# Fox Brothers Norfolk, VA



## johnmhamilton (Aug 31, 2015)

I am hoping that someone can point me to information regarding a bottle I found yesterday on one of my creek crawls. The front of the bottle is embossed /Fox Brothers/ The House of Quality/Norfolk, VA./ The bottom is embossed /A.G.W./ 84/ It was extremely dirty from being in the creek so i have it soaking now. I will try to post some photos when I get home from work. Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.


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## johnmhamilton (Aug 31, 2015)

This is as clean as I can get it on a short soak. Hopefully the pictures will help me get some feed back since I haven't been able to locate any information online. [attachment=20150831_155738[1].jpg]  [attachment=20150831_155705.jpg]   [attachment=20150831_155756.jpg] More photos on the next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Aug 31, 2015)

More photos...  [attachment=20150831_155825.jpg] [attachment=20150831_155849.jpg] Thanks in advance for any information.


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## andy volkerts (Aug 31, 2015)

looks like an ammonia bottle from a local grocer........Andy


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 31, 2015)

Your glass-maker:"A.G.W……………..American Glass Works, Richmond, Virginia (1908-1925) and Paden City, West Virginia (1918-c.1935). Bottles (especially crown-closure soda bottles) of the teens and 1920s from the VA and surrounding area with “A.G.W.” marked on the base are virtually certain to be products of this company (not to be confused with the earlier American Glass Works of Pittsburgh, an unrelated company). Machine-made bottles date after 1916 (Toulouse 1971:23). The Richmond plant burned in 1925 and was not rebuilt. This company also _reportedly_ used an “A in a circle” mark on some bottles."From this glorious site. By the way, what kind of camera are you using?


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## botlguy (Aug 31, 2015)

I agree with Andy although it may turn out to be an apothecary bottle.    Jim


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## 2find4me (Aug 31, 2015)

Good find!


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 1, 2015)

andy volkerts said:
			
		

> looks like an ammonia bottle from a local grocer........Andy


Thanks Andy!


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 1, 2015)

Spirit Bear said:
			
		

> Your glass-maker:"A.G.W……………..American Glass Works, Richmond, Virginia (1908-1925) and Paden City, West Virginia (1918-c.1935). Bottles (especially crown-closure soda bottles) of the teens and 1920s from the VA and surrounding area with “A.G.W.” marked on the base are virtually certain to be products of this company (not to be confused with the earlier American Glass Works of Pittsburgh, an unrelated company). Machine-made bottles date after 1916 (Toulouse 1971:23). The Richmond plant burned in 1925 and was not rebuilt. This company also _reportedly_ used an “A in a circle” mark on some bottles."From this glorious site. By the way, what kind of camera are you using?


Thanks Spirit! I was able to find the information you provided regarding the glass maker but I still haven't been able to find anything on the Fox Brothers in Norfolk, VA.  As for the type of camera I am using it is just my smartphone camera.


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 1, 2015)

2find4me said:
			
		

> Good find!


Thanks! I'm always amazed/amused by the things I can find wading around in the creeks of North Carolina. I started out just collecting fossils but once I found my first bottle I was hooked. Now I collect old dead things and other peoples trash.


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 1, 2015)

Wow, modern phones have high-quality cameras.  Fossils and bottles: Dead things and garbage-- always how I also viewed it. LOL


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## sunrunner (Sep 1, 2015)

or dead peoples trash.


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 1, 2015)

sunrunner said:
			
		

> or dead peoples trash.


This is true!


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 1, 2015)

There is why I like digging: I learn about the people who put the stuff there. I can't ask them about their lives, but I can begin to try and figure out some everyday things.


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 1, 2015)

Spirit Bear said:
			
		

> There is why I like digging: I learn about the people who put the stuff there. I can't ask them about their lives, but I can begin to try and figure out some everyday things.


Unfortunately I have yet to dig for bottles since I have only been collecting since the beginning of this summer. All of my treasures have been found as float in the creeks and rivers of North Carolina except for the 10 I have purchased. Once the weather cools off and the bugs aren't so bad I may try my hand at digging since i have identified several locations along said creeks and rivers that appear to be dump sites. P.S.I had a little motivation leftover when I got home from work today so I photographed some of my better finds. Expect to see more post and more request for help in the next few days.


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 1, 2015)

Water-hunting them falls under digging in my book-- especially if you gotta remove some sediment to get it out.   I myself started out in a lake near my home. I moved on to digging household dumps. Now I'm digging dirt floors in buildings and sites where once buildings stood.  We'll be very pleased to hear more from you.


