# Early Maine Sodas?



## ThisGuy (Feb 15, 2015)

Wondering if pontiled Maine sodas exist. Seems they should; the state is older than states with pontiled sodas.although I've found no info. I once dug an 1870's pony style soda from Portland, ME although no pontil. Also wondering if there are colored ME sodas. Info, pictures, or both much appreciated.


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## nhpharm (Feb 16, 2015)

I don't think they do but could be wrong.  The 1870's ponys from Portland are the earliest I have seen from there.  There is a green Geo. H. Winn/Portland/ME porter-style squat...that is the only colored one I am aware of and it is also likely the earliest...I would guess from the late 1860's. New Hampshire is in the same boat.  No pontiled sodas and only two colored ones (the Hall from Manchester, New Hampshire and the citron Smith & Snow's White Root Beer).  I think the reason is that the bottlers at the time in NH, Vermont, and Maine for one reason or another preferred to bottle in pottery bottles...there are a multitude of pottery soda/mead bottle from both New Hampshire and Maine that date to the pontil era.


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## cowseatmaize (Feb 16, 2015)

I'd think with all the wood in Maine they might have had I glasshouse as well but there weren't any to my knowledge. I guess there was more money in timber and the only transport was by river and barging other stuff wasn't worth it..I'm sure there were some pontils from Maine but they were made elsewhere. No soda's I know of though.


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## ThisGuy (Feb 25, 2015)

Much appreciated info. I've dug a good few broken stoneware bottles in Maine. I have a Wentworth's and a Higgins stoneware soda bottles in my collection. If I dig any pontiled sodas from Maine, I'll let you all know. Thanks again


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## sunrunner (Mar 7, 2015)

living in N.H for years the oldest glass bottles I dug were 1860s. though I found a lot off pottery ale's and ginger beers that may have been older and one other thing Maine was not made a state until 1820. for years before that it had a small population .


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## RIBottleguy (Mar 9, 2015)

I was at the Baltimore show and saw a green Winn squat soda.  I only recognized it because of this thread!


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