# RI Creek Find - Agnews & Wilcox whiskey?



## simulant (May 9, 2021)

Hi all & Happy Mother's Day.  So recently I got myself and my 8 yr old son waders and we tried a couple of ok spots but nothing to write home about.  So I did some research on a couple of 1890s maps which brought us to another creek and BOOM, started hitting 100+ yr old bottles!  There are bottles literally everywhere and we are having a blast!  I plan on posting more of our finds on here but for now I wanted to get this one out here.

It's a whiskey flask with "GUARANTEED FULL PINT" on the face and just "A&W" on the base.  I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the root beer.  I did some research and I'm really hoping this is an 1868-1872 Agnews & Wilcox bottle, but hoping some of the experts here can confirm.  The bottles we are finding are pretty mucky from being in the creek for over a century.  Most of them have this layer of leaf-matter film that partially flakes off in the sun, but I really need a decent way of cleaning this stuff off so let me know if anyone knows the best way to get this film off the bottles.  Trying to be very careful on the special finds.  This one does appear to be clear but man that film is tough.

If better pictures are needed just let me know.

Thanks!


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## hemihampton (May 9, 2021)

Looks to new to date to those time periods. Would be curious to see what else you found. Welcome to the Site. LEON.


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## RCO (May 9, 2021)

it might clean up more if you soaked it in soap/water for a while , maybe try a household rust cleaner on it later on .


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## bottlecrazy (May 9, 2021)

Yeah, sorry, that's around 1900 or so.  Still, nice find, and it seems like your site has a lot of potential!


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## simulant (May 10, 2021)

Thanks guys -- any idea what the A&W might mean?


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## Huntindog (May 12, 2021)

Muriatic acid will take that off.
Soak it in a plastic tub a little at a time.
Do it outside in a well ventilated area where if you spill it it won't do damage.
Wear your PPE... gloves, eye protection, apron that sort of thing.
Rinse well and wash with soap and water..


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## simulant (May 12, 2021)

Thanks, I've been wanting to try muriatic acid.  Should I dilute with half water?


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## epackage (May 21, 2021)

simulant said:


> Thanks guys -- any idea what the A&W might mean?


Agnews & Wilcox, Pittsburgh


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## hemihampton (May 21, 2021)

epackage said:


> Agnews & Wilcox, Pittsburgh




But he sez Agnews & Wilcox lasted until 1872 & one Bottle Makers site sez the same thing. This bottle don't look 1872 or pre 1872 to me?????????? LEON.


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## willong (May 26, 2021)

simulant said:


> Thanks, I've been wanting to try muriatic acid.  Should I dilute with half water?


I would certainly try a dilute mixture first, if for no other reason than it will make you cleaning product last longer.

Get yourself a large plastic jug such as a gallon salsa container (they already contained an acidic product so residual contents in the plastic won't tend to neutralize your acid or produce dangerous gases, and  they are generally quite stout and durable) and save your mixture to reuse until it no longer produces bubbles from calcium deposits encrusting your bottles. At that point, it might still be a good toilet bowl cleaner .

Be sure to heed Huntindog's advice on PPE.  And show the us the "After" photo when you get to that point please.


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## epackage (May 27, 2021)

hemihampton said:


> But he sez Agnews & Wilcox lasted until 1872 & one Bottle Makers site sez the same thing. This bottle don't look 1872 or pre 1872 to me?????????? LEON.


My bad, don't know what I was thinking when I posted that...


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## hemihampton (May 27, 2021)

epackage said:


> My bad, don't know what I was thinking when I posted that...




Looks like Wildcat liked your comment, he gave you a thumbs up?????? LEON.


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## 102viadeluna (May 30, 2021)

All about Agnews & Wilcox!



			https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/Agnew.pdf


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## Wildcat Wrangling Kat (Jun 4, 2021)

hemihampton said:


> Looks like Wildcat liked your comment, he gave you a thumbs up?????? LEON.



I agree…. That bottle doesn’t look right for the age, to me either. I’m just being quiet here…. Still a mouth full of stitches. They finally found a way to keep me quiet! But just till the 8th…. lol  


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## Wildcat Wrangling Kat (Jun 4, 2021)

simulant said:


> Hi all & Happy Mother's Day. So recently I got myself and my 8 yr old son waders and we tried a couple of ok spots but nothing to write home about. So I did some research on a couple of 1890s maps which brought us to another creek and BOOM, started hitting 100+ yr old bottles! There are bottles literally everywhere and we are having a blast! I plan on posting more of our finds on here but for now I wanted to get this one out here.
> 
> It's a whiskey flask with "GUARANTEED FULL PINT" on the face and just "A&W" on the base. I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the root beer. I did some research and I'm really hoping this is an 1868-1872 Agnews & Wilcox bottle, but hoping some of the experts here can confirm. The bottles we are finding are pretty mucky from being in the creek for over a century. Most of them have this layer of leaf-matter film that partially flakes off in the sun, but I really need a decent way of cleaning this stuff off so let me know if anyone knows the best way to get this film off the bottles. Trying to be very careful on the special finds. This one does appear to be clear but man that film is tough.
> 
> ...



&





ee67675b387532605c3f9e465153ae54.jpg[/IMG]




I can now cure anything and give you tiny megaphones and antiseptic eardrums now.
(Does that make me a Dr,? I really write like one! And I have that stinky dr bag in the next room…. Otherwise known as Satans toilet?)


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## embe (Jun 4, 2021)

*important* if you're diluting acid, you should reduce the risk of personal injury (or panic) by the  mnemonic: "Do like you oughta, add _acid to water"._

Other way around and you get a frothy exothermic reaction that could be kinda dangerous.  And agreed with other comments, well ventilated area and proper PPE.  

On a bottle like that I'd probably leave as-is since the patina might remind you of the day you found it, and the reason it looks that way.  Your choice, good luck either way!


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