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## botlguy (Sep 2, 2015)

I agree with the bear, bring it on!         Jim


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## andy volkerts (Sep 2, 2015)

I also agree with the Bear and Jim, show us what you find, we love old stuff.......Andy


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## cowseatmaize (Sep 2, 2015)

"The House of Quality" was a common slogan used by a lot of companies, pharmacy, dairy, cloths, bottlers etc.. Fox Brothers is also a common name but the only Fox Bros I see in Norfolk, VA. was a liquor dealer. http://www.pre-pro.com/mi...vendor.php?vid=ORF4455


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 2, 2015)

Eric,Thanks for the information and the website. Amazingly that date range of 1910-1914 are the years that the Norfolk directories are not provided on the Norfolk Public Library Website.


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## andy volkerts (Sep 3, 2015)

I suppose that it could be a liquor, the South Carolina state liquor bottles have a bottle that kinda looks like that maybe a bit taller but otherwise pretty much the same. They are the ones with the palm trees on em.........Andy


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

I finally have some time to post more photos of my creek finds as promised. I'll start with my black glass. These are the only two complete black glass bottles I have found to date and don't know very much about them yet. Black glass #1 [attachment=20150901_170332.jpg] [attachment=20150901_170620.jpg] [attachment=20150901_170809.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

black glass #2[attachment=20150901_171032.jpg] [attachment=20150901_171149.jpg][attachment=20150901_171222.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

My oldest SS double dot pepsi cola bottle from Fayetteville, NC. Thought it was odd that to find a crown top bottle with a cork stuck inside.[attachment=20150901_173818.jpg] [attachment=20150901_173849.jpg] [attachment=20150901_173920.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

Not sure if this is a soda or a beer. Bottle is embossed with City Bottling Works/Tiffon O. on the front and W. Mc C & Co. on the base of the back.[attachment=20150901_165705.jpg] [attachment=20150901_165739.jpg] [attachment=20150901_165806.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

[attachment=20150901_165844.jpg] [attachment=20150901_170126.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

My only ginger beer bottle that has no markings at all.[attachment=20150901_172237.jpg] [attachment=20150901_172346.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

I believe this is a New York beer bottle. It is embossed S. Liebmann’s Sons Brewing Co/SLS/Registered on the front of the bottle.[attachment=20150901_172717.jpg] [attachment=20150901_172937.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

[attachment=20150901_172810.jpg] [attachment=20150901_173013.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

Here are a couple of my non-bottle finds to finish up for now.1. 1920's condum tin from the 3 Merry Witches company.[attachment=20150901_185734.jpg] 2. Sterling silver container from Gorham Mfg. Co., Providence, Rhode Island (match safe or snuff can?). Based on the hallmarks it was made sometime after 1900.[attachment=20150901_184155.jpg] [attachment=20150901_184056.jpg]continued on next post...


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

3. Kaolin pipe bowls with no visible markings.[attachment=20150901_184539.jpg] 4. An 1870's ink well embossed J & I. E. M. patented Oct. 31, 1865.[attachment=20150901_164649.jpg] [attachment=20150901_164735.jpg] I'm going to take a break for now and will post additional bottles later. Regards,John


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 9, 2015)

Although I am more interested in pieces like your ink and embossed bottles.... is that the remains of a wax seal on black glass bottle number 2? Stuff like that fascinates me. The City Bottling Works piece is superb! I love that style of bottle.


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## johnmhamilton (Sep 9, 2015)

Spirit Bear said:
			
		

> Although I am more interested in pieces like your ink and embossed bottles.... is that the remains of a wax seal on black glass bottle number 2? Stuff like that fascinates me. The City Bottling Works piece is superb! I love that style of bottle.


Bear,I believe that it is the remains of a wax seal. If you look closely at the photo of the neck of the 1st bottle there appears to be remnants of a wax seal on it too. I'm still trying to find information on the City Bottling Works but haven't had much luck so far.    Regards,John


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 9, 2015)

Amazing that the seals survived-- these were water-finds in a creek?  Many cities had The City Bottling Works. My town's Muskegon Bottling Works started out under that name, but I guess someone realized that it was neither creative nor inspiring of pride. On the other side of the coin, if you're looking to make a broad collection of one specific thing, The City Bottling Works would be a great idea to get from towns all over the Nation.  "W.McC.& CO……….William McCully and Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1841-c.1909)" from.It looks 1870s-1880s to me.


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## Nevadabottles (Sep 9, 2015)

Cool Bottles


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