# Copyright infringement?



## A2TED (May 7, 2020)

Dug this a few weeks ago, Cadillac ginger ale company out of Detroit. Barely any info on this Art Deco soda other than it may have been a possible front for the Italian mafia’s heroine racket in Detroit during the 1930’s. Who knows if the company had Cadillac’s permission to use the name and the logo, either way it’s a nice find! (It’s completely broken unfortunately)


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## A2TED (May 7, 2020)

Full thang


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## A2TED (May 7, 2020)

Found a bottom of another one, large Cadillac logo embossed on the bottom. Very unique.


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## A2TED (May 7, 2020)

REGISTERED 
DETROIT, MI


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## A2TED (May 7, 2020)

CADILLAC GINGER ALE


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## CanadianBottles (May 7, 2020)

Cool find, shame it's broken!  I suspect it wouldn't be possible to claim copyright infringement on the name and crest, since that's actually the family crest of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the French explorer who founded Detroit.  I would assume that it's in the public domain, so while you can't use it for cars there should be nothing stopping you from using it for other things.


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## A2TED (May 7, 2020)

CanadianBottles said:


> Cool find, shame it's broken! I suspect it wouldn't be possible to claim copyright infringement on the name and crest, since that's actually the family crest of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the French explorer who founded Detroit. I would assume that it's in the public domain, so while you can't use it for cars there should be nothing stopping you from using it for other things.



Wow I had no idea, that’s fascinating! That certainly cleared things up, thank you.


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## hemihampton (May 7, 2020)

There was a Cadillac Brewing co in Detroit in the mid 1930's. LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

Maybe these will help ...

Notice the name Morris J Newman







I realize this isn't the same bottle - but its the only one I could find that was designed by Morris J Newman


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## saratogadriver (May 13, 2020)

Sure looks a lot like the Cadillac herald used for the auto company.    Interesting...

Jim G


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

Not only are the two emblems/logos similar, they seem to be almost identical - enough so that there might be a direct connection - they both have the crown, birds, etc ...

Beverage Trademark







Automobile Emblem






Emblem Timeline


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## Canadacan (May 13, 2020)

Looks identical to the Morris J Newman info Bob posted.


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

The plot thickens ...

Morris Newman - East Side Bottling Works - 1921 Detroit Directory


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

Here's a couple of bottles currently on eBay.  Notice what the seller says about the Cadillac bottle ...


East Side Bottling Esco Bottle - Detroit

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ESCO-BEVER...:Pq4AAOSwOFFeVH6X:sc:USPSPriority!91906!US!-1


Cadillac Ginger Ale Bottle - Detroit

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-G...743541?hash=item2d0b28ad75:g:z~sAAOSwdeFcgFLu


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

Mr. Newman goes way back ... 

*1914 Detroit Directory



*


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

This is the earliest reference I have found so far for the Cadillac Bottling Works and shows the various flavors they produced in ...

( And still looking for a connection with the Cadillac Motor Car Company - But nothing yet )

1910


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

P.S.

I don't know if Morris Newman was involved with the Cadillac Bottling Works in 1910.  He might have been with the East Side Bottling Works at that time.  It would help if we could find a History for both companies. A History of the Cadillac automobile company might help as well.


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## SODABOB (May 13, 2020)

Error / Correction

I just realized that the Cadillac Bottling Works was located in Cadillac, Michigan and not Detroit.  So we should eliminate it and keep the focus on the Cadillac Ginger Ale Company.  Sorry bout that - too many Cadillacs to keep track of.


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## hemihampton (May 13, 2020)

Not sure if anybody seen my digging post from a few weeks back. I found 2 Cadillac Beverage ACL bottles. Condition so poor I left them behind. Not super rare but seem to be desirable. I've seen them get over $50 a few times. LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

Copyright Infringement?  /  Apparently Not?

This link is to everything you ever wanted to know about the History of the Antonie De Lamothe-Cadillac Coat of Arms

http://cadillacdb.planeteldorado.com/Dbas_txt/COATARMS.HTM


According to numerous sources, the following dates should be close to accurate ...

