| Hutchinson Bottle Directory Updates |
Tick, Tick, Tick...
August 23, 2006
I've enjoyed the summer break from running marathons (as those who regularly
check the continually changing photos posted on Betsy's page are aware) in order
to (1) beat the heat because dehydration isn't fun, and (2) increase the time
devoted to other projects, the biggest of which is the HutchBook. During
August I reverted to using an hourly planning schedule patterned after one I
used for years at work. It may sound strange for a retiree to utilize an hourly
scheduling tool, but it is proving to be highly useful. The best aspect of
retirement is there are so many fun things to do; the down side is there's so
little time! I'll soon have 3,500 hours invested in the HutchBook project since
01-01-04 and have still only missed two days of working on it seven days a
week during this time period. Most importantly, it continues to be great fun!
The grand total number of listings has increased slightly to 14,667 thanks in
particular to the on-going strong support of the Hutchinson specialists. Keep
those cards and letters (and EMails!) coming!
Four of the five bottles pictured on the home page are current eBay listings.
Even when I know a bottle is catalogued, the listing is reviewed; it's amazing
how often we fill-in missing data and/or discover totally new variants.
The C.C.C. / TAYLORVILLE / ILL. has an I.G.CO.688 maker's mark instead
of an AB mark like a similar listing. The C.C.C. stands for Crystal Carbonating
Company. See eBay 180020868715.
The (crane) / BOTTLING WORKS / CRANE, MO. is another of my favorite
picture Hutchinsons; what a great bird engraving! See eBay 290021151532.
How about that cool Hutchinson with the beautiful MODOX paper label! I
EMailed the great grandson of the company's founder about the firm's possible
use of Hutchinsons, but haven't received a response. For more information on
MODOX, visit http://pages.cthome.net/powrpc/whatismodox.htm. Four bidders
drove the closing price up to $61.18. See eBay 160019274740.
I've noted that interesting ring around the shoulders of the JULIUS C. KOCH /
HILLSBORO, OHIO bottle on several Washington, D.C. Hutchinson bottles too.
This rare Ohio Hutchinson was made by Root Glass. See eBay 300020095905.
The previously unknown LIGINGER / & / McELROY / MILWAUKEE Hutchinson
was a surprise guest at last weekend's Milwaukee (WI) Bottle Club picnic. See
www.mrbottles.com for additional details.
Oops, my schedule says its dinner time. Catch you next month.
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
August 23, 2006
I've enjoyed the summer break from running marathons (as those who regularly
check the continually changing photos posted on Betsy's page are aware) in order
to (1) beat the heat because dehydration isn't fun, and (2) increase the time
devoted to other projects, the biggest of which is the HutchBook. During
August I reverted to using an hourly planning schedule patterned after one I
used for years at work. It may sound strange for a retiree to utilize an hourly
scheduling tool, but it is proving to be highly useful. The best aspect of
retirement is there are so many fun things to do; the down side is there's so
little time! I'll soon have 3,500 hours invested in the HutchBook project since
01-01-04 and have still only missed two days of working on it seven days a
week during this time period. Most importantly, it continues to be great fun!
The grand total number of listings has increased slightly to 14,667 thanks in
particular to the on-going strong support of the Hutchinson specialists. Keep
those cards and letters (and EMails!) coming!
Four of the five bottles pictured on the home page are current eBay listings.
Even when I know a bottle is catalogued, the listing is reviewed; it's amazing
how often we fill-in missing data and/or discover totally new variants.
The C.C.C. / TAYLORVILLE / ILL. has an I.G.CO.688 maker's mark instead
of an AB mark like a similar listing. The C.C.C. stands for Crystal Carbonating
Company. See eBay 180020868715.
The (crane) / BOTTLING WORKS / CRANE, MO. is another of my favorite
picture Hutchinsons; what a great bird engraving! See eBay 290021151532.
How about that cool Hutchinson with the beautiful MODOX paper label! I
EMailed the great grandson of the company's founder about the firm's possible
use of Hutchinsons, but haven't received a response. For more information on
MODOX, visit http://pages.cthome.net/powrpc/whatismodox.htm. Four bidders
drove the closing price up to $61.18. See eBay 160019274740.
I've noted that interesting ring around the shoulders of the JULIUS C. KOCH /
HILLSBORO, OHIO bottle on several Washington, D.C. Hutchinson bottles too.
This rare Ohio Hutchinson was made by Root Glass. See eBay 300020095905.
The previously unknown LIGINGER / & / McELROY / MILWAUKEE Hutchinson
was a surprise guest at last weekend's Milwaukee (WI) Bottle Club picnic. See
www.mrbottles.com for additional details.
Oops, my schedule says its dinner time. Catch you next month.
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
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It's The Little Things...
July 24, 2006
Seattle was fortunate to escape the heat wave gripping the continent until the
past several days when we have been matching or exceeding record high
temperatures. I am not coping well. Thank goodness the Hutchinson Bottle
Directory project helps divert my attention and tone down my whining! I
certainly hope next month's headline doesn't make any reference to the "Dog
Days of August." Okay, okay; no more whining...
We're still filling-in-the-blanks for existing listings and identifying more
Hutchinsons, and the grand total number of listings has grown to 14,603. Still
more new listings are on the way as we've added two more Hutchinson
specialists for PA. What a state!
The five bottles pictured on the home page were selected because : (1) they're
excellent examples of bottles we've added lately, and (2) they illustrate and
support the definition of "variant" we're using for this project. Specifically:
Numerous examples of McCARTHY BROS & MARTIN / RIVERSIDE / N.Y. /
REGISTERED bottles have appeared on eBay over the years and until this week
I thought there were only two variants. When eBay item 130009164848
caught my eye, closer examination indicated a possible third variant. An
additional photo graciously provided by the seller revealed that although the
embossing descriptions are almost identical on paper (one has a period after
BROS.), there are in fact three distinct embossing patterns warranting three
separate HutchBook listings.
The attractive MANHATTAN BOTTL'G CO / SOUTH / BETHLEHEM / PA.
bottle (eBay 140010453052) has a horseshoe plate and round base. Another
example has a round plate and ten panel base, and is embossed MANHATTAN /
BOTTLING CO. / SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PA. These two bottles are clearly
variants and separate HutchBook listings for each is a no-brainer.
When I referenced the CT speadsheet for the JOHN CLANCY / BOTTLING
WORKS / NEW HAVEN, CONN. / REGISTERED bottle (eBay 270010643401),
I noted we have identified eight other Hutchinsons utilized by this same firm.
As it turns out, however, the bottler's last name is spelled CLANCY on this
bottle, and on the other eight it's CLANCEY! Indeed, this is another obvious
(and highly desirable) variant.
Our thanks to these eBay sellers for permission to post their photos.
It's time for me to try to beat the heat with yet another cold drink (soda, of
course, not "whine"...)!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
July 24, 2006
Seattle was fortunate to escape the heat wave gripping the continent until the
past several days when we have been matching or exceeding record high
temperatures. I am not coping well. Thank goodness the Hutchinson Bottle
Directory project helps divert my attention and tone down my whining! I
certainly hope next month's headline doesn't make any reference to the "Dog
Days of August." Okay, okay; no more whining...
We're still filling-in-the-blanks for existing listings and identifying more
Hutchinsons, and the grand total number of listings has grown to 14,603. Still
more new listings are on the way as we've added two more Hutchinson
specialists for PA. What a state!
The five bottles pictured on the home page were selected because : (1) they're
excellent examples of bottles we've added lately, and (2) they illustrate and
support the definition of "variant" we're using for this project. Specifically:
Numerous examples of McCARTHY BROS & MARTIN / RIVERSIDE / N.Y. /
REGISTERED bottles have appeared on eBay over the years and until this week
I thought there were only two variants. When eBay item 130009164848
caught my eye, closer examination indicated a possible third variant. An
additional photo graciously provided by the seller revealed that although the
embossing descriptions are almost identical on paper (one has a period after
BROS.), there are in fact three distinct embossing patterns warranting three
separate HutchBook listings.
The attractive MANHATTAN BOTTL'G CO / SOUTH / BETHLEHEM / PA.
bottle (eBay 140010453052) has a horseshoe plate and round base. Another
example has a round plate and ten panel base, and is embossed MANHATTAN /
BOTTLING CO. / SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PA. These two bottles are clearly
variants and separate HutchBook listings for each is a no-brainer.
When I referenced the CT speadsheet for the JOHN CLANCY / BOTTLING
WORKS / NEW HAVEN, CONN. / REGISTERED bottle (eBay 270010643401),
I noted we have identified eight other Hutchinsons utilized by this same firm.
As it turns out, however, the bottler's last name is spelled CLANCY on this
bottle, and on the other eight it's CLANCEY! Indeed, this is another obvious
(and highly desirable) variant.
Our thanks to these eBay sellers for permission to post their photos.
It's time for me to try to beat the heat with yet another cold drink (soda, of
course, not "whine"...)!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
Filling-In-The-______...
June 18, 2006
The past month's primary focus has been on updating individual spreadsheets.
Working copies of each state/territory/province/country spreadsheet are filed
in an increasingly large, three-ring notebook. As additional data is obtained, I
write the changes in red directly on the hard copy spreadsheets. Periodically
(typically when the drafts start getting too messy to read), I key the data
into the PC, print updated copies, and start the process all over again.
The hard copy spreadsheets greatly facilitate chasing additional data. For
example, when a new eBay listing appears, it's easy to quickly see if we have
the bottle listed and what data we do/don't have for it. If we're missing
information, I usually EMail the eBay seller for the additional data. Overall,
we have had terrific support from 95%+ of the sellers we've contacted. This
has been a good learning experience, as I suspect this process is similar to the
way we'll continue to update www.HutchBook.com for years to come.
Thanks to several packets of data submitted by Hutchinson specialists plus a
springtime increase in eBay listing activity, progress on filling-in-the-blanks has
picked up considerably of late. Mercifully, the number of new listings continues
to level off, with the grand total now at 14,536.
Speaking of new listings, the four bottles pictured on the home page are recent
additions to the database. My thanks to each eBay seller for permission to use
their photographs this month. These good-looking bottles include:
E. J. RICHARDSON / PLR (monogram) / HAWLEY, PA. - 2 piece mold, aqua,
7.0" x 2.5" with round plate, THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD on the back,
3B on the base, round, rare. Note that the bottler's initials are EJR, yet the
monogram is PLR. See eBay 6288920440.
J. W. KELTZ / REGISTERED / 1892 / HONESDALE, PA. - 2 piece mold,
aqua, 7.0" x 2.5" with round plate, THIS BOTTLE NOT / TO BE SOLD on the b
ack, blank base, round, rare. See eBay 6288923266.
LERNER & WAX / PASSAIC, N. J. - 2 piece mold, aqua, 7.0" x 2.375" with
round plate, NOT TO BE SOLD on the back, BOLEY MFG. CO. N.Y. / B on
base, round, rare. See eBay 6288340809.
EASTON BOTTLING CO. / HZ (monogram) / EASTON, PA - 2 piece mold,
aqua,7.0" x 2.25" with horseshoe plate, blank back, W.H.S. on base, 10 panel
base. See eBay 6288688344.
My five spring marathons are behind me with no more races until September, so
I'm planning to make major progress on the HutchBook this summer. My thanks
to everyone involved for your on-going encouragement and assistance.
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
June 18, 2006
The past month's primary focus has been on updating individual spreadsheets.
Working copies of each state/territory/province/country spreadsheet are filed
in an increasingly large, three-ring notebook. As additional data is obtained, I
write the changes in red directly on the hard copy spreadsheets. Periodically
(typically when the drafts start getting too messy to read), I key the data
into the PC, print updated copies, and start the process all over again.
The hard copy spreadsheets greatly facilitate chasing additional data. For
example, when a new eBay listing appears, it's easy to quickly see if we have
the bottle listed and what data we do/don't have for it. If we're missing
information, I usually EMail the eBay seller for the additional data. Overall,
we have had terrific support from 95%+ of the sellers we've contacted. This
has been a good learning experience, as I suspect this process is similar to the
way we'll continue to update www.HutchBook.com for years to come.
