Please Help

[Danielle]

Please Help, I have a PIcture of the bottle that me and my husband dug up in our basement. The house we just bought is over 108 years old. The bottle is clear with the embossment "W PEACOCK ROCHESTER PA" on it. From what I researched it is a blob top bottle. We were wondering possibly how old and how much our little treasure is worth, if anyone could help we would appreciate it.

 

[ronvae]

It looks like there is a little rubber stopper in the bottom--if there was a metal wire in the top that used to hold the little rubber part in place, it would be a Hutchinson soda bottle, or "hutch". I have one hutch and the top looks exactly the same. All depends on what that little black thing inside is, and if you can tell whether there is or was a wire in the top. I think hutches were about 1880-1900, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Sam_MaineBottles]

You're right on ronvae about that being a hutch bottle and the dates they were in use. Pennsylvania has probably the greatest number of different Hutchinson bottles of any state, there are 1400-1500 from just PA - here in Maine there are only about 15 different Hutches. []

-Sam

 

[Sam_MaineBottles]

I meant to say welcome to the Forum, Danielle!
It looks like that hutch should clean up fairly well - show us another picture after you've given it a cleaning.

-Sam

 

[S.C. Warner]

Hi everyone! This is one of the stories I've heard about the Hutches, and wondered if it's true?
The wire stopper that Ronvae is talking about was forced down into the bottle with the palm of the hand to open the bottle. That produced a popping sound and this is how soda "Pop" got it's name. Then, as I was told, the bottle when returned, was refilled and the stopper was fished up with a wire and re-used.
As I said, this was something I was told and not sure about how true. maybe someone here in the forum knows if so or not. Like Sam, I hope you post another picture. And I hope you guys keep digging and find more![]
s.c

 

[Danielle]

Thanks

Thank You all so much! This is all so new and interesting to us, I hope that we find a lot of neat stuff as we renovate our old house! Thanks so much.
My parents collect bottles they have trillions of them, maybe i'll start researching their origin and worth too.

 

[bigkitty53]

S.C.
I've heard the same 'pop' origin story told about the English codd bottle![] My guess it's just one of those historically obscure things that everyone tries to claim.(like sliced bread![])

KAT