# Casper Kuhn Michigan City Indiana - Anybody Heard of This One?



## quailman (Mar 25, 2014)

Hello Folks, I recently picked up this bottle embossed "CASPER KUHN & CO. 602 E. MICH. ST. MICHIGAN CITY IND.".  The bottom (post-bottom mold) is marked "W F & S MIL".  I'm not real knowledgeable about bottles, but my internet research suggests that the bottle was made by the Northern Glass Works in Milwaukee shortly after it was taken over by William Frazen & Son (mark used ~1896 to 1900).  The bottle appears to be quart-sized (11 1/2" tall) with a lightning closure.  It's a blown in mold bottle (seam lines stop near top) with a tooled finish lip.  The edge of the base is marked "THIS BOTTLE IS NEVER SOLD". My question to the group is whether anyone has heard of this bottle or if it's documented in any books.  My internet research has come up nearly empty and I can't find another single example of this bottle mentioned anywhere on the web.  I found a 1905 Michigan City directory that listed the company "Kuhn Brothers" (of which Casper Kuhn was associated with) as "bottlers of Schlitz Milwaukee Beer".  Since Schlitz is not mentioned on this bottle, I'm wondering if they were brewing their own beer prior to bottling beer for Schlitz. Any ideas regarding this bottle would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

[attachment=kuhn front.jpg]  [attachment=kuhn close1.jpg]  [attachment=kuhn bottom.jpg]


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## ScottBSA (Mar 26, 2014)

Looks like a nice bottle.  You have done your research quite well.  Before prohibition it was very common for brewers to ship refrigerated kegs of beer to distributors in other cities and they would bottle the beer and apply a brewery label to the bottle.  The local bottler would then be a hub for bottling and cleaning the bottled beer.  A little more research might reveal the dates of Caspar's operation in Michigan City, but the bottle fits the time frame.  The value is in the local market.  Nice find. Scott


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## Blackglass (Mar 26, 2014)

Welcome to ABN! I have to compliment you on those EXCELLENT photos, looks great. As far as the bottle goes, it's not listed on Tod's Sodasandbeers.com (Largest beer and soda bottle database on the web). Because of it's absence there, and the limited information you dug up on it, it's likely that it's a hard to find beer.


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## cowseatmaize (Mar 26, 2014)

Welcome Mike, sort of echoing some of the above with this.I get the feeling that your Casper was more of a merchant than a bottler or brewer. That may make the bottles more scarce but at the same time less interesting to many collectors outside the family.It may well have held a soda flavor also.Many TOC blobs were so local to a street corner they can be tough to find interest in no matter how many have survived. The family is what you need info on, it's probably the son or some relative of the flour guy.


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## quailman (Mar 26, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I spent some more time attempting to research Casper Kuhn and haven't had much success.  Casper L. Kuhn (1833-1903) was supposedly "retired" during the 1896-1900 time period of the bottle (assuming the date range is correct).  His son, Casper A. Kuhn (1879-1951) would have been a little young in 1896-1900 (17-21 years old).  But Casper Jr. and his younger brother William (born in 1881) were known to be bottlers of Schlitz Beer in 1905 under the company name "Kuhn Bros." at a different location than described on this bottle.  So the mystery remains.  My best guess at this point is that the bottle was from a beer bottling business started by Casper Jr. before his brother joined the company. If anyone else comes up with any more leads or ideas, please let me know.  Thanks again!


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## Kohler (Feb 20, 2015)

Hi there!I don't have any info on Kuhn, but I do have some info on other names from Michigan City, IN; such as Kadow, Kunkel, and Zorn. I could do some research at the library for Kuhn.  Are you from the Michigan City, IN area? Might you consider selling this bottle?Kind Regards,Phillip


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## RIBottleguy (Feb 21, 2015)

Mike, if you can find old city directories at your local library or historical society, they will have detailed listings of companies like this and likely advertisements too.


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Feb 23, 2015)

Quailman, I live in Michigan City and I collect locals. This is not a commonly found MC bottle. You have done good research already on this bottler. I would add that there was a Kuhn Beer Distributors at 1809 Washington St. MC going back at least to 1948, and up until maybe 10 years ago. Before that, the bldg. was Kuhn Feed Mill, and that goes back into the 1800s. The 602 Michigan St. address was in the heart of "bottlers alley" around the turn of the century, and was "Fred Umlauf Bottler Zorn's Beer" (M.C) at least 1910 till he died c1916. The land is now an empty lot. GLASSHOPPER55


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 25, 2015)

I checked out the sanborn fire insurance maps for your 602 address and discovered the early maps from the 1880's had a different numbering system, making it difficult to figure out. But the 1899 map showed a barber shop at 602 Michigan St and on the 1905 map there was listed a "notions" shop at 602 & 604. The 2 addresses appear to be one building with a common wall between them, and 604 was listed as a notions shop on the 1899 map as well, likely buying out the barber to expand. Oddly enough, in 1905 there was listed a Schlitz beer depot virtually at the back end of the property, listed as 515 6th st. Attached at the rear of the depot was listed as "ice house" but with a half address, 606 1/2. Next map of 1912 showed all the buildings were vacant and the depot was gone and listed only as an ice house. Even though the ice house was situated directly behind 602/604, it was listed as 606 1/2 which would connect it to the residence next door to the now vacant notions shop on Michigan. Next available map was 1922 and held no relevant information. With this I would suspect the bottle would predate the barber shop in 1899. The 1889 map, which was next earlier map, didn't appear to include this portion of the town, which was commonplace for some reason. One last note, on the 1899 map there were only sheds and a barn where the Schlitz beer depot was by 1905. Hope this helps. You can usually access the local sanborn maps through your local library research dept. or online through your state university digital collections. Good luck in your search. Jack


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Feb 25, 2015)

I have access to Mich. City city directories so I can check on what it says (if any) on Casper Kuhn.Here are some other Michigan City bottles. That area of the city was where most of the bottlers were at. Many saloons were agents of local and national beer brands and bottled them also. GLASSHOPPER55


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Feb 25, 2015)

I see my pictures worked so here are a few more.  GLASSHOPPER55


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## cowseatmaize (Feb 25, 2015)

The post is almost a year old but I hope they are looking, that's some good stuff.


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## Kohler (Feb 26, 2015)

Glasshopper55. That is a great collection of bottles from Michigan City, IND!! I was born and raised in Michigan City, IND and just started collecting local bottles a few months ago. I have a H.C. Kunkel applied blob top quart with lighting closure and a H. Grattenthaler/Bottler of Zorn's Beer tooled crown top quart. I've been able to find information on H.C. Kunkel, P.H. Zorn, W.M. Kadow and even a picture of inside H. Grattenthaler's bar in the 1900's. I found it all at our library. How long have you been collecting? I'd love to hear some of your knowledge on Michigan City, IND bottlers and bottles.Kind Regards,Phillip


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Feb 26, 2015)

I realize this is an old post, but I was surprised to see a local bottle being discussed here, so I want to get the information on here, if for others anyway.I also wanted to correct something I posted earlier. Fred Umlauf was located a block earlier, at 5th and Michigan. I hit the city directories today but found no new info. on Casper Kuhn. Seems good info. is very spotty/hard to find in that era. I saw that he was listed as a miller in 1890-91, a farmer (!) in 1896, and retired by 1899. Unless something new turns up, the OP has done the best research on this bottler. Hope he's still out there somewhere reading this. GLASSHOPPER55


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