Thanks to several packets of data submitted by Hutchinson specialists plus a
springtime increase in eBay listing activity, progress on filling-in-the-blanks has
picked up considerably of late. Mercifully, the number of new listings continues
to level off, with the grand total now at 14,536.
Speaking of new listings, the four bottles pictured on the home page are recent
additions to the database. My thanks to each eBay seller for permission to use
their photographs this month. These good-looking bottles include:
E. J. RICHARDSON / PLR (monogram) / HAWLEY, PA. - 2 piece mold, aqua,
7.0" x 2.5" with round plate, THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD on the back,
3B on the base, round, rare. Note that the bottler's initials are EJR, yet the
monogram is PLR. See eBay 6288920440.
J. W. KELTZ / REGISTERED / 1892 / HONESDALE, PA. - 2 piece mold,
aqua, 7.0" x 2.5" with round plate, THIS BOTTLE NOT / TO BE SOLD on the b
ack, blank base, round, rare. See eBay 6288923266.
LERNER & WAX / PASSAIC, N. J. - 2 piece mold, aqua, 7.0" x 2.375" with
round plate, NOT TO BE SOLD on the back, BOLEY MFG. CO. N.Y. / B on
base, round, rare. See eBay 6288340809.
EASTON BOTTLING CO. / HZ (monogram) / EASTON, PA - 2 piece mold,
aqua,7.0" x 2.25" with horseshoe plate, blank back, W.H.S. on base, 10 panel
base. See eBay 6288688344.
My five spring marathons are behind me with no more races until September, so
I'm planning to make major progress on the HutchBook this summer. My thanks
to everyone involved for your on-going encouragement and assistance.
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
Happy Mother's Day...
May 14, 2006
Mother's Day afforded an opportunity to post a headline on the home page
utilizing springtime colors. The "Mother May I" reference is a not-so-subtle
suggestion that I'd certainly be happy to add any of the pictured bottles to my
collection! More about each of these bottles in a minute.
The past month has seen considerable HutchBook activity and progress. We now
have 14,495 different Hutchinsons catalogued! In addition to new listings, data
quality keeps getting better thanks to terrific support from collectors across
the continent. My sincere thanks to each contributor to the project!
Did you see the HutchBook article in the latest issue of the FOHBC's Bottles &
Extras? Doesn't Kathy Hopson do great work!
The S. COPE & SON / TAUNTON / MASS. / PATENTED FEB. 20, 1883 JUNE
23 85 & AUG 4 85 (around base) bottle is eBay 6279751121. William L.
Roorbach's closure featured an imprisoned hollow marble that sealed against a
hard rubber gasket inserted into a groove in the mouth of the bottle. This is
but one example of an internally stoppered bottle that is frequently mistaken
for a Hutchinson. I originally planned to only include brief references to such
"other" closures, but now I've decided to include enough patent information and
illustrations that www.HutchBook.com will be a good site to visit for the better
identification of Roorbach, Baltimore Loop Seal, Parkhurst, Matthews'
Gravitating, et al stoppers. Those seeking additional information will be
referred to books such as Dave Graci's fine Soda and Beer Bottle Closures
1850 - 1910 (click on Bottle Books For Sale for details and ordering
information).
That stunning, dark amber Wm. A. KEARNEY / SHAMOKIN / PA. quart is
listed as eBay 6279345484. It always hurts me to see such beautiful quart
Hutchinsons, given than I specialize in Oregon and Washington sodas and neither
state had any quarts. Zero. Zilch. Nada. The lack of quarts from west of
the Mississippi (we've identified six from NE, and one each from CO, WY, and
CA) is the type of interesting statistic that shows up when searching the
HutchBook database. Pffft! Only nine quart Hutchinsons out west; there are
Midwest bottlers who had more than that all by themselves!
The M. THEILER. / (tomahawk) / TOMAHAWK / BOTTLING / WORKS / WIS.
is one of my favorite picture Hutchinsons! (This is bottle #8780 in Roger
Peters' Wisconsin Soda Water Bottles 1845 - 1910. Click on Bottle Books For
Sale for details and ordering information. The photograph is compliments of
www.mrbottles.com; thanks, Bob!) I wanted to post this photo because there
are some incredibly nice picture bottles that many collectors don't know about.
It also illustrates the value of the HutchBook as a quick reference guide.
Today's EMail brought a message from a collector who recently dug a tomahawk
bottle. Once HutchBook.com is up, one will only need to access the site to
determine rarity, identify collectors who specialize in certain areas, etc.
We finally have a New Hampshire Hutchinson specialist! This leaves only CT and
RI unassigned. I can understand RI (it isn't like there are a lot of RI
Hutchinsons!) but someone must know a CT Hutchinson collector. Help!
Good digging and collecting to all!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
May 14, 2006
Mother's Day afforded an opportunity to post a headline on the home page
utilizing springtime colors. The "Mother May I" reference is a not-so-subtle
suggestion that I'd certainly be happy to add any of the pictured bottles to my
collection! More about each of these bottles in a minute.
The past month has seen considerable HutchBook activity and progress. We now
have 14,495 different Hutchinsons catalogued! In addition to new listings, data
quality keeps getting better thanks to terrific support from collectors across
the continent. My sincere thanks to each contributor to the project!
Did you see the HutchBook article in the latest issue of the FOHBC's Bottles &
Extras? Doesn't Kathy Hopson do great work!
The S. COPE & SON / TAUNTON / MASS. / PATENTED FEB. 20, 1883 JUNE
23 85 & AUG 4 85 (around base) bottle is eBay 6279751121. William L.
Roorbach's closure featured an imprisoned hollow marble that sealed against a
hard rubber gasket inserted into a groove in the mouth of the bottle. This is
but one example of an internally stoppered bottle that is frequently mistaken
for a Hutchinson. I originally planned to only include brief references to such
"other" closures, but now I've decided to include enough patent information and
illustrations that www.HutchBook.com will be a good site to visit for the better
identification of Roorbach, Baltimore Loop Seal, Parkhurst, Matthews'
Gravitating, et al stoppers. Those seeking additional information will be
referred to books such as Dave Graci's fine Soda and Beer Bottle Closures
1850 - 1910 (click on Bottle Books For Sale for details and ordering
information).
That stunning, dark amber Wm. A. KEARNEY / SHAMOKIN / PA. quart is
listed as eBay 6279345484. It always hurts me to see such beautiful quart
Hutchinsons, given than I specialize in Oregon and Washington sodas and neither
state had any quarts. Zero. Zilch. Nada. The lack of quarts from west of
the Mississippi (we've identified six from NE, and one each from CO, WY, and
CA) is the type of interesting statistic that shows up when searching the
HutchBook database. Pffft! Only nine quart Hutchinsons out west; there are
Midwest bottlers who had more than that all by themselves!
The M. THEILER. / (tomahawk) / TOMAHAWK / BOTTLING / WORKS / WIS.
is one of my favorite picture Hutchinsons! (This is bottle #8780 in Roger
Peters' Wisconsin Soda Water Bottles 1845 - 1910. Click on Bottle Books For
Sale for details and ordering information. The photograph is compliments of
www.mrbottles.com; thanks, Bob!) I wanted to post this photo because there
are some incredibly nice picture bottles that many collectors don't know about.
It also illustrates the value of the HutchBook as a quick reference guide.
Today's EMail brought a message from a collector who recently dug a tomahawk
bottle. Once HutchBook.com is up, one will only need to access the site to
determine rarity, identify collectors who specialize in certain areas, etc.
We finally have a New Hampshire Hutchinson specialist! This leaves only CT and
RI unassigned. I can understand RI (it isn't like there are a lot of RI
Hutchinsons!) but someone must know a CT Hutchinson collector. Help!
Good digging and collecting to all!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
Flat Spot In The Road...
April 9, 2006
Looking back over my Hutchinson Bottle Directory activity log since the last
update, I'm reminded of the marathons I ran last weekend and today; even
though I was out there working hard, I'm hard pressed to point at much that
proves it! Sometimes we hit a flat spot in the road when it feels like the
wheels are spinning and we aren't making much progress. That sums up the past
month's Hutch Book activity although considerable hours were devoted to
correspondence, updating spreadsheets, and plowing thru eBay offerings
searching for new listings and missing data for existing listings. The proof is in
the numbers I suppose, as we now have over 14,300 listings, and have filled in
many more of the blanks where data is (was) missing.
Speaking of numbers, did you figure out what those three bottles pictured on
the home page have in common? Drum roll please: WI and NY have each
exceeded 1,000 listings, and PA has passed the 2,500 threshold! Alas, I failed
to identify the exact 1000th and 2500th bottles (running too many marathons
has been known to kill brain cells), so I picked three random WI, NY, and PA
bottles from current eBay listings (THANK YOU eBay sellers for permission to
reproduce your photographs!). The GEORGE RITTER / CEDARBURG, / WIS. is
eBay 6269331232. The GAFFEY & KNIGHT / TANNERSVILLE / N. Y. is eBay
6268690798. The beautiful, cobalt blue PITTSBURGH BOTTLING / J & D /
MILLER / HOUSE is eBay 6268687280. Check 'em out!
I have one more marathon scheduled for this month, and then only one each in
May and June. This looks like a good opportunity to shift gears and focus more
attention on the Hutchinson Bottle Collectors Association, plus design and content
for the new HutchBook.com web site.
Don't forget to check out the updated maverick list and the newly listed Long
Island bottle book!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
April 9, 2006
Looking back over my Hutchinson Bottle Directory activity log since the last
update, I'm reminded of the marathons I ran last weekend and today; even
though I was out there working hard, I'm hard pressed to point at much that
proves it! Sometimes we hit a flat spot in the road when it feels like the
wheels are spinning and we aren't making much progress. That sums up the past
month's Hutch Book activity although considerable hours were devoted to
correspondence, updating spreadsheets, and plowing thru eBay offerings
searching for new listings and missing data for existing listings. The proof is in
the numbers I suppose, as we now have over 14,300 listings, and have filled in
many more of the blanks where data is (was) missing.
Speaking of numbers, did you figure out what those three bottles pictured on
the home page have in common? Drum roll please: WI and NY have each
exceeded 1,000 listings, and PA has passed the 2,500 threshold! Alas, I failed
to identify the exact 1000th and 2500th bottles (running too many marathons
has been known to kill brain cells), so I picked three random WI, NY, and PA
bottles from current eBay listings (THANK YOU eBay sellers for permission to
reproduce your photographs!). The GEORGE RITTER / CEDARBURG, / WIS. is
eBay 6269331232. The GAFFEY & KNIGHT / TANNERSVILLE / N. Y. is eBay
6268690798. The beautiful, cobalt blue PITTSBURGH BOTTLING / J & D /
MILLER / HOUSE is eBay 6268687280. Check 'em out!
I have one more marathon scheduled for this month, and then only one each in
May and June. This looks like a good opportunity to shift gears and focus more
attention on the Hutchinson Bottle Collectors Association, plus design and content
for the new HutchBook.com web site.
Don't forget to check out the updated maverick list and the newly listed Long
Island bottle book!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
Back In The Saddle Again...
March 8, 2006
I spent much of January and February in Texas visiting my Dad. His recovery
from valve replacement and double bypass heart surgery (at age 94!) is going
very well and he's heading home from a rehab facility in a couple of days.
While in Texas, I devoted considerable time to several fun Hutchinson Bottle
Directory challenges that weren't getting proper attention here at home where
phone, EMail, and eBay activities have the days screaming by way too quickly.
This included: designing a HutchBook logo; further development of a proposal I'm
referring to as the "Hutchinson Bottle Collectors Association" (more details in
weeks to come); researching Hutchinson Company history; authoring materials
concerning non-Hutchinson closures (Parkhurst, Klee, Stewart's Floating Ball,
Roorbach, Matthews' Gravitating Stopper, Baltimore Loop Seals, and others);
and preparing an article about the manufacture, filling, and use of Hutchinson
bottles. It was both relaxing and very exciting to accomplish so much so quickly.
Once home I focused on digging thru a mountain of EMail. I'm now as caught up
as I ever get and back in the saddle again (and trying not to get bucked off!).
