# Wilkinson's Mineral Water



## logueb (Nov 17, 2010)

Dug this one out of the Ol Dump.  At first I thought that it was a Drug Store Med.  Didn't realize that it was a mineral water until I cleaned it up.


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## logueb (Nov 17, 2010)

Better view of embossing.


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## logueb (Nov 17, 2010)

Blown in Mold bottle.  Base has a Moon and star.  Anyone ever seen this bottle?


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## cyberdigger (Nov 17, 2010)

It must have been the extra-strength stuff.. "shake well" .. guaranteed to cleanse the bowels in 20 or less trips to the privy.. []

 Whseww caught this one while I could still edit it! It's a handsome bottle, too!!


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## rockbot (Nov 18, 2010)

Nice clean bottle, very interesting for a mineral water.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 18, 2010)

> guaranteed to cleanse the bowels in 20 or less trips to the privy.


 Perfumed too, see, it's matchless!


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## logueb (Nov 18, 2010)

Thanks for looking Charlie, Rock, and Eric.  Thanks guys for the comments.  That  answers the question of why a mineral water would be in a medicine bottle.[8|]  But as a kid in the 50s it was Mineral Oil, nasty stuff.[:'(]  I always thought of mineral water as something healthy, and mineral oil as the cleansing agent,[:-]  Eric, I would never have thought of "Matchless" in that way.  []


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## mr.fred (Nov 18, 2010)

Nice looking bottle Buster[]------my mom was good at pushing  Castor Oil at us kids in the 50s[:'(].


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## logueb (Nov 18, 2010)

Thanks Mr. Fred.  Yeah, had that also. [:'(]   They really believed in  that stuff.


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## wonkapete (Nov 19, 2010)

Yep!  I have several of these.  Been reasearching the old place for about a year now since my parents are from Greenville, AL.  I have two different styles of these bottles (will post pics later).  

 I spoke to the grandson of the man that started this operation around 1898, just a few months ago.  They bottled this water straight out of the ground. The old well is still there today, but has caved in on itself.  It was just a water that was super-high concentrated in minerals.  Folks would buy it for $.05 a bottle to cure stomachdigestive ailments.  He said there is also a screw cap version of the bottle.  I have yet to find one of those.

 It appears your bottle is smaller than mine and the lip is different.  Do let me know if you'd like to trade or sell.  I'd love to have it with my others.


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## logueb (Nov 19, 2010)

Wonkapete, Thanks for the history on the bottle. I'd like to see the photos of the mineral springs and other Wilkinson bottles.  If I decide to let this one go, I'll let you know first.  Thanks again.  Buster.


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## Plumbata (Nov 19, 2010)

Awesome bottle, cool to see a druggist bottle mold used for a mineral water bottle. Probably cheaper than the heavier glass bottles that would have normally been used. Is that a 16 ounce size?

 As an amateur collector of 32 ounce blown pharmacy bottles, I will need to keep a lookout for these (assuming they made them in the quart size) because they are quite appealing and would mesh well with the ones I have. Thanks for showing that fine piece!


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## wonkapete (Nov 19, 2010)

Thanks Buster!  I appreciate it!

 I'll take some pics this weekend.  I don't have any pics of the springs (yet).  The land the springs are on, no longer belongs the Wilkinson family.  I heard the new owners aren't the friendly type.  But, when I'm up that way again (about two hrs from my home), I'm going to knock on their door and see if they'll let me look around.  The grandson said he expects there are still lots of these bottles on the property but the new owners just aren't the friendly type.  I'll keep ya posted.


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## wonkapete (Nov 19, 2010)




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## wonkapete (Nov 19, 2010)