Union Brewing Company = 1898-1919
Union Beverage Company = 1919-1933
Cadillac Brewing Company = 1934-1936

According to this article about the Cadillac Brewing Company, the Antonie De Lamothe Cadillac crest ...

"Was copied freely in those years to denote quality"

(This might explain the emblem being used by various companies, including Cadillac Brewing and Cadillac Ginger Ale.  It seems to suggest that just about anyone could use it without fear of infringement)










Cadillac Brewing Company - Beer bottle paper label - Notice the word "Quality"





Bottle Cap







By the way, I could NOT find any bottles, labels, caps for the Union Beverage Company.  They must be rare and might be of interest if anyone has any.


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

P.S.  /  Just for the record ...

The Union Brewing Company obviously did not use the Cadillac crest


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

Is it just me or another mystery?

Although I'm finding references for the UNION BEVRAGE COMPANY, I can't find any of their products such as bottles, cans, labels, or caps.  Now I'm wondering if something is fishy in Detroit and if the company ever existed.

This link is to one of the references I'm referring to ...





__





						Union Beverage Co. – MI 112b | Old Breweries Information | Breweriana Values
					






					www.oldbreweries.com
				




Notice similar references in these two snippets ...











In the first snippet notice the name UNION MALT PRODUCTS COMPANY. Even though I found several references for the company, I can't find any of their products such as bottles, cans, labels, or caps.  So what's up with that?  Are any of you Detroit collectors familiar with the company and/or have any of their products?  And does anyone know if the Union Beverage Company and the Union Malt Products Company were one in the same or different?  I know it says the name was changed, but where are all of the Union Beverage Company items BEFORE the name change?


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

There certainly appears to have been a Union *Beverage* Company in Detroit, but where-oh-where are their bottles and/or whatever they used for their products?  (Beer? / Near Beer?)



*1919*


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

Last but not least ...

Currently on eBay for a measly $3,000 - Buy It Now









						CADILLAC BREWING 1934 Large Tin Steel BEER BOTTLE SIGN Detroit 1 of a Few Known!  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for CADILLAC BREWING 1934 Large Tin Steel BEER BOTTLE SIGN Detroit 1 of a Few Known! at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


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## Canadacan (May 14, 2020)

Wow that is so interesting!...who knew right? Great job uncovering that mystery Bob!
Did any of the soda ACL's use the crest?


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## hemihampton (May 14, 2020)

Ask & you shall receive. My Union Bottle. The only one I ever seen. I got the cap/crown also. LEON.


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## hemihampton (May 14, 2020)

My Other Older Union. Which is a completely different Brewery as far as as I know. LEON.


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## hemihampton (May 14, 2020)

Canadacan said:


> Wow that is so interesting!...who knew right? Great job uncovering that mystery Bob!
> Did any of the soda ACL's use the crest?




as far as I know I'm pretty sure the ACL Sodas did use that Emblem or Crest. The pic I showed of the 2 I found were pretty faded but you can slightly see that emblem I believe. LEON.


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## hemihampton (May 14, 2020)

More Cadillac. I got a Art Deco Cadillac bottle some where? LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

Be careful what you ask for - There are numerous Cadillac soda bottles that used the crest - Paper label and ACL.  I would have posted these earlier but thought it was a given that was already known. However, there is some confusion as to who bottled them.  Some are by the Cadillac Ginger Ale Co., but others are by Cadillac Beverages.  They are all from Detroit, but I do not know if they are the same company or different companies.  

These are just the tip of the iceberg - There are multiples of the paper label bottles in different flavors













Cadillac Ginger Ale Co - But no crest emblem


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

It seems like everybody and their brother used the crest - The next question is whether the different brands needed permission from the Cadillac Auto Company to use their logo, or if it was just a free-for-all that anybody could use?  But whatever the answer, it was certainly good advertising for Cadillac cars.


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## SODABOB (May 14, 2020)

P.S.

I have almost given up, but still searching for anything related to the ...