One of the more exciting developments I've encountered recently is expansion of
the "Mr. Bottles" web site by Bob Libbey and several other Wisconsin collectors
contributing to their great project. If you haven't seen what they're up to,
click on the Advanced Bottle Collector Links button and you'll find a link to their
site. Once there, click on "Wisconsin Antique Bottle Galleries" (an amber
Hutchinson near the top of the screen) and then select "Wisconsin Antique
Hutchinsons Bottle Gallery." Depending on the speed of your Internet
connection, it may take awhile for the 400+ photos to load, but it's worth the
wait! The thumbnail illustrations of bottles with the ability to click and enlarge
them is similar to the approach we're employing for the www.HutchBook.com site.
Given the wild spring weather around the country, the home page headline
provided a great excuse to post a photo of several nice SEETERS VICHY AND
CARBONATED BEVERAGES bottles. Joe Nagy's files included huge folders
chock full of Pittsburgh, PA Hutchinson bottle photos and company history
information submitted in the late 1970s. This particular photo is one of my
favorites, showing five of the 11 SEETERS variants catalogued thus far. Left
to right, these bottles are MINSKY & SAPIRO (honey gold), GABRIEL SAPIRO
(blue aqua), and three L. COHEN & SON variants (amber and blue aqua with
REGISTERED above the lion, and blue aqua with REGISTERED under the lion).
Stare at these beauties long enough and you can actually hear the lions roar...
The total number of listings is now at 14,219. WI and NY will each pass the
1,000 listing threshold before the next update in early April. No foolin'!
Good collecting!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
March 8, 2006
I spent much of January and February in Texas visiting my Dad. His recovery
from valve replacement and double bypass heart surgery (at age 94!) is going
very well and he's heading home from a rehab facility in a couple of days.
While in Texas, I devoted considerable time to several fun Hutchinson Bottle
Directory challenges that weren't getting proper attention here at home where
phone, EMail, and eBay activities have the days screaming by way too quickly.
This included: designing a HutchBook logo; further development of a proposal I'm
referring to as the "Hutchinson Bottle Collectors Association" (more details in
weeks to come); researching Hutchinson Company history; authoring materials
concerning non-Hutchinson closures (Parkhurst, Klee, Stewart's Floating Ball,
Roorbach, Matthews' Gravitating Stopper, Baltimore Loop Seals, and others);
and preparing an article about the manufacture, filling, and use of Hutchinson
bottles. It was both relaxing and very exciting to accomplish so much so quickly.
Once home I focused on digging thru a mountain of EMail. I'm now as caught up
as I ever get and back in the saddle again (and trying not to get bucked off!).
One of the more exciting developments I've encountered recently is expansion of
the "Mr. Bottles" web site by Bob Libbey and several other Wisconsin collectors
contributing to their great project. If you haven't seen what they're up to,
click on the Advanced Bottle Collector Links button and you'll find a link to their
site. Once there, click on "Wisconsin Antique Bottle Galleries" (an amber
Hutchinson near the top of the screen) and then select "Wisconsin Antique
Hutchinsons Bottle Gallery." Depending on the speed of your Internet
connection, it may take awhile for the 400+ photos to load, but it's worth the
wait! The thumbnail illustrations of bottles with the ability to click and enlarge
them is similar to the approach we're employing for the www.HutchBook.com site.
Given the wild spring weather around the country, the home page headline
provided a great excuse to post a photo of several nice SEETERS VICHY AND
CARBONATED BEVERAGES bottles. Joe Nagy's files included huge folders
chock full of Pittsburgh, PA Hutchinson bottle photos and company history
information submitted in the late 1970s. This particular photo is one of my
favorites, showing five of the 11 SEETERS variants catalogued thus far. Left
to right, these bottles are MINSKY & SAPIRO (honey gold), GABRIEL SAPIRO
(blue aqua), and three L. COHEN & SON variants (amber and blue aqua with
REGISTERED above the lion, and blue aqua with REGISTERED under the lion).
Stare at these beauties long enough and you can actually hear the lions roar...
The total number of listings is now at 14,219. WI and NY will each pass the
1,000 listing threshold before the next update in early April. No foolin'!
Good collecting!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
On The Road Again...
January 23, 2006
Due to a family emergency, I will be off-line January 24 - February 15. Most
likely I will NOT have access to EMail during this time period.
The total number of listings is now at 14,081 and continues to grow. My
sincere thanks to everyone for providing fantastic support for the project!
Be watching for another Hutchinson Bottle Directory update at the beginning of
March.
Go Seahawks!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
January 23, 2006
Due to a family emergency, I will be off-line January 24 - February 15. Most
likely I will NOT have access to EMail during this time period.
The total number of listings is now at 14,081 and continues to grow. My
sincere thanks to everyone for providing fantastic support for the project!
Be watching for another Hutchinson Bottle Directory update at the beginning of
March.
Go Seahawks!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
Don't look back. Something
may be gaining on you...
January 4, 2006
This month's headline is attributed to baseball legend Leroy "Satchel" Paige and
seems quite appropriate! My plans for producing an update in early December
evaporated in the face of completing the Seattle and Christmas marathons,
holiday activities, a stomach virus that won the first few rounds but ultimately
lost the bout, and a cantankerous computer with a new found, undocumented,
"spontaneous shutdown" feature. In spite of these challenges, we finished 2005
on a very high note by posting bottle #14,000 December 28th (an aqua, private
mold bottle embossed B & C on the front shoulder, and LYNN, MASS. on the
back shoulder). We're now at 14,045 and the number continues to slowly climb.
Another 1,360 hours were devoted to the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative
during 2005, bringing the total investment since 01-01-04 to just under 2,800
hours. Amazingly, two years into what I estimated was a five year project,
we're at least two years ahead of schedule!
In addition to the countless, significant individual contributions of data from
advanced Hutchinson collectors across the continent, group involvement is also on
the rise. One great example is the work being done by Art Church and his
fellow Hudson Valley (NY) Bottle Club members. Art asked club members to
bring Hutchinsons to a recent club meeting and did they ever respond! They've
since provided rubbings and data on numerous bottles (including 23 previously
unlisted examples), with more information yet to come!
Okay, if you've read this far and you're still awake, you're likely looking for
the MAJOR PUBLICATION ANNOUNCEMENT. Gathering and evaluating
information in order to make this important decision has been a very challenging
process. In addition to exploring uncharted technical waters, I have engaged
many advanced collectors across the U.S. and Canada in some spirited
discussions while seeking direct input from the ultimate users of Hutchinson
Bottle Directory data. The direction we're taking won't please everyone, but I
strongly believe this is the right decision and now is the time to implement it.
PLEASE READ AND DIGEST THE ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE YOU
REACT! If you have questions or concerns that aren't addressed, please EMail
or call me. If you're ready, click on HutchBook for the rest of the story...
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
may be gaining on you...
January 4, 2006
This month's headline is attributed to baseball legend Leroy "Satchel" Paige and
seems quite appropriate! My plans for producing an update in early December
evaporated in the face of completing the Seattle and Christmas marathons,
holiday activities, a stomach virus that won the first few rounds but ultimately
lost the bout, and a cantankerous computer with a new found, undocumented,
"spontaneous shutdown" feature. In spite of these challenges, we finished 2005
on a very high note by posting bottle #14,000 December 28th (an aqua, private
mold bottle embossed B & C on the front shoulder, and LYNN, MASS. on the
back shoulder). We're now at 14,045 and the number continues to slowly climb.
Another 1,360 hours were devoted to the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative
during 2005, bringing the total investment since 01-01-04 to just under 2,800
hours. Amazingly, two years into what I estimated was a five year project,
we're at least two years ahead of schedule!
In addition to the countless, significant individual contributions of data from
advanced Hutchinson collectors across the continent, group involvement is also on
the rise. One great example is the work being done by Art Church and his
fellow Hudson Valley (NY) Bottle Club members. Art asked club members to
bring Hutchinsons to a recent club meeting and did they ever respond! They've
since provided rubbings and data on numerous bottles (including 23 previously
unlisted examples), with more information yet to come!
Okay, if you've read this far and you're still awake, you're likely looking for
the MAJOR PUBLICATION ANNOUNCEMENT. Gathering and evaluating
information in order to make this important decision has been a very challenging
process. In addition to exploring uncharted technical waters, I have engaged
many advanced collectors across the U.S. and Canada in some spirited
discussions while seeking direct input from the ultimate users of Hutchinson
Bottle Directory data. The direction we're taking won't please everyone, but I
strongly believe this is the right decision and now is the time to implement it.
PLEASE READ AND DIGEST THE ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE YOU
REACT! If you have questions or concerns that aren't addressed, please EMail
or call me. If you're ready, click on HutchBook for the rest of the story...
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN...
November 5, 2005
The way October went racing by, combined with running the Portland and
Halloween Marathons, inspired the "hare and tortoise" home page theme. It
also helped that terrific TURTLE CREEK / (turtle) / MINERAL W. CO. bottle
photographs arrived via EMail! A third variant features a horseshoe plate mold
and a 10 panel base. These three bottles are from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
and rare. The ZAJICEK BROS / (rabbit) / CHICAGO, ILL. bottle and a
variant with a patch of grass under the rabbit are both scarce. I don't recall
that we've identified other Hutchinsons with embossed turtles or rabbits.
In addition to gathering new listings and filling-in-the-blanks where data is
missing for existing listings, considerable time continues to be devoted to
investigating several publication options. I am intentionally going slow in order to
ensure we make the right decision and head in the correct direction. Putting
the Hutchinson Bottle Directory together is more like a marathon than a sprint;
it feels like we're on cruise control until we're sure the finish line is in sight,
and then we'll kick it in. I have obtained the assistance of a professional web
designer to help identify the many challenges of web site publishing and am now
hopeful that we'll be able to make and announce a decision by the end of
November. Please bear with me and keep checking this site for updates.
In case you missed it, that cobalt blue EXCELSIOR / BOTTLING WORKS /
ALLEGHENY CITY, PA. / A.G.W.L. Hutchinson pictured on the home page last
month sold for $1,680. Congratulations to the seller and winning bidder!
Speaking of Pennsylvania, we've added two more Hutchinson specialists for PA,
bringing the total to ten advanced collectors helping with the state. One of
them specializes in bottles from his hometown and the surrounding 25-30 mile
area. Thanks to his assistance, we have identified 250+ different Hutchinsons
from his geographical area! Good grief; that's more Hutchinsons than we have
in Oregon, Washington, and Washington Territory combined! Oh, by the way,
the Pennsylvania total is now at 2,407 and still climbing.
The total number of Hutchinsons identified is now at 13,856 and I'll be quite
surprised if we don't crash thru the 14,000 level by year end. Most of my
prognostications over the past 22 months have been too low, so stay tuned.
A sincere thank you to all of you who are actively supporting and contributing to
the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative. I particularly appreciate those who
have been spreading the word about the project to collector friends and pointing
them to this site. Well, it's time for me to continue racing on thru November.
Be watching for the next update following the annual Seattle Marathon the
weekend after Thanksgiving.
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
November 5, 2005
The way October went racing by, combined with running the Portland and
Halloween Marathons, inspired the "hare and tortoise" home page theme. It
also helped that terrific TURTLE CREEK / (turtle) / MINERAL W. CO. bottle
photographs arrived via EMail! A third variant features a horseshoe plate mold
and a 10 panel base. These three bottles are from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
and rare. The ZAJICEK BROS / (rabbit) / CHICAGO, ILL. bottle and a
variant with a patch of grass under the rabbit are both scarce. I don't recall
that we've identified other Hutchinsons with embossed turtles or rabbits.
In addition to gathering new listings and filling-in-the-blanks where data is
missing for existing listings, considerable time continues to be devoted to
investigating several publication options. I am intentionally going slow in order to
ensure we make the right decision and head in the correct direction. Putting
the Hutchinson Bottle Directory together is more like a marathon than a sprint;
it feels like we're on cruise control until we're sure the finish line is in sight,
and then we'll kick it in. I have obtained the assistance of a professional web
designer to help identify the many challenges of web site publishing and am now
hopeful that we'll be able to make and announce a decision by the end of
November. Please bear with me and keep checking this site for updates.
In case you missed it, that cobalt blue EXCELSIOR / BOTTLING WORKS /
ALLEGHENY CITY, PA. / A.G.W.L. Hutchinson pictured on the home page last
month sold for $1,680. Congratulations to the seller and winning bidder!