Mineral Waters, 
 Roper's Well. 
One of the most widely known mineral waters of Alabama, sold under the name of "Wilkinson's Matchless Mineral Water," is obtained from Roper's well, 3 miles east of Greenville, and a well subsequently sunk near it. The latter well is about 40 feet deep and 15 feet in diameter. The section shown in the sides of the well consists of 9 1-2 feet of sandy clay, 6 3-4 feet of sand and mottled clay, and below this the "black earth," which continues to the bottom of the well. This black earth is the source of the "mineral." It is a dark colored sandy clay containing organic matter and iron pyrites, with considerable greensand in small grains irregularly disseminated through it. The reaction of the oxidation products of the pyrites on the clay and its contained vegetable matter yields the sulphuric acid, the alum, and the other sulphates which characterize the water, as shown by the analysis.
The water fresh from the well is colorless, the iron beirg in the ferrous condition, but on standing it gradually becomes yellowish red from further oxidation of the iron.
As the source of the mineral matter is superficial and Locpl. the strength of the water varies with the rainfall, being much less during the rainy season. Analyses may therefore differ very widely in regard to the amount of mineral matter to the gallon. An analysis made by Dr. Metz, of New Orleans, shows 1244.45 grains; a sample of the bottled water furnished by the proprietor of the well, and said to have been collected six years ago, contains 1333.8 grains; the water in a 16-quart bottle on sale June 1, 1905, contains 458.45 grains; while the sample direct from the well collected by Mr. Hodges for analysis after several months of rainy weather, contains 213.9 grains. In putting up the water for the market it is the endeavor of the proprietor to make it as nearly as possible of uniform strength. When too concentrated it is diluted with fresh water: when too dilute leachings from hoppers of the pyritous earth are added.
An analysis made by J. B. Little and the writer about twenty years ago, from a sample collected by Mr. Little, and one made by Dr. Metz, of New Orleans. These analyses sufficiently illustrate the variations in the concentration, a.s well as in the relative proportions of the different ingredients, which takes place in the course of time and by reason of seasonal changes.
_Analyses of "Matchless Mineral Water'' from Roper's well, near _
_Greenville__. _

Analysis by Robert S. Hodges, 1905.
Analysis by J. B. Little and Dr. K. A. Smith, about 1885.*
Analysis by Dr. Metz, of New Orleans, 1893*
â€¢Originally expressed by analysts in grains per gallon and in form of radicals; recomputed in ionic form and parts per million by R. is. Hodges.


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## wonkapete (Nov 19, 2010)




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## junkyard jack (Nov 20, 2010)

That's a really nice Mineral Water. I've never seen one on a Druggist-style bottle before.


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## sandchip (Nov 20, 2010)

Super nice bottle, Buster.  I guess you didn't get my message offline.


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## wonkapete (Nov 21, 2010)

Here's some of mine.  Please let me know if you ever want to trade or sell your Wilkinsons.  As you see, I don't have one like that.  Thanks!


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## logueb (Nov 22, 2010)

Wonkapete,  Thanks for the pics of your bottles and the articles on the Wlikerson's mineral water. From the articles, they really stood behind their mineral water.  There was a lot of interest in mineral waters at the turn of the centiury with spas and sanitoriums at mineral springs and hot springs.

 Jimbo, Sorry but the pm did not go through.  I'll check again on the home computer tonight.

 Junkyard Jack.  My first mineral water in a med bottle also.  From Wonkapete's articles, they considered it a powerful cure and so I guess they bottled it as a medicine.

 Just a side note.  The bottle that I have has a serious mold flaw.  Apparently there was something in the mold when the bottle was blown.  A sting or wire or something.  It makes the bottle appear to have a bad crack, but it is more of a deep etched line. Maybe I can get a close up of the defect tonight.


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## Wilkie (Sep 26, 2011)

Logueb, 

 Would you be willing to part with this bottle?  My last name is Wilkinson and I am looking for bottles with my name.  

 Thanks.




> ORIGINAL:  logueb
> 
> Dug this one out of the Ol Dump.Â  At first I thought that it was a Drug Store Med.Â  Didn't realize that it was a mineral water until I cleaned it up.Â


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## Wilkie (Sep 26, 2011)

I just asked Logueb, but it he doesn't want to let his go, would you be willing to part with one of yours?

 Thanks. 

 Wilkie  (Wilkinson)




> ORIGINAL:  wonkapete
> 
> Yep!Â  I have several of these.Â  Been reasearching the old place for about a year now since my parents are from Greenville, AL.Â  I have two different styles of these bottles (will post pics later).Â
> 
> ...


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## wonkapete (Nov 9, 2011)

Is Buster still on here?  I sent him a message but it was returned as being unknown.


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## surfaceone (Nov 9, 2011)

Hey Jerry,

 Yes he's here:

 "Last Post 10/28/2011 7:57:04 AM
 Last Login 11/7/2011 9:14:38 AM" From.

 You might try again. Perhaps his inbox is filled...


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## Dansalata (Nov 9, 2011)

VERY NICE AND INTERESTING FIND BUSTER..CONGRATS!!!


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## logueb (Nov 11, 2011)

Buster's still here but have been very busy lately.  What happened was that my wife got tired of the slow dial up and dropped the service.  She thought that it was easy to get DSL.  I have tried unsuccessfuly for two years with no luck.  My neighbors on either side of me have DSL, but my address is not listed as available for DSL.  Go figure.  Reset my email to my company computer so hopefully the PMs will come through all the firewalls.  Buster


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