# Holmes Mineral Water



## opmustard (Feb 5, 2021)

I recently (and finally) found a doughtnut lip, light green, iron pontil Holmes in very good condition.
Really like the doughnut lips.
opmustard


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## bottlecrazy (Feb 5, 2021)

Gorgeous


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## Joelbest (Feb 5, 2021)

What age period do doughnut lips come from?


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## Robby Raccoon (Feb 5, 2021)

Sherlock Holmes.


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## nhpharm (Feb 5, 2021)

Love it!  Dug a Holmes in Galveston but it’s not the donut lip.


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## opmustard (Feb 6, 2021)

bottlecrazy said:


> Gorgeous


Thank you for the nice post. I really enjoy Holmes a lot. I have been looking for a donut top one for a long time. Saw one years ago at the Greeley, CO. show, it was for show and not for sale. I talked with the owner, he said that he had bought at the New Orleans show. Tried to buy from him, but no way was he going to sell it.
I have a weakness for donut tops.
opmustard


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## opmustard (Feb 6, 2021)

Joelbest said:


> What age period do doughnut lips come from?


Some are fairly old, as early as 1840. Have seen some smooth base ones. I am not sure about the age of this one. The previous owner said about 1830, but I don't think its that old. Have some O/P sodas & mineral waters that are 1830's and they about right for that time period.
Have a Pirus donut top with an iron pontil and it probably dates a little earlier than 1840.
Does anyone on the forum know why they made these type of lips? I don't why.
opmustard


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## bottlecrazy (Feb 6, 2021)

opmustard said:


> Thank you for the nice post. I really enjoy Holmes a lot. I have been looking for a donut top one for a long time. Saw one years ago at the Greeley, CO. show, it was for show and not for sale. I talked with the owner, he said that he had bought at the New Orleans show. Tried to buy from him, but no way was he going to sell it.
> I have a weakness for donut tops.
> opmustard


I can't say I've ever seen a donut lip before.  Unusual to be sure.  But I'd give an awful lot to be able to dig something like that!


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## opmustard (Feb 7, 2021)

bottlecrazy said:


> I can't say I've ever seen a donut lip before.  Unusual to be sure.  But I'd give an awful lot to be able to dig something like that!


I dug one years ago in New Orleans. I still have it. Pirus with the iron still intact. Want to tumble it, but haven't after all these years.
They're harder to come by and usually run a little more if you buy one. 
You would need to find a pretty old privy to find one, however I have a smooth base one in amber that dates to about 1870. Picked it up on one of these major auction sites.
Hope you find one.
opmustard


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## sandchip (Feb 8, 2021)

That's a beauty.  I had a James A. Little from St. Louis with a donut top years ago.  Flawless, bubbly and whittled.  Wish that I had hung onto that one.


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## opmustard (Feb 8, 2021)

Thanks for the post.
I have a donut top James A. Little in my collection. Its about mint, lucky to have had the chance to buy it years ago.
I had a cobalt Nash, pontiled, taper top near mint and I sold it because, well times were hard, couldn't work, lost my most of sponsership and Homeland Secruity wanted to deport me. Lawyer's fees were killing me.
Blah! Blah! Blah! sometimes life just doesn't go the way you had hoped.
opmustard


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## sandchip (Feb 10, 2021)

opmustard said:


> Thanks for the post.
> I have a donut top James A. Little in my collection. Its about mint, lucky to have had the chance to buy it years ago.
> I had a cobalt Nash, pontiled, taper top near mint and I sold it because, well times were hard, couldn't work, lost my most of sponsership and Homeland Secruity wanted to deport me. Lawyer's fees were killing me.
> Blah! Blah! Blah! sometimes life just doesn't go the way you had hoped.
> opmustard



Deport an antique bottle collector?  That's just wrong!

And boy, are you right about life.


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## opmustard (Feb 10, 2021)

The deportation was about SS. Busch Jr. was aiming at primarily Americans from Vietnam who had no I.D. They were simply put on jumbo jets and flown over here at the end of war.
I was born in Japan after the WW2 in 49. My dad was an American engineer working for the U.S. He was a lead bomber on a B-17 in England before he was wounded on a mission over Germany ( back then they had no fighter cover, sitting ducks.)
He did all the paperwork for me to be a U.S. citizen with state dept. However, HomeLand Sercurity controled the state dept. So, I couldn't access my naturalization records. Even though I was in the Marine Corps from 67 to 71 and I did a tour and half in Vietnam, that still didn't cut it with them.
Make a very long story short, Danny Akaka was a long time family friend. I was living in Hawai'i and called him up, went in and talked to him, Danny being a Senator got my citizenship straighten out in 3 weeks.
Also, being a bottle collector helped because I gave Danny some choice Hawaiian hutches.
opmustard


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## Palani (Feb 10, 2021)

Very nice bottle great color!