Speaking of Pennsylvania, we've added two more Hutchinson specialists for PA,
bringing the total to ten advanced collectors helping with the state. One of
them specializes in bottles from his hometown and the surrounding 25-30 mile
area. Thanks to his assistance, we have identified 250+ different Hutchinsons
from his geographical area! Good grief; that's more Hutchinsons than we have
in Oregon, Washington, and Washington Territory combined! Oh, by the way,
the Pennsylvania total is now at 2,407 and still climbing.
The total number of Hutchinsons identified is now at 13,856 and I'll be quite
surprised if we don't crash thru the 14,000 level by year end. Most of my
prognostications over the past 22 months have been too low, so stay tuned.
A sincere thank you to all of you who are actively supporting and contributing to
the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative. I particularly appreciate those who
have been spreading the word about the project to collector friends and pointing
them to this site. Well, it's time for me to continue racing on thru November.
Be watching for the next update following the annual Seattle Marathon the
weekend after Thanksgiving.
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
By The Numbers...
September 30, 2005
As usual, I'm a bit behind schedule at getting another update together and
posted. eBay sales and the fall marathon season have definitely impacted my
planning process. The September 11th Skagit Flats Marathon up in Burlington,
Washington went well; next up is my 24th straight Portland (Oregon) Marathon
on October 9th. The nicest "problem" with retirement is "having" to prioritize
(mostly) fun activities!
Looking back over my time log, most of the past few weeks were devoted to
the process of adding data where it is missing on the spreadsheets. Although
this is a tedious and time-consuming process, it is very rewarding to see the
blank spaces continuing to disappear. We are building a database that should
not only prove to be of great value to current collectors, but also be highly
useful to future generations of collectors, historians, and archaeologists.
Here are some numbers that might be of interest (all are as of 09-30-05):
685 = # of Texas Hutchinsons identified
791 = # of Illinois Hutchinsons identified
879 = # of New York Hutchinsons identified
909 = # of Ohio Hutchinsons identified
937 = # of Wisconsin Hutchinsons identified
2,321 = # of Pennsylvania Hutchinsons identified
13,683 = TOTAL # of Hutchinsons identified
2,400 = # of hours I have invested in the project since 01-01-04
2 = # of days I have missed working on the project since 01-01-04
105 = # of Hutchinson collector specialists actively contributing data
Speaking of numbers, it appears the spreadsheet listings and illustrations will
require 1,000 to 1,100 pages when printed. Yikes! Obviously our original
estimate that there were 7-10,000 different Hutchinsons was far below the
anticipated 14,000 that will be listed in the first edition. That isn't bad news
from a collecting standpoint, but it does complicate publishing. Consequently,
we've been exploring the expenses (in money and time) involved with publishing,
collating, binding, marketing, packaging, and distributing a book/books containing
this much data. This has led us to also consider alternatives such as CD ROM
and the Internet. We've been engaged in numerous telephone and EMail
conversations with collectors across the continent, and there are advantages
and disadvantages to whatever approach(es) we take. Investigation continues
while we are at the proverbial "fork in the road" and we anticipate making and
announcing a decision during October. Whatever direction we take, it will be
exciting as it means the Hutchinson Bottle Directory will soon become a reality!
I just completed a sweep thru the database, keying in new data, and updating
the spreadsheets to reflect the revised plate mold shape nomenclature.
Several interesting trends appeared, e.g. Alaska, California, Idaho, Maryland,
Nevada, North Dakota, and Oregon have no horseshoe plate mold Hutchinsons,
and all Hawaiian Hutchinsons were private molds. Clearly we're going to be
able to "mine" lots of interesting facts from the database.
That beautiful, cobalt blue EXCELSIOR / BOTTLING WORKS / ALLEGHENY
CITY, PA. / A.G.W.L. Hutchinson pictured on the home page is currently listed
as eBay # 6213462222. Thanks for permission to use your photo, Jay!
I again offer kudos to everyone contributing to this initiative, be it data on one
bottle, hundreds, or (in two cases) thousands! Another long-time collector
joined the Hutchinson Bottle Directory team yesterday, making eight for
Pennsylvania (we'll get that beast under control yet!). The spirit of cooperation
pervading this project is making it highly rewarding. Thanks!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
September 30, 2005
As usual, I'm a bit behind schedule at getting another update together and
posted. eBay sales and the fall marathon season have definitely impacted my
planning process. The September 11th Skagit Flats Marathon up in Burlington,
Washington went well; next up is my 24th straight Portland (Oregon) Marathon
on October 9th. The nicest "problem" with retirement is "having" to prioritize
(mostly) fun activities!
Looking back over my time log, most of the past few weeks were devoted to
the process of adding data where it is missing on the spreadsheets. Although
this is a tedious and time-consuming process, it is very rewarding to see the
blank spaces continuing to disappear. We are building a database that should
not only prove to be of great value to current collectors, but also be highly
useful to future generations of collectors, historians, and archaeologists.
Here are some numbers that might be of interest (all are as of 09-30-05):
685 = # of Texas Hutchinsons identified
791 = # of Illinois Hutchinsons identified
879 = # of New York Hutchinsons identified
909 = # of Ohio Hutchinsons identified
937 = # of Wisconsin Hutchinsons identified
2,321 = # of Pennsylvania Hutchinsons identified
13,683 = TOTAL # of Hutchinsons identified
2,400 = # of hours I have invested in the project since 01-01-04
2 = # of days I have missed working on the project since 01-01-04
105 = # of Hutchinson collector specialists actively contributing data
Speaking of numbers, it appears the spreadsheet listings and illustrations will
require 1,000 to 1,100 pages when printed. Yikes! Obviously our original
estimate that there were 7-10,000 different Hutchinsons was far below the
anticipated 14,000 that will be listed in the first edition. That isn't bad news
from a collecting standpoint, but it does complicate publishing. Consequently,
we've been exploring the expenses (in money and time) involved with publishing,
collating, binding, marketing, packaging, and distributing a book/books containing
this much data. This has led us to also consider alternatives such as CD ROM
and the Internet. We've been engaged in numerous telephone and EMail
conversations with collectors across the continent, and there are advantages
and disadvantages to whatever approach(es) we take. Investigation continues
while we are at the proverbial "fork in the road" and we anticipate making and
announcing a decision during October. Whatever direction we take, it will be
exciting as it means the Hutchinson Bottle Directory will soon become a reality!
I just completed a sweep thru the database, keying in new data, and updating
the spreadsheets to reflect the revised plate mold shape nomenclature.
Several interesting trends appeared, e.g. Alaska, California, Idaho, Maryland,
Nevada, North Dakota, and Oregon have no horseshoe plate mold Hutchinsons,
and all Hawaiian Hutchinsons were private molds. Clearly we're going to be
able to "mine" lots of interesting facts from the database.
That beautiful, cobalt blue EXCELSIOR / BOTTLING WORKS / ALLEGHENY
CITY, PA. / A.G.W.L. Hutchinson pictured on the home page is currently listed
as eBay # 6213462222. Thanks for permission to use your photo, Jay!
I again offer kudos to everyone contributing to this initiative, be it data on one
bottle, hundreds, or (in two cases) thousands! Another long-time collector
joined the Hutchinson Bottle Directory team yesterday, making eight for
Pennsylvania (we'll get that beast under control yet!). The spirit of cooperation
pervading this project is making it highly rewarding. Thanks!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
"Steaming" Thru The Dog Days Of August...
August 16, 2005
The past month gives added credibility to the old adage that "time flies when
you're having a good time." I swear I just finished the July update and here it
is time for another one. A summer break from eBay sales has allowed me to
devote considerably more time to the Hutchinson Bottle Directory; the total
number of hours invested since 01-01-04 will soon pass the 2,200 mark.
Those who check this site frequently likely noticed the "mavericks" list suddenly
featured positive identification for many bottles. This was a side effect of
going thru the entire database and building the special cross-index. While doing
so, I managed to identify 11 previously unknown bottles (they have subsequently
been moved to their respective state spreadsheets)! I'm using the cross-index
frequently, as there's no way I can remember where the almost 500 maverick
bottles are from. A simple check of the cross-index and I'm back in business!
I hoped to post sample bottle illustrations this month, but want to gain a bit
more proficiency with the PC software before I "go public." Stay tuned.
This has been a particularly good month for "filling-in-the-blanks" where data
is missing on the spreadsheets. Many of the spreadsheets now have over 90%
of the data filled in! A sincere THANK YOU to the many Hutchinson specialists,
gracious eBay sellers, and others who have contributed data!
After considerable discussion with many advanced Hutchinson collectors, I have
finalized decisions concerning plate mold shape nomenclature for the book. In an
effort to utilize correct glass manufacturer terms wherever practical, we're
going with the following plate mold shapes:
1. Round - whether a plate was round, oval, or watermelon-shaped, the
manufacturers consistently referred to them as "round," so the spreadsheet
entries will consolidate and specify these shapes round. Bottle illustrations,
however, will reflect the actual mold shapes;
2. Horseshoe - as previously announced, "tombstone" or "heel-shaped plates"
will be referred to as "horseshoe" plates;
3. Rectangular - primarily used on bottles with vertical embossing, particularly
in Canada; and
4. Private - instead of "open" or "proprietary," we'll be consistent with the
bottle manufacturers and use the term "private."
The Hutchinson Bottle Directory Overview document has been updated to reflect
the use of these terms. Each of the individual country/province/state/territory
spreadsheets will be converted as they're updated. Thank goodness for Excel's
"global change" feature!
The total number of listings is now at 13,578. No, wait; the mailman just
brought information on four more rare Texas Hutchinsons, so make that 13,582!
Although the number of new listings has leveled off, we're continuing to add
more bottles. Recent additions include very rare bottles from NM, TX, LA, IA,
KY, MI, and NY.
Speaking of numbers that keep steaming right along, the Pennsylvania total
continues to grow. The beautiful WILKESBARRE / STEAM / BOTTLING
WORKS / WILKESBARRE, PA. bottle pictured on the home page is currently
listed on eBay as # 6200605094. Thanks, George, for granting permission to
include your photo with this month's update. This was bottle number 2,300 for
Pennsylvania. Good grief, what a state!
Publication of the FOHBC Bottles & Extras article and an advertisement in the
National EXPO program are generating considerable correspondence from
collectors only now hearing about the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative.
Please be sure to let your Hutchinson collector friends know about this site.
Well, it's time to key in the data for those four new TX Hutchinsons, so that's
all for this month. My thanks to everyone involved for your tremendous,
on-going support and encouragement!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
August 16, 2005
The past month gives added credibility to the old adage that "time flies when
you're having a good time." I swear I just finished the July update and here it
is time for another one. A summer break from eBay sales has allowed me to
devote considerably more time to the Hutchinson Bottle Directory; the total
number of hours invested since 01-01-04 will soon pass the 2,200 mark.
Those who check this site frequently likely noticed the "mavericks" list suddenly
featured positive identification for many bottles. This was a side effect of
going thru the entire database and building the special cross-index. While doing
so, I managed to identify 11 previously unknown bottles (they have subsequently
been moved to their respective state spreadsheets)! I'm using the cross-index
frequently, as there's no way I can remember where the almost 500 maverick
bottles are from. A simple check of the cross-index and I'm back in business!
I hoped to post sample bottle illustrations this month, but want to gain a bit
more proficiency with the PC software before I "go public." Stay tuned.
This has been a particularly good month for "filling-in-the-blanks" where data
is missing on the spreadsheets. Many of the spreadsheets now have over 90%
of the data filled in! A sincere THANK YOU to the many Hutchinson specialists,
gracious eBay sellers, and others who have contributed data!
After considerable discussion with many advanced Hutchinson collectors, I have
finalized decisions concerning plate mold shape nomenclature for the book. In an
effort to utilize correct glass manufacturer terms wherever practical, we're
going with the following plate mold shapes:
1. Round - whether a plate was round, oval, or watermelon-shaped, the
manufacturers consistently referred to them as "round," so the spreadsheet
entries will consolidate and specify these shapes round. Bottle illustrations,
however, will reflect the actual mold shapes;
2. Horseshoe - as previously announced, "tombstone" or "heel-shaped plates"
will be referred to as "horseshoe" plates;
3. Rectangular - primarily used on bottles with vertical embossing, particularly
in Canada; and
4. Private - instead of "open" or "proprietary," we'll be consistent with the
bottle manufacturers and use the term "private."
