Hi all, my name is Mike. I have been kayaking the south shore bays of Long Island, NY, from the East Rockaway Inlet to the Robert Moses Bridge for decades, enjoying the beauty and getting some exercise. Years ago, while out for a kayak, I found an old bottle laying in the mud and from that moment, began the collection presented in this site.
Today activity associated with Long Island’s bays is pretty much limited to recreational boating and fishing, but years ago, in addition to recreation, they provided a way of life for many, including clammers, oysterman, fisherman, farmers and hotel operators to name a few. Taken as a collection these bottles provide some insight into their basic necessities; what they ate, drank and needed to live, work and relax on a daily basis. Just as importantly each bottle’s story provides some perspective on life in general during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
So now, retired, I thought I’d mix in a little research to try and answer basic questions about the people and businesses that produced the bottles. I began to track down who ran the businesses, when they operated and what became of them. Good stuff, but I also began to get a feel for the business owners; their backgrounds, what drove them, their approach to advertising, sometimes even their sense of humor.
The research also took me to a time when the people and places that made up the nation, and New York in particular, were very different. Brooklyn, Queens and even uptown Manhattan were open spaces that supported dairy farms and horse drawn carriages had not yet been replaced by the automobile. I got a little feel for World War I and the sense of unified national patriotism that existed back then and for the era of National Prohibition and the impact it had both socially and economically on New York and the nation.
So, I hope this web site does these bottles justice and narrates a little bit of history that might not otherwise have been preserved.
Enjoy!
And Pete…Thanks for the idea and all the help!
A list of the bottles written up on this site is presented below. The list is alphabetized based on the actual embossing on each bottle. Entering key words into the search bar will get you to their story.
A. Busch Bottling Co., Brooklyn, N.Y.
A. J. Lamb & Son, Rockville Centre, L.I.
A. Liebler Bottling Co., 402 & 404 W 126th St., N.Y.
A. R. Winarick, New York
A. Wolff, Central Bottling Co., 55th St., bet 2nd & 3rd Ave. N.Y.
Alart & McGuire, OK Pickles
Albert Krumenaker, 512 & 514 West 166th St., N.Y.
Alex Campbell Milk Company
Amityville Creamery, Inc./Evans-Amityville, Amityville, L.I.
Arnold Chemical Co., Chicago, Bromo Celery
Atlantic Dairy, Bedell Bros., Freeport, L.I.
Ayer’s Sarsaparilla, J. C. Ayer Company, Lowell, Massachusettes
Bajorath, Long Island City
Balsams Dairy, 712 Hendrix St., Brooklyn, New York
Beadelston and Woerz, Empire Brewery, New York
Bell & Co., Inc., Orangeburg, New York, U.S.A., Bell-Ans
Bernard Kommel, 143 & 145 Park Row, N.W. Cor 27th St. & 10th Ave., S.E. Cor 65th St. & Amsterdam Avenue
Bernard Monderer, Druggist, Audobon Ave., Cor 179th St.
Bolen & Byrne, New York
Booth’s Distillery, London, England, High & Dry Gin
Brock L. Carroll, Far Rockaway, L.I.
Bruckner Bros., 408 to 412 E 161st St., New York
Buchanan’s Black & White Whiskey
C. H. Dahl & Sons, Sweet Clover Dairy, Roosevelt, L. I.
C. T. Hurlburt & Co.
California Bottling Co., 142 King St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Carbona Products Company, Carbona
Carl Schulz CPMS (Central Park Mineral Springs), New York
Charles S. Erb, Pharmacist, 121 Amsterdam Avenue, Cor 65th St., N.Y.
Charrot & Henry, 118 Flatbush Avenue, 571 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Chas F. Kropp, 524 Robbins Ave., N.Y.
Christo Bottling Co., Washington D.C.
City Bottling Works of New York, Henry Downes, 1873
Clover Farms Company, New York
CN Disinfectant, West Disinfecting Company, New York
Columbia Bottling Co., 105 & 107 Columbia Street, New York & 734 East 6th Street, New York
Consumers Brewery, Bottling Dept., New York
Corona Bottling Co., 109-111 53rd Ave., Corona, L.I., L. Aledort & Son, Props. Telephone: Newton 2399
Cosmopolitan Pharmacy, Corner Rivington & Willet Streets, New York
Crab Orchard Springs Salts, J. B. Wilder & Co., Louisville Ky.
