# Hunyadi Janos Natural Mineral Water



## barnaby49 (Nov 1, 2007)

I've had this bottle for many, many years, and only recently tried to find out more information about it. It's history seems to be well documented on the web, and I've seen auctions for it on eBay. As you can see from the picture, it's in excellent shape with a complete label. It's also sealed (original, I believe) with the original contents.

 I'm writing because I've never seen an example of an auction for a labeled bottle with contents - most of them seem to be just for the bottle itself.

 Anybody have any ideas as to its approximate worth? Is eBay generally the best place to sell such an item?

 Thanks for any hints, information....


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## GuntherHess (Nov 1, 2007)

You see them with the labels but not often. Definately more valuable than the naked bottle but still not worth a huge amount.


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## capsoda (Nov 1, 2007)

Labeled Janos bottles don't draw alot of attention. The most I have ever seen one go for is 15 bucks. Hardly worth the trouble of selling it. They make a great addition to a collection and a great conversation piece.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 1, 2007)

As common as they are and the fact they aren't that old I'd expect to so more than I have. I doo like the whittled ones though but smooth is probably rarer. Is this a base embossed or plain? I've seen identical bottles that aren't embossed but they may be different brands.


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## Dansalata (Nov 1, 2007)

IVE SEEN THE SAME THING, ACTUALLY DUG ONE JANOS EMBOSSED THE BOTTOM THEN FOUND THE SAME BOTTLE WITH NO MARKINGS AT ALL FROM THE SAME HOLE, A COOL BOTTLE FER SURE...


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## capsoda (Nov 1, 2007)

Janos was bottling mineral water as far back as the 1860s but I'm not sure when it came to the US. I have seen some pre 1880 janos bottles that were off color and some with streakes of yellows and ambers but not often. I probably still have a couple of them in a box around here some where.


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## bottlebadger (Nov 1, 2007)

Hi Barnaby45, I am Hungarian so I have always liked these bottles.  The others are right on when they say they don't generate much interest on Ebay.  I won an auction a year or so ago for one with a label but the seller never delivered.  Got my $12 back but never heard again from the seller.  There are other knockoff bottles capitalizing on Hunyadi Janos success including Lajos Hunyadi bottles and others I think.  Yesterday, I won an auction for a framed Hunyadi Janos ad from 1900. If you are ever interested in selling, I might be buying.  Coincidentally signed by-  Barna B.


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## GuntherHess (Nov 1, 2007)

I cant see the lip but that one in the photo looks like a later one based on the label and the glass.


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## barnaby49 (Nov 1, 2007)

Here's the (sealed) top.


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## GuntherHess (Nov 1, 2007)

I guess that doesnt help much since the foil is covering the lip.
 Here is a photo of an early top. Its a crude applied blob. The later ones had a more uniform top.


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## madpaddla (Nov 1, 2007)

Here is a pic I posted awhile back.  Dug em next to eachother.  Now I can't find the off colored one.  [][]
 Madpaddla


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## LC (Nov 2, 2007)

I dug a couple of these in Cincinnati a good many years ago. I always liked the crudness of them. This is the first one I have ever seen that had the label intact, thanks for posting the picture of it. I had a good friend who was Hungarian, was here at the house one day and saw one of the ones I had displayed, made an awful fuss about having to have one of them should I ever dig up another one. So I went to the building, got the other one I had dug and gave it to him. He was simply thrilled to get it. He told me that I was the first person to have ever given him anything without expecting something in return sice he came here from his Motherland. Thought that was very odd, but also tickled out it had turned out that way.


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## CrewelaDeVil (Nov 2, 2007)

Thanks for this topic. I dug several of these broken and never saw one in good condition, especially with a lable.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 2, 2007)

I'd still like to see the base if you please.

 Here's an 1896 book on the subject.
http://books.google.com/books? saxlehner


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## barnaby49 (Nov 2, 2007)

Here's the base - sorry about the quality.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 2, 2007)

It looks a bit more recent than the ones that I've seen. The ebossing is much crisper and block letter. It also looks recessed into the base.
 Does anyone know about the US Patent Registration? A 1910 supreme court case stated they had no patent on the water. A TM for Hunyadi was issued in 1889 but I got lost in all the legal terminology.
 Did mineral water as a med fall under the PFDA? Something tell. me not imediatly if at all.


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## CALDIGR2 (Nov 2, 2007)

I won't bring those things home anymore. You can't even get a quarter for 'em around here, so we just toss them back in the hole. The off colors I definitely would keep 'cause those would sell.


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