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## opmustard (Feb 11, 2021)

Thank you for very thoughtful post about my Holmes color. Took awhile to find a donut top Holmes, the color was a definite plus.
opmustard


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 11, 2021)

opmustard said:


> I recently (and finally) found a doughtnut lip, light green, iron pontil Holmes in very good condition.
> Really like the doughnut lips.
> opmustard


Looks like the lip on my moxie nerve food bottle. 1870-80 is my best guess.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## opmustard (Feb 11, 2021)

My Holmes is iron pontiled and they only made a few donut tops. I've been told that the donut tops were made around 1840-1850. Age to me, doesn't matter as much as the donut top, color, it being iron pontiled and it being Holmes. I have a amber donut top that is smooth based and dates to around 1870-75 and I love it.
I simply love donut tops and taper tops.
That is pretty unusual Moxie you have there.
opmustard


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 11, 2021)

opmustard said:


> My Holmes is iron pontiled and they only made a few donut tops. I've been told that the donut tops were made around 1840-1850. Age to me, doesn't matter as much as the donut top, color, it being iron pontiled and it being Holmes. I have a amber donut top that is smooth based and dates to around 1870-75 and I love it.
> I simply love donut tops and taper tops.
> That is pretty unusual Moxie you have there.
> opmustard


No doubt. Just thinking off hand what else I have that had a donut top.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Csa (Feb 11, 2021)

opmustard said:


> The deportation was about SS. Busch Jr. was aiming at primarily Americans from Vietnam who had no I.D. They were simply put on jumbo jets and flown over here at the end of war.
> I was born in Japan after the WW2 in 49. My dad was an American engineer working for the U.S. He was a lead bomber on a B-17 in England before he was wounded on a mission over Germany ( back then they had no fighter cover, sitting ducks.)
> He did all the paperwork for me to be a U.S. citizen with state dept. However, HomeLand Sercurity controled the state dept. So, I couldn't access my naturalization records. Even though I was in the Marine Corps from 67 to 71 and I did a tour and half in Vietnam, that still didn't cut it with them.
> Make a very long story short, Danny Akaka was a long time family friend. I was living in Hawai'i and called him up, went in and talked to him, Danny being a Senator got my citizenship straighten out in 3 weeks.
> ...


I’m still looking for my first dug blob top or hutch let alone a donut  top. But my main takeaway from this thread is I’m glad the government finally did right by you and straightened out your citizenship!! So you can keep diggin and displaying.


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## opmustard (Feb 12, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> No doubt. Just thinking off hand what else I have that had a donut top.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Can you show a picture of your Moxie?
opmustard


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## opmustard (Feb 12, 2021)

Csa said:


> I’m still looking for my first dug blob top or hutch let alone a donut  top. But my main takeaway from this thread is I’m glad the government finally did right by you and straightened out your citizenship!! So you can keep diggin and displaying.


Just keep digging, you'll find a dounut top and much more.
Never did care much for any political people, they always seem to take whatever they could steal from us.
opmustard


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 12, 2021)

opmustard said:


> Can you show a picture of your Moxie?
> opmustard


Will do, I have most of my stuff in storage boxed up right now. I will post a picture as soon as I can. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 12, 2021)

Opmustard-Looks alot like this one.









						Moxie Nerve Food "Patented" Huge Blob Top Excellent Example  | eBay
					

Beautiful super clean example of this embossed " Moxie Nerve Food Lowell Mass. Patented". Big old Blob top really stands out on this Excellent early example of this "Moxie Nerve Food".



					www.ebay.com
				



ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## opmustard (Feb 12, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Opmustard-Looks alot like this one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank your your reply and the picture of the Moxie bottle.
I have seen those online and at bottle shows.
I do like the shape, size and the embossing in my opinion different(really nice.) Just never really looked close up at one.
You have bottles packed up? Moving? just too many to display (that is me) or ?
opmustard


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 12, 2021)

opmustard said:


> Thank your your reply and the picture of the Moxie bottle.
> I have seen those online and at bottle shows.
> I do like the shape, size and the embossing in my opinion different(really nice.) Just never really looked close up at one.
> You have bottles packed up? Moving? just too many to display (that is me) or ?
> opmustard


