EARLIEST "CROWN TOP" SODA BOTTLES 1892 - 1900

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. ~

I forgot to mention that the label embossing on my blue bottle reads ...

"ACKERMAN SODA WATER - ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI"

But as yet I have found very little on Ackerman - and no additional photos of any of their bottles.

 

[cyberdigger]

Hey Bob, maybe some of THESE are BIM?

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Cy ~

Hey! How'd you do that? Are you and "ncbred" the same guy? But don't answer that question. Just tell your buddy ncbred to send me the Durham, NC Coca Cola bottle for me to "research." I'm sure he will understand. Seriously, that Durham bottle looks like a really good candidate for a super early crown. But who can say for sure?

By the way, I just exchanged a couple of e-mails with Bill Porter (Coke Bottle Checklist) and even he admits it's "extremely difficult if not impossible" to precisely date early crown Coke's, not to mention other brands. He even added that if I stumble onto some kind of formula for dating them to let him know about it. In my opinion, if Bill doesn't know the answer, likely no one does. So with that said, I plan to change the focus of my search from the bottles themselves to the name on the embossing, and then to try and figure out when that particular bottler was in business. Bill said this is probably the only way to narrow it down without driving myself nuts! And I certainly don't want to lose my sanity over a little thing like a soda pop bottle. Right? - Wrong! Because when I see what looks like an early crown sitting on the shelf in a antique shop, how the heck am I supposed to know how long the bottler had been in business when it's a company I never heard of? Especially when I have about two minutes to make a decision? Hmmm ... Maybe I've already lost my mind. All this writing - writing - writing sure suggest it.

I think I'm going to take a nap now ... my head hurts! Lol []

SPB

 

[cyberdigger]

[] you crack me up!!

As you lay to rest, think peaceful thoughts.. like the splendid notion that these bottles were built to last years of service, and many of them did.. which is why it's so hard to put an exact year on early returnable bottles.. they lived long lives, some of them.. one reason I love 'em so much, they are sturdy little pieces of silicon heaven! []

 

[celerycola]

Your Ackerman was Ginger Ale, Cream, or Celery Soda.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

celerycola ~

Hmmm ... I wonder if the various flavors mentioned in the ad and your profile name have anything in common?

Okay then. You're my new best friend! At least you will be if you can come up with a date for that ad. Just be sure it's sometime in the late 1800s or very early 1900s. If it's later than 1905, then I'm going over to cyberdigger's house and punch him in the nose. I know, I know, cyber is wondering what he did wrong, and the answer is that he didn't come up with the ad before you did. Man-o-man, it's hard to get good help these days.

Seriously, that's a valuable bit of advertising memorabilia. And I see their phone number is listed. Maybe I should give them a call and find out how long they've been in operation. This is really great. I haven't even received my bottle yet, and I already feel like I hit a home run.

Seriously serious this time ... Thank you for the contibution. I plan to blow up the image and frame it. By the way, where can a guy find that kind of imagery ... and if you say "gono.net," then I'm going to punch cyber in the nose again because I have that site in my favorites list and didn't even think of it until now.

Mucho gracias to one and all ... oh, and you too Cy. []

SPB

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

I was wrong ... It wasn't gono.net - it was gono.com

And although I didn't find an Ackerman Soda Water ad, I did find this one for Hires Rootbeer from 1896! And if that isn't a crown-top soda bottle, then I don't know what is! Bingo! I'm on my way now!

SPB

 

[celerycola]

1894

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

celerycola ~

I am assuming the 1894 is the date of the Ackerman Soda Water ad you posted. Which is good news for my blue bottle. I have searched for other Ackerman ads but haven't found anything yet. If you find one showing their bottle, please post it. Thanks again.

cyberdigger ~

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your much appreciated participation in this thread. I couldn't have done it without you. You're a good sport and take ribbings with the best of them. Now all you have to do is send me that bottle you offered and we'll be best friends again. Lol []

~ * ~

Following is a sampling of early magazine ads showing a variety of different crown soda bottles from the early 1900s. Thus far, the Ackerman and the Hires ads are the only ones I am aware of that date before 1900. I'm sure there are others, but nothing I have seen yet.

WHITE ROCK 1903

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

DEERFIELD 1904