New Member, New (old) bottle

[Mikeybonez28]

Hi everyone, new member but not a new digger here. Currently living in NE PA & while looking for insulators by some RR tracks the other day I came across a nice little piece of glass but I need help. I'll post pictures in the AM

Numerous bubbles in the glass, mold seems run almost to the neck but they're uneven, 1 side is longer than the other, 1 or 2 swirl lines in the neck, does NOT appear to have an applied lip & is embossed:

"Registered"
"W.J McDermott"
"Jermyn PA" (A has line under it)
"This bottle not to be sold"

So far all I've been able to gather is that it was local (I was in Jermyn), likely a beer bottle from the last line & the only real reference to WJ McDermott I could find online for this area was a Google books result stating he was a partner in a bakery in 1899 & another entry from 1916 for liquor. I haven't been able to find out anything on the bottle itself, not a single picture online with the company name.

The only thing I haven't looked on is historic Aerials or Sanborn maps & even then they MIGHT only tell me where the brewery was & nothing else. I'm at a loss here. There doesn't seem to be a Maker's Mark, I thought maybe the A with underscore but no hits on several sites

 

[RoyalRuby]

Hi everyone, new member but not a new digger here. Currently living in NE PA & while looking for insulators by some RR tracks the other day I came across a nice little piece of glass but I need help. I'll post pictures in the AM

Numerous bubbles in the glass, mold seems run almost to the neck but they're uneven, 1 side is longer than the other, 1 or 2 swirl lines in the neck, does NOT appear to have an applied lip & is embossed:

"Registered"
"W.J McDermott"
"Jermyn PA" (A has line under it)
"This bottle not to be sold"

So far all I've been able to gather is that it was local (I was in Jermyn), likely a beer bottle from the last line & the only real reference to WJ McDermott I could find online for this area was a Google books result stating he was a partner in a bakery in 1899 & another entry from 1916 for liquor. I haven't been able to find out anything on the bottle itself, not a single picture online with the company name.

The only thing I haven't looked on is historic Aerials or Sanborn maps & even then they MIGHT only tell me where the brewery was & nothing else. I'm at a loss here. There doesn't seem to be a Maker's Mark, I thought maybe the A with underscore but no hits on several sites

I found this, states it's dated from 1895.

 

[RoyalRuby]

1896.........

 

[treeguyfred]

Hi everyone, new member but not a new digger here. Currently living in NE PA & while looking for insulators by some RR tracks the other day I came across a nice little piece of glass but I need help. I'll post pictures in the AM

Numerous bubbles in the glass, mold seems run almost to the neck but they're uneven, 1 side is longer than the other, 1 or 2 swirl lines in the neck, does NOT appear to have an applied lip & is embossed:

"Registered"
"W.J McDermott"
"Jermyn PA" (A has line under it)
"This bottle not to be sold"

So far all I've been able to gather is that it was local (I was in Jermyn), likely a beer bottle from the last line & the only real reference to WJ McDermott I could find online for this area was a Google books result stating he was a partner in a bakery in 1899 & another entry from 1916 for liquor. I haven't been able to find out anything on the bottle itself, not a single picture online with the company name.

The only thing I haven't looked on is historic Aerials or Sanborn maps & even then they MIGHT only tell me where the brewery was & nothing else. I'm at a loss here. There doesn't seem to be a Maker's Mark, I thought maybe the A with underscore but no hits on several sites

Hey Mikey, welcome to the forum... I'm looking forward to seeing the pics of this bottle that you are speaking of.
~Fred

 

[treeguyfred]

"Jermyn PA" (A has line under it)

Mikey the underscored A was just a type of embossing that was used to indicate an abbreviated city or state name

 

[Mikeybonez28]

Just uploaded pics. It's hard to tell but the mold seam on one side is much shorter than the other. I cleaned it as best I could but there's still some junk in there. I'll have to try rice or an actual bottle brush to get the rest out.

I saw those 2 references as well but no image results that I was able to find for the actual bottle. There's no cracks or anything, just air bubbles & dirt lol

 

[RoyalRuby]

Just uploaded pics. It's hard to tell but the mold seam on one side is much shorter than the other. I cleaned it as best I could but there's still some junk in there. I'll have to try rice or an actual bottle brush to get the rest out.

I saw those 2 references as well but no image results that I was able to find for the actual bottle. There's no cracks or anything, just air bubbles & dirt lol

I checked old maps of the area as well, the Sanborn maps are just a little to late to show the bottling plant, and the other maps were too old (before they became bottlers), I'm guessing it was a short lived venture, might be a bottle to hang on to...lol

 

[Mikeybonez28]

I checked old maps of the area as well, the Sanborn maps are just a little to late to show the bottling plant, and the other maps were too old (before they became bottlers), I'm guessing it was a short lived venture, might be a bottle to hang on to...lol

I'm thinking the same thing but with no other references to it how can you(generalized) establish a value? I like the bottle either way & unless it commands a hell of a price I'm not selling lol. I've lived in PA for 4 years & have found a few bottles but this is the first I can't find another image of. Ink bottles are everywhere, soda & ketchup, slick sides & potions but no one else has found a McDermott? How short of a venture was this?

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

I found this, states it's dated from 1895.View attachment 207273

I guess W.J. Mc Dermott being head of the beer department makes this a beer bottle. There must be a W.F. Mc Dermott whiskey bottle out there.

 

[Mikeybonez28]

Did a little more googling, this time census records but I was able to find one of the William McDermotts. Probably a son since census records for 1910 show he was a coal miner at 43 years old & in 1920 he was in wholesale liquor & then 1930 his occupation was listed as beer g....something, can't make out the handwriting. Still no results on the bottle but once covid19 has run its course I'll try to go to the county historical society & see if they have any dirt. I'll go back to the Sanborn maps tomorrow & focus on Jermyn 3rd ward if I can