The Hutchinson Bottle Directory Overview document has been updated to reflect
the use of these terms. Each of the individual country/province/state/territory
spreadsheets will be converted as they're updated. Thank goodness for Excel's
"global change" feature!
The total number of listings is now at 13,578. No, wait; the mailman just
brought information on four more rare Texas Hutchinsons, so make that 13,582!
Although the number of new listings has leveled off, we're continuing to add
more bottles. Recent additions include very rare bottles from NM, TX, LA, IA,
KY, MI, and NY.
Speaking of numbers that keep steaming right along, the Pennsylvania total
continues to grow. The beautiful WILKESBARRE / STEAM / BOTTLING
WORKS / WILKESBARRE, PA. bottle pictured on the home page is currently
listed on eBay as # 6200605094. Thanks, George, for granting permission to
include your photo with this month's update. This was bottle number 2,300 for
Pennsylvania. Good grief, what a state!
Publication of the FOHBC Bottles & Extras article and an advertisement in the
National EXPO program are generating considerable correspondence from
collectors only now hearing about the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative.
Please be sure to let your Hutchinson collector friends know about this site.
Well, it's time to key in the data for those four new TX Hutchinsons, so that's
all for this month. My thanks to everyone involved for your tremendous,
on-going support and encouragement!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
13,500 "HUHCHINSON'S" & Still Climbing...
July 12, 2005
I originally intended to publish this update on Independence Day and include
photographs of several Hutchinson bottles that sport U.S. flags, but I'm a week
behind and in the interest of brevity I cut back to the bottles pictured on the
home page. These are two of the five different J. ESPOSITO bottles we've
identified that picture U.S. flags. (The lettering and flags were painted by the
daughter of a noted Hutchinson collector and the photo submitted to Joe Nagy in
the late 1970s.) J. Esposito also utilized two Koca Nola Hutchinson bottles,
and a G. Esposito Hutchinson bottle from Philadelphia also features a U.S. flag.
Today's mail brought the Summer, 2005 issue of the FOHBC's Bottles and
Extras. Pages 25-27 feature an article on the Hutchinson Bottle Directory. A
sincere THANK YOU! to editor Kathy Hopson for the fine job she did on laying
out the article, and for providing space to further spread the word about the
project. If you aren't a FOHBC member and receiving Bottles and Extras,
you're missing out on a top quality publication. Visit www.fohbc.com for details.
Be sure to check out Charles David Head's very well-researched article "Here's
The Real Dope On Koca Nola" on pp. 11-13 of the Summer, 2005 issue of
Bottles and Extras. The illustrations include one of the J. Esposito bottles
(mentioned above), plus a FLORIDA / KOCA NOLA / BOTTLING CO. Hutchinson
bottle from Jacksonville, Florida.
We've made considerable progress since the last update. Draft copies of
spreadsheets were mailed to many specialists, and considerable time has been
spent filing the hundreds of pencil rubbings and photographs we've received so
far this year. I should have sample illustrations to post in conjunction with next
month's update.
We've added a Vermont specialist! Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, and
Rhode Island still need specialists. Help!
Legendary Chicago Hutchinson collector Bob Harms recently submitted several
rubbings including one for a bottle vertically embossed SAMPLE BOTTLE / MADE
FOR / HUHCHINSON'S / PATENT / SPRING STOPPER / BY / Wm McCULLY &
CO. / PITTSBURG PA. How about that spelling for "HUHCHINSON'S!" Not
only that, this turned out to be listing number 13,500! It now looks like we're
going to hit 14,000 by the time we go to print. Whew!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
July 12, 2005
I originally intended to publish this update on Independence Day and include
photographs of several Hutchinson bottles that sport U.S. flags, but I'm a week
behind and in the interest of brevity I cut back to the bottles pictured on the
home page. These are two of the five different J. ESPOSITO bottles we've
identified that picture U.S. flags. (The lettering and flags were painted by the
daughter of a noted Hutchinson collector and the photo submitted to Joe Nagy in
the late 1970s.) J. Esposito also utilized two Koca Nola Hutchinson bottles,
and a G. Esposito Hutchinson bottle from Philadelphia also features a U.S. flag.
Today's mail brought the Summer, 2005 issue of the FOHBC's Bottles and
Extras. Pages 25-27 feature an article on the Hutchinson Bottle Directory. A
sincere THANK YOU! to editor Kathy Hopson for the fine job she did on laying
out the article, and for providing space to further spread the word about the
project. If you aren't a FOHBC member and receiving Bottles and Extras,
you're missing out on a top quality publication. Visit www.fohbc.com for details.
Be sure to check out Charles David Head's very well-researched article "Here's
The Real Dope On Koca Nola" on pp. 11-13 of the Summer, 2005 issue of
Bottles and Extras. The illustrations include one of the J. Esposito bottles
(mentioned above), plus a FLORIDA / KOCA NOLA / BOTTLING CO. Hutchinson
bottle from Jacksonville, Florida.
We've made considerable progress since the last update. Draft copies of
spreadsheets were mailed to many specialists, and considerable time has been
spent filing the hundreds of pencil rubbings and photographs we've received so
far this year. I should have sample illustrations to post in conjunction with next
month's update.
We've added a Vermont specialist! Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, and
Rhode Island still need specialists. Help!
Legendary Chicago Hutchinson collector Bob Harms recently submitted several
rubbings including one for a bottle vertically embossed SAMPLE BOTTLE / MADE
FOR / HUHCHINSON'S / PATENT / SPRING STOPPER / BY / Wm McCULLY &
CO. / PITTSBURG PA. How about that spelling for "HUHCHINSON'S!" Not
only that, this turned out to be listing number 13,500! It now looks like we're
going to hit 14,000 by the time we go to print. Whew!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
Nothin' But Blue Skies...
June 7, 2005
May was another highly productive month for the Hutchinson Bottle Directory
initiative, as I limited myself to only one marathon and poured most of my time
into the project. After one more race this coming Sunday, I'm not pounding
pavement again until the fall. Likewise, I've shut down eBay sales for the
summer months. My intention is to focus even more time on the book.
Thanks to a continuing flow of top quality input from the Hutchinson specialists,
we acquired previously missing data on hundreds of bottles during May. This is
a huge effort and although we have quite a ways yet to go, the spreadsheets
are filling up quite nicely!
As expected, the number of new listings has slowed to a trickle (there were
times when I wondered if the flow was ever going to ebb!). A couple of days
ago we posted bottle #13,300 and it will come as no surprise that it was a
Pennsylvania bottle: 8 1/2 FLUID OUNCES / S. FURMAN / 238 So. 6th ST. /
READING / PA. / REGISTERED. We've had an aqua variant catalogued for
some time, but this one is a beautiful CORNFLOWER BLUE! It is currently
listed on eBay as item #6184185134. Check out the listing and the many
other nice photos of this beautiful bottle. Our sincere thanks to the seller for
permission to reproduce his photograph on our home page. By the way, for
those of you who entered the "So, how many different Pennsylvania Hutchinson
bottles are there anyway?" sweepstakes, the current total is 2,259 and still
climbing. What an amazing number!
During May I finished going thru the backlog of terrific data provided on bottles
from Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri,
Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia,
Mexico, et al. Yet this week I'll be printing updated draft copies of several
state spreadsheets and sending copies to the respective Hutchinson specialists.
The slowdown in the acquisition of new listings is a major milestone for the
Hutchinson Bottle Directory project. We'll continue to add new listings right up
until the last minute, of course, but now our major focus has moved to obtaining
data currently missing from the spreadsheet listings. Additionally, we can now
finally start to work on the illustrations, the last major task left before
publication! If all goes as planned, next month's update will include sample
illustrations.
Amazingly, we are at least two years ahead of the original project timeline.
Earlier this year I thought we might have the Hutchinson Bottle Directory in
print during 2005, but I now don't believe that is possible. Once I have a
couple of months of work into the illustrations, I expect to finally be able to
establish a target publication date. My best guess at this point is "sometime in
2006." Stay tuned!
A sincere THANK YOU to everyone involved in helping make the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory dream come true!
Good collecting,
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
June 7, 2005
May was another highly productive month for the Hutchinson Bottle Directory
initiative, as I limited myself to only one marathon and poured most of my time
into the project. After one more race this coming Sunday, I'm not pounding
pavement again until the fall. Likewise, I've shut down eBay sales for the
summer months. My intention is to focus even more time on the book.
Thanks to a continuing flow of top quality input from the Hutchinson specialists,
we acquired previously missing data on hundreds of bottles during May. This is
a huge effort and although we have quite a ways yet to go, the spreadsheets
are filling up quite nicely!
As expected, the number of new listings has slowed to a trickle (there were
times when I wondered if the flow was ever going to ebb!). A couple of days
ago we posted bottle #13,300 and it will come as no surprise that it was a
Pennsylvania bottle: 8 1/2 FLUID OUNCES / S. FURMAN / 238 So. 6th ST. /
READING / PA. / REGISTERED. We've had an aqua variant catalogued for
some time, but this one is a beautiful CORNFLOWER BLUE! It is currently
listed on eBay as item #6184185134. Check out the listing and the many
other nice photos of this beautiful bottle. Our sincere thanks to the seller for
permission to reproduce his photograph on our home page. By the way, for
those of you who entered the "So, how many different Pennsylvania Hutchinson
bottles are there anyway?" sweepstakes, the current total is 2,259 and still
climbing. What an amazing number!
During May I finished going thru the backlog of terrific data provided on bottles
from Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri,
Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia,
Mexico, et al. Yet this week I'll be printing updated draft copies of several
state spreadsheets and sending copies to the respective Hutchinson specialists.
The slowdown in the acquisition of new listings is a major milestone for the
Hutchinson Bottle Directory project. We'll continue to add new listings right up
until the last minute, of course, but now our major focus has moved to obtaining
data currently missing from the spreadsheet listings. Additionally, we can now
finally start to work on the illustrations, the last major task left before
publication! If all goes as planned, next month's update will include sample
illustrations.
Amazingly, we are at least two years ahead of the original project timeline.
Earlier this year I thought we might have the Hutchinson Bottle Directory in
print during 2005, but I now don't believe that is possible. Once I have a
couple of months of work into the illustrations, I expect to finally be able to
establish a target publication date. My best guess at this point is "sometime in
2006." Stay tuned!
A sincere THANK YOU to everyone involved in helping make the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory dream come true!
Good collecting,
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
05-05-05 = 13,000
May 5, 2005
Mr. Belcher, my high school math teacher, would likely point at the headline
above and say "See, I told you he wasn't paying attention in class!" Actually, I
was paying attention, except for those few hundred times he caught me staring
out the classroom windows, daydreaming about digging bottles, hot cars, and
girls (not necessarily in that order!). Challenges from my developmental years
notwithstanding, it is exciting to announce that as of May 5, 2005 the
Hutchinson Bottle Directory has passed the 13,000 listing threshold! We've
added 5,000 new listings since EXPO 2004!
Although it was tempting to anoint a special bottle the honor of being #13,000
I couldn't do it; they're all special just by being Hutchinsons! For the record,
listing #13,000 turned out to be an aqua ELIAS WEISS / BOTTLING WKS. /
MONESSEN, PA with a horseshoe plate. We don't have a rubbing/photograph
of it (yet), or I'd include an illustration.
Speaking of impressive numbers, the grand total for Pennsylvania now exceeds
2,100 and continues to climb. A sincere thank you to the five specialists
helping us compile data on Pennsylvania Hutchinsons!
This week's mail has brought updated data on Nebraska, Texas, Idaho, Mexico,
and Michigan Hutchinsons. The quantity and quality of bottle data is astonishing
and continues to far exceed my wildest expectations. Please keep those cards
and letters coming!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
May 5, 2005
Mr. Belcher, my high school math teacher, would likely point at the headline
above and say "See, I told you he wasn't paying attention in class!" Actually, I
was paying attention, except for those few hundred times he caught me staring
out the classroom windows, daydreaming about digging bottles, hot cars, and
girls (not necessarily in that order!). Challenges from my developmental years
notwithstanding, it is exciting to announce that as of May 5, 2005 the
Hutchinson Bottle Directory has passed the 13,000 listing threshold! We've
added 5,000 new listings since EXPO 2004!
