Hires “medals and medallions”

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SODABOB

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The Brehm Beverage Co. - Baltimore, Maryland

1921

Hires Root Beer Brehm Beverage Co_The_Evening_Sun_Baltimore Maryland_Tue__Aug_9__1921.jpg



I don't know how accurate these dates are, but everything I have seen so far supports them

Brehem Beverage Company From Maureen O'Shay 2018 Beer In Maryland Book.jpg
 

SODABOB

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I'm getting ready to head out for the day, and only have time for this teaser about the bottle I bought this morning, but will tell "the rest of the story" tomorrow or Tuesday ...

6 1/2 Oz

Hires Bottle with Embossed Medals 6.5 OZ eBay November 2020.jpg


Hires Bottle Embossed Medals Base.jpg
 

Csa

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All I can say is wow!. Great detective work and thanks Sodabob and others. I had no idea how much written ads, things like court filings played and other historical records played into deducing a bottles age and provenance. The 14 oz angle is a good one, that def seemed strange to me. I'll await your next installment. Interested in your ebay purchase, as I said early on only one example I found listed on ebay and that person also had not seen many comparables? THanks again
 

SODABOB

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Thanks, Csa

I'm putting together some additional information about your bottle and my bottle, which I hope will provide some reliable dates. In the meantime I'm curious about what appears to be embossing on the base of your bottle. Maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there or are an optical illusion, but if it is some form of embossing, it might be enough to identify who made your bottle and when. The so called embossing I'm referring to can be seen on the lower edge of the attached photos. If it is embossing, please describe it the best you can.

Thanks

Bob



Hires Bottle Base Csa Forum Nov 2020.jpeg


Hires Bottle Base Csa Forum Nov 2020 Cropped.jpeg
 

SODABOB

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Even though I have not received my 6 1/2 ounce bottle yet, and hope there is some way to date it, I searched everywhere I could think of for a Hires' label with 6 1/2 Oz on it, and was only able to find Two Examples. As you can see, they have the medals on them as well as John Kolling of Preston, California. I couldn't find a Hires/John Kolling ad, but they obviously bottled it at some point. I did some research on John Kolling and it appears he began his operation in Preston around 1900, and continued until the late 1940s or early 1950s. In a April 1921 issue of The Beverage Journal it says he added "Soda" to his line at that time. Prior to 1921, it appears his main product was a brand of mineral water called "Barcal." Please note that I will likely never be able to make a solid connection between my bottle and John Kolling, other than to reiterate that the attached labels are the ONLY Hire's labels I have been able to find with 6 1/2 ounces on it. As near as I can determine, the "Medals" labels were discontinued around 1933 when they introduced their "R-J" (Real Root Juice) paper label - which I will address in my next post.

Footnote: Csa posted the same label

I'll be back

Bob

Hires Label Kolling (1).jpg


Hires Label Kolling.jpg
 
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Csa

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thanks. I saw references online to labels saying either 7 oz, or "at least 6 ozs", which seems strange, so your 6 1/2 oz bottle seems fitting! BTW, I studied the base and there are no marks around the perimeter those are the images of the "Hires" emboss on the heel being visible through the base. THere still may be a faint mark in the center, will try to decipher it a bit more. I'm willing to trade or part with this bottle if you like it. You're such an expert with sodas and seem to have an interest in Hires, so let me know.
 

SODABOB

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Thanks, Csa - I was hoping there were some identifying marks, but not surprised there aren't. I doubt my bottle has a makers mark either, but will find out in about a week. Thanks for the offer about your bottle. Please let me think about it and I will let you know. A few years ago I sold most of my collection of about 1,000 bottles, and rarely buy them anymore except for research purposes - although I still have about 50 bottles that I kept - which are mostly Big Chief's and a few others. Please let me know what type of bottles you are interested in should we decide to make a trade.

I'm going to try and wrap this up today, and will continue with the following ...

1933 Transition to the R-J Paper Label

Hires 1933 Ad Saturday Evening Post.jpg
 

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