithia water bottles on ebay before. LEON.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Thanks for the response, Hemi. It's interesting that one made it all the way out there. I had Worthpointed and Sold/Completed Listings Ebayed the bottle but turned up nothing, and I looked on both sites at all the sold/listed Battle Creek Bottles back to however long the sites/ records are publicly available.I am sure that there are a number of other variants out there as they continued to at least 1912, but this one seems to be the only photographed example on the WWW that turns up in a search on Images or Web (Google.) I can bring it to the club today, though, and ask Steve how many he's sold/listed. This has the chance of having been sold by him before and making its way out to Spencer's area through selling. Then there might be a Battle Creek expert over there. Who knows.

 

[hemihampton]

I'd ask Steve what he knows about it. LEON.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

He's dug them in the Battle Creek city dump-- two sizes it comes in. He didn't comment on my particular example. I did, though, buy a dog food can-bank off of him. I don't have time tonight but maybe tomorrow to research it. He thought 1940s.

 

[miker]

HI I HAVE ONE BATTLE CREEK MICH. L . W . MACOMBER PROP. LITHIA WATER CO BOTTLE 8 INCH TALL 4 ON HEEL 75 ON BOTTOM OF BOTTLE AQUA GREEN VERY NICE TELL ME MORE ON IT THANK YOU MIKER.