*Union Beverage Company ~ Detroit, Michigan*


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## hemihampton (May 14, 2020)

Supposably Union Beverage Co. changed there name to Cadillac Ginger Ale in 1927. I haven't seen anything that said Union Beverage co as far as I can remember. LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 15, 2020)

Thanks, hemi

There is ample evidence that the Union Beverage Company existed - but I will be danged if I can find any of their bottles, labels, or other items they might have used.


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## SODABOB (May 16, 2020)

In search of ...

One of these cans for Creamee Liquid Malt by Union Malt Products of Detroit, Michigan.  I looked everywhere but could not find one - nor a label.  They must be extremely rare ...

*1931*


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## hemihampton (May 16, 2020)

That's a cool looking can. never seen one before but would like to have one. LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 16, 2020)

Notice that the Union Malt Products Co. and the Cadillac Brewing Co. both occupied the same address but at different times. 

*3520 Mitchell*

I'm not sure what happened between 1934 and 1936, but the Malt Products Co. started in 1934 and filed for bankruptcy in 1936.

*1934






1936







By the way, it appears that the Cadillac Ginger Ale Company and Cadillac Beverages were one and the same - although I'm still looking for more documentation to confirm it and determine the various dates.*


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## hemihampton (May 16, 2020)

Here's what my American Breweries Book sez for Timelines. Pic below. Cadillac Brewing filed for Bankruptcy because they could not compete with the bigger Brewing company's that reamerged after Prohibition. Nearby Tivoli for Example. Strohs & Goebel & Pfeiffer were much bigger. To much competition for the smaller Breweries. LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 16, 2020)

hemi

Thanks - Great info - It appears the Union Products Co. and the Union Malt Products Co. were one and the same.


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## SODABOB (May 16, 2020)

I'm also trying to figure out the Uncle Dan's Root Beer Story

1.  Earliest date I can find is 1949
2. The latest date I can find is 1955
3. The paper label bottles have Uncle Dan's Co. AND Cadillac Ginger Ale Co.
4. The ACL bottles ONLY have Uncle Dan's Company

Questions:

1.   Who was Uncle Dan - real person or fictional?
2.  Was the Cadillac Ginger Ale Co. and the Uncle Dan's Co. the same company or different?


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## SODABOB (May 16, 2020)

P.S.

Notice that Morris Newman's 1926 bottle patent and the 1951 classified ad for Uncle Dan's Root Beer show the same address … ???

*688 E. Columbia St.

1926






1951



*


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## hemihampton (May 16, 2020)

Interesting, I don't know much about Uncle Dan's, except I got a bottle of it boxed up somewhere. I'm curious where E. Columbia st is, doesn't sound familiar. LEON.


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## SODABOB (May 16, 2020)

Ask and you shall receive   

According to Google Earth


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## hemihampton (May 16, 2020)

OK, I know exactly where that is, Not far from where Vernors originally was. I don't drive around those side streets in downtown Detroit to much because to much traffic & to many one way streets always taking you the direction you don't want go. THANKS.


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## saratogadriver (May 18, 2020)

That is just some awesome research/history there.   Talk about putting a lot of pieces together.   

Jim G


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## A2TED (Feb 21, 2021)

Finally, after nine months, I was able to find a whole example over 160 miles from Detroit. How this got there I have no idea, but I hadn't seen or dug another since my first post last year. Guessing this is somewhat scarce amongst Detroit art deco sodas as it took that long before finding another. I haven't even met anyone since last May who has one of these but who knows, they're probably out there.


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## hemihampton (Feb 21, 2021)

I've dug a couple before & seen a few so they are out there. LEON.


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## Bottle 2 Rocks (Apr 13, 2021)

A2TED said:


> Finally, after nine months, I was able to find a whole example over 160 miles from Detroit. How this got there I have no idea, but I hadn't seen or dug another since my first post last year. Guessing this is somewhat scarce amongst Detroit art deco sodas as it took that long before finding another. I haven't even met anyone since last May who has one of these but who knows, they're probably out there.
> 
> View attachment 219674


I have one myself and they pop up on e bay at least once or twice a year. Most dedicated deco soda collectors probably have one.


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