Although it was tempting to anoint a special bottle the honor of being #13,000
I couldn't do it; they're all special just by being Hutchinsons! For the record,
listing #13,000 turned out to be an aqua ELIAS WEISS / BOTTLING WKS. /
MONESSEN, PA with a horseshoe plate. We don't have a rubbing/photograph
of it (yet), or I'd include an illustration.
Speaking of impressive numbers, the grand total for Pennsylvania now exceeds
2,100 and continues to climb. A sincere thank you to the five specialists
helping us compile data on Pennsylvania Hutchinsons!
This week's mail has brought updated data on Nebraska, Texas, Idaho, Mexico,
and Michigan Hutchinsons. The quantity and quality of bottle data is astonishing
and continues to far exceed my wildest expectations. Please keep those cards
and letters coming!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
Spring Has Sprung!
April 27, 2005
I've been trying to put this update together for a week and simply not getting
to it until today. Springtime offers too many diversions! I wanted to post
illustrations of Hutchinsons related to "April Showers" and "May Flowers" but
couldn't find ones I liked and decided to take the "weather" theme one step
further and post the USDA bottle photo instead; what a great looking bottle!
March and April have been a blur. I spent nine weeks dealing with a viral
infection that refused to go away until I did the Easter Marathon south of
Olympia, WA on 3-26 and (literally) ran the virus out of my body. It felt so
good to be healthy again that I proceeded to pound out marathons in Yakima,
Oak Harbor, and Wenatchee on the next three weekends. Four races in 22
days definitely slowed down progress on the Hutchinson Bottle Directory. I'm
not racing again until the middle of May, so I'm back to focusing on the book.
Thankfully, the number of new listings is continuing to level off. The grand
total is at an astonishing 12,879 and I expect we'll break thru the 13,000
level early next week. Another major threshold will soon be crossed in
Pennsylvania where we currently have 1,997 listings. Pretty much all we need
is for a Pennsylvania digger to hit the right privy this coming weekend and we'll
blow right thru the 2,000 level! I also have a 30+ page list of PA Hutchinsons
submitted by Brent Allred that will add many more bottles. Will it ever stop!
Did you see Charles David Head's great Koca Nola article in the Spring 2005
issue of Bottles And Extras? Several Koca Nola Hutchinsons are pictured. If
you can help with his research, please be sure to drop him a line.
We were VERY pleased to receive one of the first copies of Sam Fuller's new
Maine bottle book. Check out the listing on the "Bottle Books For Sale" page.
Happy Spring and good collecting to all!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
April 27, 2005
I've been trying to put this update together for a week and simply not getting
to it until today. Springtime offers too many diversions! I wanted to post
illustrations of Hutchinsons related to "April Showers" and "May Flowers" but
couldn't find ones I liked and decided to take the "weather" theme one step
further and post the USDA bottle photo instead; what a great looking bottle!
March and April have been a blur. I spent nine weeks dealing with a viral
infection that refused to go away until I did the Easter Marathon south of
Olympia, WA on 3-26 and (literally) ran the virus out of my body. It felt so
good to be healthy again that I proceeded to pound out marathons in Yakima,
Oak Harbor, and Wenatchee on the next three weekends. Four races in 22
days definitely slowed down progress on the Hutchinson Bottle Directory. I'm
not racing again until the middle of May, so I'm back to focusing on the book.
Thankfully, the number of new listings is continuing to level off. The grand
total is at an astonishing 12,879 and I expect we'll break thru the 13,000
level early next week. Another major threshold will soon be crossed in
Pennsylvania where we currently have 1,997 listings. Pretty much all we need
is for a Pennsylvania digger to hit the right privy this coming weekend and we'll
blow right thru the 2,000 level! I also have a 30+ page list of PA Hutchinsons
submitted by Brent Allred that will add many more bottles. Will it ever stop!
Did you see Charles David Head's great Koca Nola article in the Spring 2005
issue of Bottles And Extras? Several Koca Nola Hutchinsons are pictured. If
you can help with his research, please be sure to drop him a line.
We were VERY pleased to receive one of the first copies of Sam Fuller's new
Maine bottle book. Check out the listing on the "Bottle Books For Sale" page.
Happy Spring and good collecting to all!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
"This is your pilot speaking. We're about to
reach 12,500 and will be switching to cruise
control. Please sit back and enjoy the flight."
March 17, 2005
Six weeks between updates is too long, so I'll try to get back to a monthly
cycle. Interest in the project is increasing rapidly as word about it continues
to spread within the bottle collecting community. When telling others about
the project, please be sure to direct them to this site and encourage them to
read the overview and updates. The "staff" (me) is trying to remain focused on
the book itself, and time for general correspondence is limited. Thanks!
We expect to pass the 12,500 listing threshold tomorrow! With three large
packets of information sitting here ready to be added in, and still more data
due from several specialists, we'll soon hit 13,000 listings. Even so, the
number of new listings is finally tapering off. The bulk of my time the past six
weeks has been spent completing existing listings. Many specialists have
returned spreadsheet drafts with the "blanks" completely filled in, and packets
of rubbings and photographs are arriving almost daily. Life is good!
The Hutchinson specialist team continues to grow. We've added an advanced
North Dakota collector, additional specialists for several large states, and
we'll soon have a West Virginia specialist. We still need specialists for
Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Help!
Be sure to check out the shamrock Hutchinson photo on the home page, and
read about it on the "Can You Identify These Unknown Hutchinsons?" page.
A Hutchinson Bottle Directory article has been submitted for publication in the
FOHBC's Bottles & Extras. Editor Kathy Hopson says it should appear in the
summer 2005 issue. Thanks for your support, Kathy and Ralph Van Brocklin!
We recently obtained David Kyte's fine new book on Early Utah Soda Bottles.
The first edition sold out quickly and a second printing is now available. Please
see the "Bottle Books For Sale" page for details. Utah has many cool bottles
and David has done some great historical research on the bottlers!
Charles David Head has been providing data on Koca Nola Hutchinson bottles
and several very rare Tennessee Hutchinsons. He is researching the Koca Nola
Company and would like to hear from collectors with information on company
history and collectibles. If you can help, please write to: Charles David Head,
23549-001 D-2 Jesup FCI, 2680 Hwy. 301 South, Jesup, GA 31599.
Thank you all for your on-going support and encouragement!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
reach 12,500 and will be switching to cruise
control. Please sit back and enjoy the flight."
March 17, 2005
Six weeks between updates is too long, so I'll try to get back to a monthly
cycle. Interest in the project is increasing rapidly as word about it continues
to spread within the bottle collecting community. When telling others about
the project, please be sure to direct them to this site and encourage them to
read the overview and updates. The "staff" (me) is trying to remain focused on
the book itself, and time for general correspondence is limited. Thanks!
We expect to pass the 12,500 listing threshold tomorrow! With three large
packets of information sitting here ready to be added in, and still more data
due from several specialists, we'll soon hit 13,000 listings. Even so, the
number of new listings is finally tapering off. The bulk of my time the past six
weeks has been spent completing existing listings. Many specialists have
returned spreadsheet drafts with the "blanks" completely filled in, and packets
of rubbings and photographs are arriving almost daily. Life is good!
The Hutchinson specialist team continues to grow. We've added an advanced
North Dakota collector, additional specialists for several large states, and
we'll soon have a West Virginia specialist. We still need specialists for
Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Help!
Be sure to check out the shamrock Hutchinson photo on the home page, and
read about it on the "Can You Identify These Unknown Hutchinsons?" page.
A Hutchinson Bottle Directory article has been submitted for publication in the
FOHBC's Bottles & Extras. Editor Kathy Hopson says it should appear in the
summer 2005 issue. Thanks for your support, Kathy and Ralph Van Brocklin!
We recently obtained David Kyte's fine new book on Early Utah Soda Bottles.
The first edition sold out quickly and a second printing is now available. Please
see the "Bottle Books For Sale" page for details. Utah has many cool bottles
and David has done some great historical research on the bottlers!
Charles David Head has been providing data on Koca Nola Hutchinson bottles
and several very rare Tennessee Hutchinsons. He is researching the Koca Nola
Company and would like to hear from collectors with information on company
history and collectibles. If you can help, please write to: Charles David Head,
23549-001 D-2 Jesup FCI, 2680 Hwy. 301 South, Jesup, GA 31599.
Thank you all for your on-going support and encouragement!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
...and suddenly there were
12,000 LISTINGS!
February 3, 2005
Wow, can you believe it? How well I remember those discussions with Joe Nagy
25+ years ago when we theorized the maximum number of different Hutchinson
bottles ranged between 7,000 and 10,000. It has been simultaneously exciting
and daunting to watch the total number steadily climb to over 12,000. I'm
trying not to think about how much work all of those completed spreadsheet
entries represent or, worse yet, how many illustrations remain to be completed!
Instead I keep reminding myself we're building a tremendous resource that will
prove useful to collectors, historians, and researchers for decades to come.
Winter weather has many of the Hutchinson collector specialists holed up inside
where they've been assembling bottle data and rubbings/photographs to send my
way. Almost daily the mail brings treasured Hutchinson information, and with
each arriving packet my enthusiasm for the project soars even higher. It is
genuinely exciting to realize the quantity and quality of data the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory will contain. We've already far exceeded my wildest
expectations for the first edition and more data continues to pour in. Much of
January's activity included major spreadsheet updates for Texas, Missouri,
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Nova Scotia, Kansas, and Oklahoma/O.T./I.T. The
12,000th bottle was posted January 25, 2005. It is a very rare, 10 panel
base JNO. L. STIBICH / TRADE MARK / JS (monogram) / REGISTERED /
CAMBRIA CITY / PA. (The Pennsylvania total is at 1,700+ and still climbing!)
The cornerstone supporting Hutchinson Bottle Directory data quality is clearly
the specialists. Although chasing some of these folks down has been as
challenging as finding those elusive Hutchinson bottles, the effort has been very
worthwhile. These folks are the experts for their respective area(s) of
collecting and their willingness to share their expertise with others speaks
volumes about their character and love for our hobby. THANK YOU one and all!
Speaking of the Hutchinson specialists, we now have the foreign countries,
Canada, and 43 states covered! We are still in need of specialists for
Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont,
and West Virginia. If you know someone who specializes in Hutchinsons from
any of these states, please EMail me at HutchBook@yahoo.com ASAP.
February's Hutchinson Bottle Directory to-do list includes finishing an article
for the FOHBC's Bottles and Extras. So many bottles, so little time!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
12,000 LISTINGS!
February 3, 2005
Wow, can you believe it? How well I remember those discussions with Joe Nagy
25+ years ago when we theorized the maximum number of different Hutchinson
bottles ranged between 7,000 and 10,000. It has been simultaneously exciting
and daunting to watch the total number steadily climb to over 12,000. I'm
trying not to think about how much work all of those completed spreadsheet
entries represent or, worse yet, how many illustrations remain to be completed!
Instead I keep reminding myself we're building a tremendous resource that will
prove useful to collectors, historians, and researchers for decades to come.
Winter weather has many of the Hutchinson collector specialists holed up inside
where they've been assembling bottle data and rubbings/photographs to send my
way. Almost daily the mail brings treasured Hutchinson information, and with
each arriving packet my enthusiasm for the project soars even higher. It is
genuinely exciting to realize the quantity and quality of data the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory will contain. We've already far exceeded my wildest
expectations for the first edition and more data continues to pour in. Much of
January's activity included major spreadsheet updates for Texas, Missouri,
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Nova Scotia, Kansas, and Oklahoma/O.T./I.T. The
12,000th bottle was posted January 25, 2005. It is a very rare, 10 panel
base JNO. L. STIBICH / TRADE MARK / JS (monogram) / REGISTERED /
CAMBRIA CITY / PA. (The Pennsylvania total is at 1,700+ and still climbing!)
