PhilaBottles
Well-Known Member
On July 20th, 2007 the bottle collecting / digging community lost a friend, pioneer, expert and mentor.
Tom Hallman, father, grandfather, retired Police Officer, bottle collector, digger, a founder of the "Philadelphia Bottle Club", club president, author, and to me............... , most importantly........, mentor and friend.
I was introduced to Tom by another mentor, Ned Gilmore manager of the vertebrate collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Ned as a digger of Dinosaurs , and other Paleontological
creatures, was a natural for digging artifacts and bottles. And in fact he had explored along Vine street in some of the oldest parts of Philadelphia.. I was working with Ned helping to catalog a collection that had been donated to the Academy, when he learned that I had been digging dumps with a friend, George Mathes. I learned Ned’s main glass collecting interest was in fruit jars, and had a knowledge of colonial artifacts. Ned the eternal reader and walking encyclopedia had seen an old book review done on a book called "DIRECTORY & PRICE LIST of PHILADELPHIA BEER, SODA and, MINERAL WATER DEALERS" by Tom Hallman. Mr. Hallman was listed on Elberon Ave. Later I was to learn the Elberon Ave address was the first meeting and founding location of the Philadelphia Bottle Club.
Mr Hallman had compiled the book becoming an expert in the field doing thousands of hours of research in addition to hands on digging. And later in an unpublished version would include cider and vinegar.
The first adversity I would encounter in my search for the book was, the book was no longer available, it was self published,
limited in distribution, and Tom had moved years before. Eventually with persistence and determination I was able to locate Tom and introduce myself. At first Tom was very proper and business like while assessing my dad and I, whom had come along out of curiosity. At that time I was unaware Tom was a retired Philadelphia Police detective. Tom stated that he no longer sold or distributed copies of his work. We sat and talked. I told him of my adventures with George and our current finds. Tom gave me an overview of his background and related a few bottle & digging stories of his own while my dad made conversation with Mrs. Hallman. Before our leaving, Tom excused himself and returned with a new copy of that elusive book, the original object of my visit. Tom presented it to me as a gift, told me to keep in touch and he would be glad to help identify or answer any questions about bottles. Thus started a relationship that could never have been long enough. Tom being about five decades my senior had much knowledge to impart. He was always eager to hear about my adventures and see my new acquisitions, and I looked eagerly forward to hearing of his past bottle and Police exploits.
In time I graduated from dump to privy digger. Tom and I discussed publishing a new addition of his previous work. Tom stated he wasn’t up to it, and was currently involved in his botany, and suggested I do it. Tom gave me the rights and I went to work researching additions. Tom had over 1000 listings. To date, with juggling, school, work, and digging I have increased Tom’s previous work by more than 50% and possibly when it is released will be double in entries. As a port city Philadelphia was the manufacturing center of North America. From the Industrial Revolution until the cessation of WWII Philadelphia produced more goods total than any American city. Beer and soda were a staple keeping the work force going and unknown embossed blobs turn up regularly in Philly privy digs, as well as elsewhere. Target date for release of the Directory will be Spring 2008. It will be just that, a directory. After extensive discussion with Tom, he convinced me creating a price guide is not practical. Since this is a regional directory, and pricing will reflect a variant at shows in different locations, also condition in this hobby, is truly in the eye of the beholder. In the original review of Tom’s book the critic stated "The price listing is just that; prices vary in accuracy from those reported Nationally", It is not my intent to endure such a loose opinion. Any bottle on any given day will only fetch what the market will bear, in any given location, our electronic world variables are too great. Rather than get into grey areas this directory will deal with known facts from reliable sources. Additional side information and more photos and illustrations will be available and color where economically feasible.
Tom and I were about to reach out to the bottle diggers and collectors in and around Philadelphia to ascertain if there was sufficient interest in reactivating the "Philadelphia Bottle Collectors Club". Originally chartered by The FEDERATION of HISTORICAL BOTTLE CLUBS January 1 st, 1976. Meeting at Toms house on Elbron Ave. early as September 1972, By-laws were drawn up in November 1973, and in December of 1973 there were 36 Charter members. With everything still in place and depending upon interest, we would only need to find a suitable convenient meeting place. Tom being the first and last President, all club material was in his safekeeping. Tom was to be President Emeritus, I acting president until elections could be held while the club reformed. The original Charter members were to hold their status. With records intact, by laws in place, all was needed was a broadcast for reformation.
Unfortunately Tom did not see this come to fruition. I plan in the near future to follow through and see if there is adequate interest. Helping our hobby grow is a positive contribution.
In addition to the wonderful memories, and knowledge imparted me by Tom, Mrs Hallman generously has endowed me with the remainder of Toms bottle collection. Including two of his favorites..
Being a retired Detective from the Philadelphia Police Force it was appropriate that Tom would find a Blob top bottle embossed on the rear "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL". It is a slug plate Aqua H. MULLER 31st. & JEFFERSON (Muller is spelled incorrectly) The brewery at 31st & Jefferson in Philadelphia was operated by Henry Mueller from 1873 until he died in 1881, then operated by Henry Jr. until 1892, when it was taken over by Bergner & Engel. The Muller bottle, along with Tom’s slug plate HALLMAN and STOLL aqua blob from PHOENIXVILLE, PA., now have an honored, super status position in my personal collection.
In Tom’s book, He included THE BOTTLE COLLECTORS PRAYER "Please, Lord, let ME find all the old bottles first."
In reply, I say "Thank You GOD for letting me find Tom." Good bye old friend, though our time together was short, You have taught me much, and will surly be missed more than anyone will ever know.
