Vernors Ginger Ale 150th B-Day

[VernorsGuy]

Keith

Question: Do you have any information that says with certainty if there was ever a refund/rebate allowed for Vernor's extract bottles?

I have seen tons of references about Vernor's Ginger Ale refunds/rebates for bottles, but for the life of me I can't figure out if they're talking about extract bottles or carbonated bottles!

You're identifying all my assumptions! I have rebate cards. Due to the era, 1930's, I assumed it was carbonated bottles. The two extract bottles I have don't say "return for rebate", but neither do any of the early carbonated bottles. I have a couple of business card size rebate cards that I though were stuck in the six pack holder to identify the money for return.

 

[SODABOB]

Keith

Because your last bottle is machine made, the 5 is likely a mold number or something along those lines. Michael Owens came out with a 10 mold machine around 1909, and it could be from one of those. Speaking of Owens machines, does there happen to be an "Owens Suction Scar" on the very bottom/base? The "scar" looks something like a hairline circle found on the very bottom of the bottle, and almost the same diameter as the base itself.

(I'll comment on your document at a later date)

 

[VernorsGuy]

I'm putting a great deal of faith into this ad in that its referring to "carbonated/bottled" Vernor's Ginger Ale for $1.65 per dozen. Even though I might be assuming this, I find it hard to believe that anyone would buy twelve bottles of extract, especially when you take into account that a typical bottle of extract made five-gallons of ready to drink beverage. Not to mention it list Vernor's extract separately. Anyhoo, this is still the earliest reference I can find that even hints at carbonated/bottled Vernor's Ginger Ale. If anyone has or finds an earlier reference, please share it with us. I'm using clues like this in an attempt to date Keith's C.G. CO. bottle.

Detroit Free Press ~ June 18, 1904

View attachment 174944

I agree that the separate line for Vernor's extract means he thought we all knew the $1.65 was for a dozen carbonated bottles. However, five cents times 12 bottles is only 60 cents. It must have been 12 quart bottles, which would make sense because that was a standard number of bottles for a quart case.

 

[SODABOB]

I agree that the separate line for Vernor's extract means he thought we all knew the $1.65 was for a dozen carbonated bottles. However, five cents times 12 bottles is only 60 cents. It must have been 12 quart bottles, which would make sense because that was a standard number of bottles for a quart case.

Okie, dokie, great! I agree 100%. (Sort of). Because if it is indeed referring to "Quart" bottles, then that means there are 1904 quart-size Vernor's Ginger Ale bottles out there, which I'm hoping are "embossed"

 

[SODABOB]

But how do you tell the difference between a 1904 quart-size bottle from a 1911 quart-size bottle? Remember, not all glass factories adopted bottle machines right away (1903-1905). Some didn't switch until much later. In other words, just because a bottle is BIM bottle doesn't necessarily date it - only approximately, such as circa this-or-that!

 

[VernorsGuy]

Okie, dokie, great! I agree 100%. (Sort of). Because if it is indeed referring to "Quart" bottles, then that means there are 1904 quart-size Vernor's Ginger Ale bottles out there, which I'm hoping are "embossed"

All three early paper label bottles I posted earlier were quarts(ish). The one label says 1 pint 8 ounces. So, 26 ounces, not a full 32 ounce quart. The C.G. CO bottle is also 26 ounces.

 

[SODABOB]

Keith

I'm still leaning toward your C.G. CO. bottle as being the earliest bottle you've posted so far. It might even have been made in 1904. That's why I'm so obsessed with it. I just need the missing-link to connect it with circa 1904, or earlier.

 

[hemihampton]

You might like this Bob, I got another Detroit Beer bottle that has the CG Co. on it. It's a tooled crown top not ABM. It's from Idependant Brewing co. Independant first came out in 1907. I wish it was older. LEON.

 

[SODABOB]

Leon

Great! But what about the accompanying marks that follow the C.G. CO. mark? Those marks might be key clues to dating other bottles like Keith's C.G. CO. 14-3 bottle.

 

[SODABOB]

P.S.

Somebody's got to ask this - so I guess I will ...

I wonder if the 3 on Keith's C.G. CO. 14-3 bottle stands for 1903?