# Colored American Torpedo Sodas



## baltbottles (Jun 14, 2004)

Hers a pic of the three BOYD - BALT. torpedo sodas from my collection. They are a deep yellow olive green, a redish puce, and a yellow topaz. All extermerly rare. I just wish i had the other 4 or 5 colors these come in.

 Chris


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## IRISH (Jun 14, 2004)

What a set of bottles !  they are just fantastic the three of them [] .
 What date are they from ?  I presume that it's very early (1830's-40's ?),  we get some cobalt blue torpedos here but none in the colours of those bottles.


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## Pontiled (Jun 14, 2004)

Great torpedoes! At one time, I had 3 of the known McKeon torpedoes from Washington, D.C. (two had lip chips and sold for a handsome price). In the same pit were several from Baltimore, one was a green one like yours and a super nice cobalt-blue Polks from Baltimore. Keep looking for them, they are extremely scarce and darned nice to look at!


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## Pontiled (Jun 14, 2004)

By the way, so there will be no confusion, the McKeon's were embossed with ONLY McKeon / Washington, D.C., NOT McKeon & McGrann / Washington, D.C.

 There are only 5 McKeon's known to exist and all came from a single pit.


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## baltbottles (Jun 14, 2004)

Hi Mike,

 Wow that must have been one super pit. I really would like to have one of those polks there pretty rare. I have had a nice blue McKeon & McGrann / Washington, D.C. and a green Henke & Maack from dc also but i traded those for some good baltimore pontiled sodas i need for my collection. If you don't mind me asking what else cam out this pit you dug and were was it at?

 Chris


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## baltbottles (Jun 14, 2004)

Hi Irish,

 Your right about the age they date to the 1840s almost strictly after about 1852 the torpedo and ten pin shapes lost popularity in Baltimore and was abandoned for regular squat soda forms.


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## Pontiled (Jun 14, 2004)

Hi Chris,

 They were all dug from a pit, right down from the old Union Station when the Metro was being put in. Most of the bottles that came out were the typical medicines (mostly unembossed with pontil scars) and a few umbrella inkwells. Actually, there were a total of 24 McKeons dug, but all but the 5 good ones were broken. It was a super pit, but it's nice to know how scarce (rare) the McKeon's are and to have actually had 3 of the 5.


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## deepwoods (Jun 14, 2004)

Chris outstanding bottles! Btw does Baltimore have any post-pontil age colored blobs  or  tool-tops other than amber?


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## baltbottles (Jun 14, 2004)

HI Deepwoods,

 There are a few green smooth based squats that date around 1865-1870 but even there pretty rare. But all the known baltimore sodas and beer bottles made after about 1870 are either clear aqua or amber. now and then a pure yellow example will show up but no greens or blues. Its seems after the cival war baltimore lost its interest in colored bottles

 Chris


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## Relicsnstuff (Jun 15, 2004)

Hi Chris,
  Any of those came from New Orleans? We dug a few Schweppes bottles about a month ago, they are torpedo shaped, forest green not aqua, eveything in the hole was 1850's back to late 1700's, I'am guessing these are pontil. I will post a pic for members who may have more infomation on this type of bottle, any guess on value?

  Relicsnstuff


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## IRISH (Jun 15, 2004)

The 1850's wrap top (as opposed to blob) Schweppes torpedo's are fairly common but good greens are a bit harder to get (they come in some very dark greens too),  there are some rare variations though and if they have a pontil scar they will be good one's.
 The value (in Australia at least) of even the more common early torpedos is normaly at least $100au up to whatever [] .


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## Relicsnstuff (Jun 15, 2004)

Hello Irish,

  I'am at work so thats why I could post pic but I will post one later today, its pretty dark green and not knowing much about these, the bottom is different for the later ones and I think it had two address on it, but thanks for the info and I will post a pic soon. 

  Joe.


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## Relicsnstuff (Jun 15, 2004)

Here is a pic, Its embossed as follows: Schweppe Co. Genuine Superior, Aeratied water,Siberners Street, Oxford Street, Not sure on the fist street address as the first letter is light. Nice bottles Chris, the colors make them stand out.

  Joe


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## baltbottles (Jun 15, 2004)

Hi Relicsnstuff,

 All the boyd torpedoes in my collection were found in the baltimore area. But i did get a deep emerald green ten pin embossed J.V'D. STEWART - BALTIMORE from a new orleans digger a few years ago. Its currently the only know example.

 Chris


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## Pontiled (Jun 15, 2004)

Way to go, Chris! You've got yourself another beauty!


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## leebran20 (Jun 15, 2004)

So the digging seems to be going pretty good lately, Joe. That's a very nice bottle, regardless of value. Was that area anywhere near the privies not too far from where I was staying on Carondelet Willie and the rest of your gang were working just about a month and half ago? Take care.


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## Relicsnstuff (Jun 15, 2004)

Hello Chris, 

  That is a nice looking bottle Chris, I really like the colors, they make for great eye appeal, what else can one ask for, color and one of a kind!

  Joe.


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## Relicsnstuff (Jun 15, 2004)

Hi Lee,

  The bottle was found not far from where you were, on Camp street. Digging has been slow the last (6) weeks but we are still trying, The summer time heat makes for shorter days, just too hot to try and dig all day. How everthing going in your neck of the woods?
  I hope you enjoyed your stay in the big easy, wish I could have met you while you were here but your trip fell on my working weekend. Hope the digging is going well for you.

  Joe


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## leebran20 (Jun 16, 2004)

Hey Joe: Found a couple really good embossed milks digging a trash pit since I returned from New Orleans. I know you guys aren't too interested in that kind of newer stuff -- one was I believe late 'teens and the other early '20s -- but they are really popular here. My partner found a much nicer specimen of one of those that I found and he's gonna ask and should easily get $450.

 We're set up to dig some fairly new dump territory on Thursday. As far as I know of so far, a one-of-a-kind milk has come up from a dairy only known previously by old business directory listings, other milks too, and from what we hear hutches have started coming out. I'll post if we score some goodies.

 thanks again for the help on the green Conant. It sits proudly up front on my shelf among my few Hawaii squats. I had a great time in the Big Easy; Jazz Fest was super.


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## bigkitty53 (Jun 16, 2004)

Chris,
          You have some gorgeous bottles in your collection! Got any more glass eye candy to post?Please?

 KAT


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## BRIAN S. (Jun 19, 2004)

Hey Chris ,
 GREAT looking torpedos ! I LUV that Puce Boyd's !!!!!
 I was just curious ......How do you display them ? Do you have a stand to set them in for display ?  I was wondering how you kept them from rolling around ?   Brian


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## baltbottles (Jun 21, 2004)

Hi Brian,

 I tried several different ways to keep them from rolling off ther shelf But i ended up haveing to make holders for them. I made them out of clear plexi-glass because each bottle is different some are longer some fatter or out of round i have to make each stand to custom fit each bottle. I make stands for both the torpedoes and the ten pins they have such small bases i don't trust them to stand on there own. Heres a pic of the two different stands i make for them.

 Chris


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## baltbottles (Jun 21, 2004)

Heres another pic with the stands in use. 

 Chris


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