Curtice Brothers Co., Preserves, Rochester, N.Y.
D. Cameron, New York
D. J. Walsh, Far Rockaway, N.Y.
D.D.D. Company, Chicago, Ill.
Dingwell Bros., 1017-25 Greene Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dr. Peter Fahrney & Sons Co., Chicago, Ill., U.S.A. “The Old Reliable Home Preparation for Home Use”
Drs. F. E. & J. A. Greene, New York, Chicago, Boston
Dryfoos, Blum & Co., New York
E. D. Seabury, Rockville Centre, L.I.
E. C. Dewitt & Co., Chicago, U.S.A., One Minute Cough Cure
Empire Hair Regenerator Co., New York
Everett & Barron Co., Shoe Polish, Providence, R.I.
Excelsior Brewing Co., 271 Pulaski Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.
F & M Schaefer Brewing Co., New York
F. Brown’s Essence of Jamaica Ginger
Fellows & Co., Chemists, St. John, N.B.
Finkenstadt & Kaufmann, Long Island City, N.Y.
Forbes Diastase Company, Cincinnati, Ohio
Foreman Bottling Co., Yonkers, N.Y.
Franklin Brewing Company, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Fred Beers, Inc., Ozone Park, L.I.
Fred Helmke, 15 Hudson St., Hoboken, N.J.
Fred vonDohln & Son, 348 West 36th St., N.Y.
Fred’k S. Steinmann, Apothecary, 92nd St. & Lexington Ave., New York
G.B. Seely’s Son, Inc., 319-331 E 15th St., New York
G. W. Cole Co., “Three In One”
Gaelic Old Smuggler
Garrett &Co., Inc., Virginia Dare, New York
Geis-Jackier Co., Far Rockaway, N.Y.
Geo. Schneider & Co.,181-183 Stockholm St., Brooklyn
George Hendrickson, Willow Dairy, Wantagh, L.I.
George Kessler, Glenwood Landing, N.Y.
Gordon’s Dry Gin, London, England, Reg’d 610617
Griffen Manufacturing Co., New York
Gude’s Peptone-Mangan
H. B. Kirk & Co., New York
H. C. Muller, Far Rockaway, L.I.
H. C. Schmidt, Apothecary, S.W. Cor. 91st St. & Park Ave., New York
H. M. Eilenberg, Phillipsburg, N.J.
H. Ressmeyer, 516 E 85th St., N.Y.
Haas Pharmacy
Hardscrabble Farm Dairy, East Hampton, N.Y.
Hay’s Hair Health
Hegeman & Co., New York
Hennessy & Nolan, Albany, 1879
Henry Brenwasser, Pharmacist, 226 Ninth Avenue, Cor. 24th St.
Henry C. Botjer Co., Long Island City, N.Y.
Henry Landgrebe, Valley Stream, L.I.
Henry Muller, 7 Cross St., Paterson, N.J.
High-Ground Dairy Co., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hood’s Tooth Powder, C. I. Hood & Co., Lowell, Mass.
Horlick’s Malted Milk, Racine, Wis., U.S.A., London, Eng.
Hurley Bottling Co., Far Rockaway, N.Y.
Husband’s Calcined Magnesia, Philadelphia
Huyler’s, New York
I. Ledermann, 750 5th St., N.Y.
Ideal Dairy Co., 203 20th St.
Imperial Chemical Mfg. Co., New York
J. H. Van Brunt, Far Rockaway, L.I.
J. R. Stafford’s Olive Tar
J. S. Seabury
J. Walker’s V. B.
J. Wittmann, Woodhaven, New York
Jacob Ruppert Brewer, N.Y.
Jas. T. Weeks, Rockville Centre, L.I.
John Kessler, Woodmere, Long Island
John Mullin, Far Rockaway, L.I.
John Wyeth & Bro., Philadelphia
Jones Pharmacy, Ninth Avenue, Cor. 53rd St., New York
Jos. Triner, Chicago
Joseph Fallert Brewing Co., Ltd., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Joshua Longfield, North of England Sauce
Kandel & Gordon, 42-50 N. Beach 86th St., Rockaway Beach, N.Y.