The cornerstone supporting Hutchinson Bottle Directory data quality is clearly
the specialists. Although chasing some of these folks down has been as
challenging as finding those elusive Hutchinson bottles, the effort has been very
worthwhile. These folks are the experts for their respective area(s) of
collecting and their willingness to share their expertise with others speaks
volumes about their character and love for our hobby. THANK YOU one and all!
Speaking of the Hutchinson specialists, we now have the foreign countries,
Canada, and 43 states covered! We are still in need of specialists for
Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont,
and West Virginia. If you know someone who specializes in Hutchinsons from
any of these states, please EMail me at HutchBook@yahoo.com ASAP.
February's Hutchinson Bottle Directory to-do list includes finishing an article
for the FOHBC's Bottles and Extras. So many bottles, so little time!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
11,000 Listings!
January 2, 2005
I considered recapping 2004's highlights, but instead decided to leave the
previous updates posted below in their entirety so newcomers to the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory project can review progress to this point. And let there be
no doubt PROGRESS is the key word; we've come a long way in 12 months! It
seems like only last week I began sorting files and now the year is gone and I
managed to invest 1,385 very enjoyable hours of 2004 time into the project.
Although much work remains, I am definitely having trouble containing my
excitement about seeing the Hutchinson Bottle Directory in print!
Bottle number 11,000 was listed December 27, 2004! I tried to time it so a
HUTCHINSON / BOTTLING WORKS / HUTCHINSON, MINN. bottle was the
11,000th listing. That didn't work out and number 11,000 turned out to be a
nice FLECKENSTEINS / BOTTLING WORKS / COLUMBIA, PA. bottle (check
out the example listed as eBay #6142066709).
Speaking of Pennsylvania, that's the "Jeopardy" answer to the question "Which
state has over 1,500 different Hutchinson bottles?" Wisconsin is in second
place, with Ohio, Illinois, and New York rounding out the top five.
Thirty-eight states and territories, Canada (except for Ontario), and seven
foreign countries are at or close to having all known Hutchinson bottles listed
on their respective spreadsheets. Many more states and Ontario will be added
to this list in weeks to come. This is a key project barometer, as it means
the first edition of the Hutchinson Bottle Directory will be FAR more complete
than I ever dared to imagine. Let's hear it for all of the Hutchinson collector
specialists who have been pouring in the listings; you folks are terrific!
Additional advanced collectors joined the Hutchinson specialist team ranks
during December and I'm in hot pursuit of several others. The next update
will include a list of those few states where specialists are still needed.
The list of unknown Hutchinson bottles is shrinking steadily. Check out the list
to see the latest bottles that have been identified. Those bottles that were
identified earlier have been moved to their respective state spreadsheets.
Working on the unknown list has been a good learning experience, as it led me
to decide to create a separate "maverick Hutchinson listing" for the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory. This cross-index will list maverick bottles and refer users
to the proper country/state/city listing for complete data and illustrations.
This will require quite a bit of additional effort, but it will be worth it.
Happy New Year!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
January 2, 2005
I considered recapping 2004's highlights, but instead decided to leave the
previous updates posted below in their entirety so newcomers to the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory project can review progress to this point. And let there be
no doubt PROGRESS is the key word; we've come a long way in 12 months! It
seems like only last week I began sorting files and now the year is gone and I
managed to invest 1,385 very enjoyable hours of 2004 time into the project.
Although much work remains, I am definitely having trouble containing my
excitement about seeing the Hutchinson Bottle Directory in print!
Bottle number 11,000 was listed December 27, 2004! I tried to time it so a
HUTCHINSON / BOTTLING WORKS / HUTCHINSON, MINN. bottle was the
11,000th listing. That didn't work out and number 11,000 turned out to be a
nice FLECKENSTEINS / BOTTLING WORKS / COLUMBIA, PA. bottle (check
out the example listed as eBay #6142066709).
Speaking of Pennsylvania, that's the "Jeopardy" answer to the question "Which
state has over 1,500 different Hutchinson bottles?" Wisconsin is in second
place, with Ohio, Illinois, and New York rounding out the top five.
Thirty-eight states and territories, Canada (except for Ontario), and seven
foreign countries are at or close to having all known Hutchinson bottles listed
on their respective spreadsheets. Many more states and Ontario will be added
to this list in weeks to come. This is a key project barometer, as it means
the first edition of the Hutchinson Bottle Directory will be FAR more complete
than I ever dared to imagine. Let's hear it for all of the Hutchinson collector
specialists who have been pouring in the listings; you folks are terrific!
Additional advanced collectors joined the Hutchinson specialist team ranks
during December and I'm in hot pursuit of several others. The next update
will include a list of those few states where specialists are still needed.
The list of unknown Hutchinson bottles is shrinking steadily. Check out the list
to see the latest bottles that have been identified. Those bottles that were
identified earlier have been moved to their respective state spreadsheets.
Working on the unknown list has been a good learning experience, as it led me
to decide to create a separate "maverick Hutchinson listing" for the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory. This cross-index will list maverick bottles and refer users
to the proper country/state/city listing for complete data and illustrations.
This will require quite a bit of additional effort, but it will be worth it.
Happy New Year!
Ron F.
© 2005, Seattle History Company
10,000 Listings!
December 8, 2004
I've been trying to put together an update since Thanksgiving Day and simply
not getting it done because other priorities have continually taken precedence.
This evening I've declared a "time out" in order to post this update and bring
everyone up-to-date on Hutchinson Bottle Directory activities.
November was definitely a month to remember! In addition to a flurry of eBay
selling activity and the annual Seattle Marathon, November brought a
much-welcomed flood of Hutchinson materials from all around the U.S. and
Canada. Significant numbers of bottles were added to the Wisconsin, Georgia,
Louisiana, Colorado, Ohio, Maine, and Pennsylvania spreadsheets. An
advertisement in Phil Culhane's outstanding Canadian Bottle & Stoneware
Collector magazine generated EMail responses from several Canadian collectors.
Additional packets of information for South Dakota and Dakota Territory,
Ohio, Colorado, Massachusetts, and others are in the queue. Unfortunately,
I've been neglecting some EMail, snail mail, and telephone calls while focusing
on adding new listings and data to the spreadsheets. My current challenge is
to catch up on all correspondence and calls ASAP. My thanks to everyone for
being so patient.
Hopefully your eye caught the headline above announcing we now have 10,000
listings! Actually, we cruised right on past 10,000 and are currently at
10,400 and growing steadily. It looks like we'll hit 11,000 in January, 2005.
While working thru a great packet of input from Tommy Mitchiner, our Georgia
Hutchinson specialist, I knew we were rapidly closing in on the 10,000 listing
threshold. I had great intentions of specifically identifying the 10,000th
bottle, but accidentally re-sorted the Georgia spreadsheet and when I next
checked the grand total we were already well past 10,000. I still wanted to
note this major accomplishment, so I randomly (yeah, right!) selected the
following as bottle #10,000: E. P. C. FOWLER / TALLAPOOSA / GA. Tommy
mentioned that Mr. Fowler (no relation; honest!) was president of the Dixie
Glass Works in Tallapoosa.
We're closing in on having Hutchinson specialists identified for all areas.
We've also added several collectors whose interests cross state lines, e.g.
Dave Graci. He is helping with his home state of Massachusetts, and also
providing data on brewery/beer Hutchinsons from all over.
Several new bottles have been added to the list of maverick Hutchinsons, while
others have been identified/possibly identified. Please take a few minutes to
review the list. By the time we go to print, we want to have the "unknown"
list as short as possible.
In between preparing Christmas cards, shopping, the Christmas Marathon, and
the usual flurry of holiday activities, I intend to devote as much time as
possible to the book for the remainder of December. Be watching for another
update around year end.
My sincere thanks to everyone involved with making the Hutchinson Bottle
Directory such a fun, interesting, and rewarding project. 2004 has been a
great year and 2005 will be even better. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
December 8, 2004
I've been trying to put together an update since Thanksgiving Day and simply
not getting it done because other priorities have continually taken precedence.
This evening I've declared a "time out" in order to post this update and bring
everyone up-to-date on Hutchinson Bottle Directory activities.
November was definitely a month to remember! In addition to a flurry of eBay
selling activity and the annual Seattle Marathon, November brought a
much-welcomed flood of Hutchinson materials from all around the U.S. and
Canada. Significant numbers of bottles were added to the Wisconsin, Georgia,
Louisiana, Colorado, Ohio, Maine, and Pennsylvania spreadsheets. An
advertisement in Phil Culhane's outstanding Canadian Bottle & Stoneware
Collector magazine generated EMail responses from several Canadian collectors.
Additional packets of information for South Dakota and Dakota Territory,
Ohio, Colorado, Massachusetts, and others are in the queue. Unfortunately,
I've been neglecting some EMail, snail mail, and telephone calls while focusing
on adding new listings and data to the spreadsheets. My current challenge is
to catch up on all correspondence and calls ASAP. My thanks to everyone for
being so patient.
Hopefully your eye caught the headline above announcing we now have 10,000
listings! Actually, we cruised right on past 10,000 and are currently at
10,400 and growing steadily. It looks like we'll hit 11,000 in January, 2005.
While working thru a great packet of input from Tommy Mitchiner, our Georgia
Hutchinson specialist, I knew we were rapidly closing in on the 10,000 listing
threshold. I had great intentions of specifically identifying the 10,000th
bottle, but accidentally re-sorted the Georgia spreadsheet and when I next
checked the grand total we were already well past 10,000. I still wanted to
note this major accomplishment, so I randomly (yeah, right!) selected the
following as bottle #10,000: E. P. C. FOWLER / TALLAPOOSA / GA. Tommy
mentioned that Mr. Fowler (no relation; honest!) was president of the Dixie
Glass Works in Tallapoosa.
We're closing in on having Hutchinson specialists identified for all areas.
We've also added several collectors whose interests cross state lines, e.g.
Dave Graci. He is helping with his home state of Massachusetts, and also
providing data on brewery/beer Hutchinsons from all over.
Several new bottles have been added to the list of maverick Hutchinsons, while
others have been identified/possibly identified. Please take a few minutes to
review the list. By the time we go to print, we want to have the "unknown"
list as short as possible.
In between preparing Christmas cards, shopping, the Christmas Marathon, and
the usual flurry of holiday activities, I intend to devote as much time as
possible to the book for the remainder of December. Be watching for another
update around year end.
My sincere thanks to everyone involved with making the Hutchinson Bottle
Directory such a fun, interesting, and rewarding project. 2004 has been a
great year and 2005 will be even better. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2004
October has been a blur. Two weeks in Texas was book-ended by marathons
in Portland, Oregon and Olympia, Washington. In spite of running (literally) all
over the country, steady progress continues on the Hutchinson Bottle Directory!
Thought was given to using the Texas trip as a break from book activities, but
I'm having way so much fun working on it that I took the CorelDraw graphics
training manual and Alabama files along with me. Many an enjoyable hour was
spent learning more about the software and organizing the Alabama file. The
additional Alabama data has been keyed into the spreadsheet, boosting the
state total to over 300. A draft copy of the spreadsheet went to Alabama
Hutchinson specialist Tom Lines this past week for his review and input.
We just ordered a copy of Soda and Mineral Water Bottles and Bottlers of
Colorado, 1860-1915 by Ted Oppelt. (Check the February 2004 issue of
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector magazine for Ted's feature article on Colorado
Hutchinsons.) The "Bottle Books For Sale" page includes details and ordering
information.
This week's mail brought a copy of Wisconsin Soda Water Bottles 1845-1910
by Roger Peters. What a great book! Details and ordering information can be
found on the "Bottle Books For Sale" page.
Hutchinson Bottle Directory word of mouth and magazine advertising continue to
pay major dividends. A Mississippi collector just submitted information about
three different Hutchinson bottles from Indianola, Mississippi. We had
information about one of them, but the other two bottles are new listings for
one-of-a-kind bottles.
The previous update included a plea for the names of collectors in states where
we've yet to identify Hutchinson specialists. Well, MAJOR kudos to Bill Baab
in Georgia, and Zang Wood in New Mexico! Bill is actively coordinating the
identification of Hutchinson specialists for several Southern states. Zang
tapped his address book and came thru with lists of many collectors. Packets
of Hutchinson Bottle Directory information were sent to many of these folks
this past week. Hopefully we'll soon have all of the states covered!