Your young friend always: Matt
Tom Hallman, father, grandfather, retired Police Officer, bottle collector, digger, a founder of the "Philadelphia Bottle Club", club president, author, and to me............... , most importantly........, mentor and friend.
I was introduced to Tom by another mentor, Ned Gilmore manager of the vertebrate collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Ned as a digger of Dinosaurs , and other Paleontological
creatures, was a natural for digging artifacts and bottles. And in fact he had explored along Vine street in some of the oldest parts of Philadelphia.. I was working with Ned helping to catalog a collection that had been donated to the Academy, when he learned that I had been digging dumps with a friend, George Mathes. I learned Ned’s main glass collecting interest was in fruit jars, and had a knowledge of colonial artifacts. Ned the eternal reader and walking encyclopedia had seen an old book review done on a book called "DIRECTORY & PRICE LIST of PHILADELPHIA BEER, SODA and, MINERAL WATER DEALERS" by Tom Hallman. Mr. Hallman was listed on Elberon Ave. Later I was to learn the Elberon Ave address was the first meeting and founding location of the Philadelphia Bottle Club.
Mr Hallman had compiled the book becoming an expert in the field doing thousands of hours of research in addition to hands on digging. And later in an unpublished version would include cider and vinegar.
The first adversity I would encounter in my search for the book was, the book was no longer available, it was self published,
limited in distribution, and Tom had moved years before. Eventually with persistence and determination I was able to locate Tom and introduce myself. At first Tom was very proper and business like while assessing my dad and I, whom had come along out of curiosity. At that time I was unaware Tom was a retired Philadelphia Police detective. Tom stated that he no longer sold or distributed copies of his work. We sat and talked. I told him of my adventures with George and our current finds. Tom gave me an overview of his background and related a few bottle & digging stories of his own while my dad made conversation with Mrs. Hallman. Before our leaving, Tom excused himself and returned with a new copy of that elusive book, the original object of my visit. Tom presented it to me as a gift, told me to keep in touch and he would be glad to help identify or answer any questions about bottles. Thus started a relationship that could never have been long enough. Tom being about five decades my senior had much knowledge to impart. He was always eager to hear about my adventures and see my new acquisitions, and I looked eagerly forward to hearing of his past bottle and Police exploits.
In time I graduated from dump to privy digger. Tom and I discussed publishing a new addition of his previous work. Tom stated he wasn’t up to it, and was currently involved in his botany, and suggested I do it. Tom gave me the rights and I went to work researching additions. Tom had over 1000 listings. To date, with juggling, school, work, and digging I have increased Tom’s previous work by more than 50% and possibly when it is released will be double in entries. As a port city Philadelphia was the manufacturing center of North America. From the Industrial Revolution until the cessation of WWII Philadelphia produced more goods total than any American city. Beer and soda were a staple keeping the work force going and unknown embossed blobs turn up regularly in Philly privy digs, as well as elsewhere. Target date for release of the Directory will be Spring 2008. It will be just that, a directory. After extensive discussion with Tom, he convinced me creating a price guide is not practical. Since this is a regional directory, and pricing will reflect a variant at shows in different locations, also condition in this hobby, is truly in the eye of the beholder. In the original review of Tom’s book the critic stated "The price listing is just that; prices vary in accuracy from those reported Nationally", It is not my intent to endure such a loose opinion. Any bottle on any given day will only fetch what the market will bear, in any given location, our electronic world variables are too great. Rather than get into grey areas this directory will deal with known facts from reliable sources. Additional side information and more photos and illustrations will be available and color where economically feasible.
Tom and I were about to reach out to the bottle diggers and collectors in and around Philadelphia to ascertain if there was sufficient interest in reactivating the "Philadelphia Bottle Collectors Club". Originally chartered by The FEDERATION of HISTORICAL BOTTLE CLUBS January 1 st, 1976. Meeting at Toms house on Elbron Ave. early as September 1972, By-laws were drawn up in November 1973, and in December of 1973 there were 36 Charter members. With everything still in place and depending upon interest, we would only need to find a suitable convenient meeting place. Tom being the first and last President, all club material was in his safekeeping. Tom was to be President Emeritus, I acting president until elections could be held while the club reformed. The original Charter members were to hold their status. With records intact, by laws in place, all was needed was a broadcast for reformation.
Unfortunately Tom did not see this come to fruition. I plan in the near future to follow through and see if there is adequate interest. Helping our hobby grow is a positive contribution.
In addition to the wonderful memories, and knowledge imparted me by Tom, Mrs Hallman generously has endowed me with the remainder of Toms bottle collection. Including two of his favorites..
Being a retired Detective from the Philadelphia Police Force it was appropriate that Tom would find a Blob top bottle embossed on the rear "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL". It is a slug plate Aqua H. MULLER 31st. & JEFFERSON (Muller is spelled incorrectly) The brewery at 31st & Jefferson in Philadelphia was operated by Henry Mueller from 1873 until he died in 1881, then operated by Henry Jr. until 1892, when it was taken over by Bergner & Engel. The Muller bottle, along with Tom’s slug plate HALLMAN and STOLL aqua blob from PHOENIXVILLE, PA., now have an honored, super status position in my personal collection.
In Tom’s book, He included THE BOTTLE COLLECTORS PRAYER "Please, Lord, let ME find all the old bottles first."
In reply, I say "Thank You GOD for letting me find Tom." Good bye old friend, though our time together was short, You have taught me much, and will surly be missed more than anyone will ever know.
Your young friend always: Matt
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