I just needed to make space. I was painting the whole place. I did not want any mishaps. I had bottles everywhere. Way more than I should have out. Mainly because I was not putting any I recently acquired away. I have way too many to display at one time. I pull out a couple I really like. I display newly acquired for a while also. I am back to a couple bottles and I don't feel like I am cluttered. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## opmustard (Feb 12, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I just needed to make space. I was painting the whole place. I did not want any mishaps. I had bottles everywhere. Way more than I should have out. Mainly because I was not putting any I recently acquired away. I have way too many to display at one time. I pull out a couple I really like. I display newly acquired for a while also. I am back to a couple bottles and I don't feel like I am cluttered.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Those are good reasons to have stored them (smart too)
I was living in Sonoma County (above S.F.) and went to my first bottle show in Santa Rosa, CA. Went crazy with bottles, even sold them for awhile. Started with figural bitters and then collected about every category at one time or another. Its when I went to an East Coast bottle show that I really found unbelieveable bottles.
Like you, I will sell a lot of my bottles to get a fresh start and get that uncluttered feeling (with exception of my sodas and mineral waters).


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 13, 2021)

opmustard said:


> Those are good reasons to have stored them (smart too)
> I was living in Sonoma County (above S.F.) and went to my first bottle show in Santa Rosa, CA. Went crazy with bottles, even sold them for awhile. Started with figural bitters and then collected about every category at one time or another. Its when I went to an East Coast bottle show that I really found unbelieveable bottles.
> Like you, I will sell a lot of my bottles to get a fresh start and get that uncluttered feeling (with exception of my sodas and mineral waters).


I have lost some due to stupid reasons. I always love a deal, those I usually sell. Ones I plan on keeping i usually spend more on. I have changed over the years. Started out in acl's years ago. I still have lots of them. I used to like the unopened full bottles. I am now running into issues with failing/compromised seals. The caps rust from the inside out. Once that happens the liquid starts to flow mold. It is disgusting. Now I only collect attic found mint with the original closures. Medicines with everything. The label , box and pamphlets.  Full if I can get it. Hope corks have more longevity.  I think they do. Good talking.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## opmustard (Feb 13, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I have lost some due to stupid reasons. I always love a deal, those I usually sell. Ones I plan on keeping i usually spend more on. I have changed over the years. Started out in acl's years ago. I still have lots of them. I used to like the unopened full bottles. I am now running into issues with failing/compromised seals. The caps rust from the inside out. Once that happens the liquid starts to flow mold. It is disgusting. Now I only collect attic found mint with the original closures. Medicines with everything. The label , box and pamphlets.  Full if I can get it. Hope corks have more longevity.  I think they do. Good talking.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


I didn't know that about the caps failing, but it makes sense that after time they would. 
I like deals as well. I usually sell them to make a little money or I'll buy a deal that has something that I want for my collection and sell off the others. Usually, it works out.
Yeah, I done really stupid things with some of my bottles. Those, I seem to remember and stupidly regret.
There was a time when I was interested in art deco type of sodas, but my work was very demanding and I didn't follow through with pursuing that itch.
I collect almost all corkers. Mostly pontiled sodas, mineral waters, embossed o/p (rarely iron pontiled) mustards. Have a very weak point for o/p meds, but I always end up selling them for something mentioned above.
I love your picture for the website.
Do the Moxies ever come in colors?
Its good talking with you.
opmustard


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 13, 2021)

opmustard said:


> I didn't know that about the caps failing, but it makes sense that after time they would.
> I like deals as well. I usually sell them to make a little money or I'll buy a deal that has something that I want for my collection and sell off the others. Usually, it works out.
> Yeah, I done really stupid things with some of my bottles. Those, I seem to remember and stupidly regret.
> There was a time when I was interested in art deco type of sodas, but my work was very demanding and I didn't follow through with pursuing that itch.
> ...


Only ones I have seen are the clear ones and aqua that range from light green to the blueish. All aqua though. I want to say I remember an amber one but I am not sure. Would not surprise me. Came in a variety of lips too. Do you collect from certain cities,, local or anything that strikes you. I like local stuff but still too limited for my taste. I pretty much have bottles from all over the states. No canadian ones to date.  O/P meds I have. No sodas with O/P but iron pontiled. Thanks for the reply. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## opmustard (Feb 13, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Only ones I have seen are the clear ones and aqua that range from light green to the blueish. All aqua though. I want to say I remember an amber one but I am not sure. Would not surprise me. Came in a variety of lips too. Do you collect from certain cities,, local or anything that strikes you. I like local stuff but still too limited for my taste. I pretty much have bottles from all over the states. No canadian ones to date.  O/P meds I have. No sodas with O/P but iron pontiled. Thanks for the reply.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Collect sodas & minerals by color, pontil (mostly) shape of the bottle (taper & donut tops, long necks, embossing). Mustards o/p or iron pontil-rare, shape, very important is the embossing. Mainly anything in the U.S.
opmustard


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 13, 2021)

Color is big with me. USA all the way!
ROBBYBOBBY64


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