Keystone Dairy Co., Hoboken, N.J.
Knapp’s Root Beer Extract
L. Rose & Co.
L. Steinberger, 496 to 502 Pavonia Ave., Jersey City, N.J.
Lash’s Bitters Co., New York – Chicago – San Francisco
Louis C. Ott, Rockaway Beach, L.I.
Lynbrook Bottling Co., Lynbrook, N.Y.
M.H. Renken Dairy Co., 131 Emerson Pl., Brooklyn
M. O. Fuller, 1861, Brooklyn, E. D.
Major Manufacturing Company, New York
McKesson & Robbins, New York
Minck Bro’s & Co., 45 to 53 Beaver St., Brooklyn, E.D.
Muller Dairies, Inc., 470 West 128th St., New York
Muller’s Leading Drug Store, Merrick Road, Valley Stream, N.Y.
Murray & Lanman, Druggists, New York, Florida Water
Munch Brewery Bottling Dept., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mutual Bottling Co., 127-129 Boerum Place, Brooklyn N.Y., Diamond Sparkle Beverages
Nauheim
New York Bottling Co., Inc.
Obermeyer & Liebmann Bot’g Dept., New York City
Old Parr
Omega Chemical Company, New York, Omega Oil
Otto Huber Brewery, Brooklyn, N.Y.
P. B. Knapp, Druggist, 362 Hudson Street, New York
PABST
Perfumerie Monte Christo, Beaume Mamma Dura
Peter Dawson Ltd., Distillers
Peter Doelger, Brewer, New York
Peter Hauck & Co., Harrison, N.J.
Pflug & Ackley, Hempstead, L.I.
Pichel & Schwab, 174 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Piel Brothers, East New york Brewery
Pinus Medicine Co., Monticello, Ill., U.S.A., Fruitola
Plant & Ahrens, Inc., 212 Evergreen Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Premier Bottling Works, 301 E 107th St., N.Y.
Puritan Dairy, Perth Amboy, N.J.
R. W. Robinson & Son, New York
Rawleigh’s
Reader’s Reliable Pharmacy, Cedarhurst, L.I.
Renault Winery (L. N. Renault & Sons), Egg Harbor, N.J.
Richard Hudnut, New York
Roberts & Co., Chemists, Florence & Rome
Robinson Brothers, New York, Buffalo Ammonia
Roller’s Pharmacy, Amsterdam Ave. & 86th St.
Rubsam & Horrmann Brewing Co., Staten Island, New York
S. E. Johnson, 180 Bedell St., Freeport, L.I.
S. Liebmann’s Sons Brewing Co., N.Y.
S. M. Bixby
S. S. Stafford
Sallade & Co., Magic Mosquito Bite Cure & Insect Destroyer, N.Y.
Schnaderbach & Runge, Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y.
Schwartz’s Dairy, Woodhaven, L.I.
Scotch Oats Essence Co., N.Y.
Scott’s Emulsion of Cod Liver Oil with Lime & Soda
Sharp & Dohme, Baltimore
Sheide Bottling Co., Lindenhurst, L.I.
Sloan’s Liniment, Kills Pain
Steinhardt Brothers & Co., The Kintore
Stewart Distilling Company
Suffolk County Bottling Works, Amityville, L.I.
Suydam Bottling Co., 136 Suydam St., Brooklyn N.Y.
T. Ebling, 2774 Third Ave., New York
Tournades Kitchen Bouquet
Trommer’s Evergreen Brewery, Brooklyn, N.Y.
United Bottling Co., P. F. O’Neill, 508 Greenwich St., New York
United Wine & Trading Company – Pearl Wedding Rye
V. Loewer’s Gambrinus Brewery Co., New York
Van Horn & Ellison, Chemists, New York
Ver-Vac
W & T, 57 Downing Street., N.Y.
W. H. Gardner, 176 State Street, Bridgeport, Conn.
W. H. Miner, Chazy, N.Y.
W. M. Evans Dairy Co., Inc. 3480 Fulton St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
W. Z. Ketcham, Hempstead, L.I.
Welz & Zerweck High Ground Brewery, Brooklyn N.Y.
Westchester County Brewing Co., Mount Vernon and Pelham, New York