The grand total of listings is now at 9,321 and we're steadily closing in on
10,000! It still looks like we'll easily reach the 10,000 level this year.
A sincere THANK YOU to everyone helping the Hutchinson Bottle Directory
become a reality!
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
October 31, 2004
October has been a blur. Two weeks in Texas was book-ended by marathons
in Portland, Oregon and Olympia, Washington. In spite of running (literally) all
over the country, steady progress continues on the Hutchinson Bottle Directory!
Thought was given to using the Texas trip as a break from book activities, but
I'm having way so much fun working on it that I took the CorelDraw graphics
training manual and Alabama files along with me. Many an enjoyable hour was
spent learning more about the software and organizing the Alabama file. The
additional Alabama data has been keyed into the spreadsheet, boosting the
state total to over 300. A draft copy of the spreadsheet went to Alabama
Hutchinson specialist Tom Lines this past week for his review and input.
We just ordered a copy of Soda and Mineral Water Bottles and Bottlers of
Colorado, 1860-1915 by Ted Oppelt. (Check the February 2004 issue of
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector magazine for Ted's feature article on Colorado
Hutchinsons.) The "Bottle Books For Sale" page includes details and ordering
information.
This week's mail brought a copy of Wisconsin Soda Water Bottles 1845-1910
by Roger Peters. What a great book! Details and ordering information can be
found on the "Bottle Books For Sale" page.
Hutchinson Bottle Directory word of mouth and magazine advertising continue to
pay major dividends. A Mississippi collector just submitted information about
three different Hutchinson bottles from Indianola, Mississippi. We had
information about one of them, but the other two bottles are new listings for
one-of-a-kind bottles.
The previous update included a plea for the names of collectors in states where
we've yet to identify Hutchinson specialists. Well, MAJOR kudos to Bill Baab
in Georgia, and Zang Wood in New Mexico! Bill is actively coordinating the
identification of Hutchinson specialists for several Southern states. Zang
tapped his address book and came thru with lists of many collectors. Packets
of Hutchinson Bottle Directory information were sent to many of these folks
this past week. Hopefully we'll soon have all of the states covered!
The grand total of listings is now at 9,321 and we're steadily closing in on
10,000! It still looks like we'll easily reach the 10,000 level this year.
A sincere THANK YOU to everyone helping the Hutchinson Bottle Directory
become a reality!
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
On The Road Again!
October 5, 2004
After 9+ months of non-stop attention to the Hutchinson Bottle Directory, I
am taking a short break October 6-19, 2004. Please note: I will NOT have
access to EMail during this time period.
The grand total of listings is now at 9,223 and growing steadily. Thanks to
the fantastic support of advanced Hutchinson collector specialists from across
the continent, we should easily hit 10,000 by year end 2004, and may reach
11,000 by the time we go to press!
Here are the areas where we need the assistance of additional specialists. If
you know someone who might help, please send me contact information. Thanks!
Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New
Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota,
Texas, Vermont, West Virginia
Watch for another Hutchinson Bottle Directory update late this month.
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
October 5, 2004
After 9+ months of non-stop attention to the Hutchinson Bottle Directory, I
am taking a short break October 6-19, 2004. Please note: I will NOT have
access to EMail during this time period.
The grand total of listings is now at 9,223 and growing steadily. Thanks to
the fantastic support of advanced Hutchinson collector specialists from across
the continent, we should easily hit 10,000 by year end 2004, and may reach
11,000 by the time we go to press!
Here are the areas where we need the assistance of additional specialists. If
you know someone who might help, please send me contact information. Thanks!
Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New
Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota,
Texas, Vermont, West Virginia
Watch for another Hutchinson Bottle Directory update late this month.
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
9,000 Listings!
September 21, 2004
What a great way to close out the summer: the Hutchinson Bottle Directory
now has over 9,000 listings! Wow! A big THANK YOU to everyone contributing
rubbings, photographs, and details about the bottles.
Check out the "Can You Identify These Unknown Hutchinsons?" page. Several
maverick Hutchinson bottles have been positively identified, but there are
many more waiting for your review and input.
The "Hutchinson Bottle Directory Overview" has been updated to reflect two
decisions:
1. Rarity is being simplified to "Rare = less than 10 known," "Scarce =
10-100 known," and "Common = 100+ known." Listings will be abbreviated to
R, S, and C in order to save space that can be utilized for other information.
2. Dimensions will be shown in inches (as decimals), rather than centimeters.
Several more Hutchinson collector specialists have joined the project team
during the last two weeks. The next update will include a list of those few
areas where we're still seeking Hutchinson collector specialist assistance.
My thanks to everyone contributing their valuable time and energies to this
very worthwhile project. On to 10,000!
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
September 21, 2004
What a great way to close out the summer: the Hutchinson Bottle Directory
now has over 9,000 listings! Wow! A big THANK YOU to everyone contributing
rubbings, photographs, and details about the bottles.
Check out the "Can You Identify These Unknown Hutchinsons?" page. Several
maverick Hutchinson bottles have been positively identified, but there are
many more waiting for your review and input.
The "Hutchinson Bottle Directory Overview" has been updated to reflect two
decisions:
1. Rarity is being simplified to "Rare = less than 10 known," "Scarce =
10-100 known," and "Common = 100+ known." Listings will be abbreviated to
R, S, and C in order to save space that can be utilized for other information.
2. Dimensions will be shown in inches (as decimals), rather than centimeters.
Several more Hutchinson collector specialists have joined the project team
during the last two weeks. The next update will include a list of those few
areas where we're still seeking Hutchinson collector specialist assistance.
My thanks to everyone contributing their valuable time and energies to this
very worthwhile project. On to 10,000!
Ron F.
© 2004, Seattle History Company
FOHBC Expo 2004 - Memphis!
September 8, 2004
My long-time bottle collecting buddy Mark Nelson and I headed for Memphis a
day early to take in some of the local sites. We stayed at the downtown
Marriott Hotel located adjacent to the Memphis Convention Center at the
north end of downtown, right on the Mississippi River. Within an hour of
checking in we were aboard an antique trolley car headed for Beale Street.
The three block long Beale Street area is jam-packed with blues bars,
restaurants, and souvenir shops. A BBQ chicken dinner at the Rum Boogie Café
was made even better by the Boogie Blues Band’s mix of classic blues tunes and
rock oldies.
Early Thursday morning I went for an enjoyable run to the north thru a light
industrial and housing area where empty lots show signs of much urban renewal
activity (where the heck were my probe and shovel when I really needed
them!). The weather while we were there was unusually nice for August, with
high temperatures in the low 80s and very low humidity.
Mid-morning we took a 15 minute city bus ride directly to Graceland. The
area was packed with people in town for Elvis Week activities. Thanks to
purchasing tickets on-line we avoided standing in line and headed straight for
the mini-buses that took us across the street to Graceland. We were each
given headsets and listened to a recorded tour as we walked thru the house
and grounds. The gravesites out behind the house were loaded with flowers
and signs. The tour was far better than I expected and is a must-see event
for Memphis visitors whether they’re Elvis fans or not.
We hopped off the city bus back to town at 706 Union Ave, the legendary
home of Sun Records. An excellent tour guide took us upstairs to a small
museum loaded with Sun Records memorabilia, and then downstairs into the Sun
Records office and one room studio. As a life-long fan of Elvis, Johnny Cash,
Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich, and the many other
Sun stars, I’m still awestruck that I was finally able to visit the studio where
they each made so many of their early recordings. Other than the Expo,
visiting Sun Records was the highlight of the Memphis trip for me.
After leaving Sun Records we walked back toward Beale Street, intending to
visit the Gibson Guitar Factory and Rock ‘n Soul Museum. We were too late
for the day’s last factory tour, and the museum is closed because it is being
moved, so we walked a few blocks and toured the National Civil Rights
Museum. It is housed in a beautiful new building constructed adjacent to the
Lorraine Motel where MLK was shot. The tour was excellent and includes
access to the motel area where MLK stayed the night before he was killed.
The tour ended across the street in the building where James Earl Ray rented
the room from which he fired the fatal shot. The original evidence (rifle,
bullet, personal effects, etc.) is on display and accompanied by write ups
indicating Ray acted alone, rather than as part of a conspiracy.
The Expo opened for dealers to move their goods into the convention center hall
at 1100 on Friday. The spacious hall featured room for 500+ tables and
displays, 32’ high ceilings, excellent lighting, and air conditioning. Table set up
started about 1330 and there was the usual flurry of early selling and buying.
Many Florida dealers and collectors were unable to attend because they either
couldn’t get out of Florida due to Hurricane Charley or they were home
protecting their property. Beale Street was really hopping on Friday night,
with every club featuring live music and many bands playing along the street or
in parks/outside seating areas.
Saturday morning’s run found me headed to the east of downtown and an area
mainly occupied by beautifully preserved 100+ year old mercantile buildings,
the city jail, and more bail bondsmen than I could count.
I spent all day Saturday at the Expo explaining the Hutchinson Book Directory
project and successfully gaining the involvement of collectors from many states
to help with this initiative. It was fun to renew acquaintances and meet
collectors from across the country. The show closed for the day at 1630 and
then there were several breakout meetings. I stopped by the authors’ meeting
briefly and then headed on to the Painted Soda Bottle Collectors Association
gathering. Kathy Hopson did a fine job of organizing the meeting and it was
fun to visit with folks I hadn’t seen since the national shows in Denver and
Nashville. I did a 30 minute presentation on siphon bottles that seemed to be
well received.
Sunday morning’s run took me downtown and then east thru the beautiful
University of Tennessee campus. While crossing a downtown street I spotted a
large, heavy silver ring lying on the pavement. If it turns out that it isn’t
worth much, I’ll keep it and concoct a story about how Elvis lost it Saturday
night while driving down the street and waving to fans.
Sunday’s Expo session ran from 0800-1400. In order to maximize the use of
my remaining time, I left the sales table and sought out collectors from
specific states where we had yet to identify Hutchinson collector specialists.
By the end of the day, the list of people committed to helping with the project
covered more than half of the states and several foreign countries! During the
Memphis trip the grand total of identified different Hutchinson bottles grew
from 8000 to almost 8400, with more quantum leaps due as collectors submit
promised information when they return home. Reaction to the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory project was 100% positive and far exceeded my wildest
expectations.
Thanks to pitching the Hutchinson Bottle Directory non-stop, I wasn't able to
view the 20-25 displays or peruse the many rows of sales tables. None-the-
less this was a memorable national show and I’m extremely pleased with every
aspect of the trip. My thanks to the FOHBC and Memphis club members, and
other hard-working folks who put this great Expo together.
Since returning home I have been attacking the project with renewed
enthusiasm. I have mailed out nearly 30 packets containing drafts of
country/state/territory/province spreadsheets, copies of the project overview
document, and much more. As of this morning, the grand total of bottles listed
stands at 8,540 with many more to be listed in days to come. We’ll easily hit
9,000 before going to print and may approach 10,000!
Please be watching for another project update during September. I intend to
post a list of those remaining states and provinces where we have yet to
identify a Hutchinson collector specialist. Hopefully some of you will be able to
recommend collectors we can contact from each of these areas. I also plan to
start listing “maverick” bottles in hopes readers will be able to help us assign
them to their proper states and towns.
My sincere thanks to everyone involved with the Hutchinson Bottle Directory.
This is one of the most challenging projects I have ever tackled, and is turning
out to be one of the most rewarding as we all work together to make it happen!
Ron F.
HutchBook@yahoo.com
© 2004, Seattle History Company
September 8, 2004
My long-time bottle collecting buddy Mark Nelson and I headed for Memphis a
day early to take in some of the local sites. We stayed at the downtown
Marriott Hotel located adjacent to the Memphis Convention Center at the
north end of downtown, right on the Mississippi River. Within an hour of
checking in we were aboard an antique trolley car headed for Beale Street.
The three block long Beale Street area is jam-packed with blues bars,
restaurants, and souvenir shops. A BBQ chicken dinner at the Rum Boogie Café
was made even better by the Boogie Blues Band’s mix of classic blues tunes and
rock oldies.
Early Thursday morning I went for an enjoyable run to the north thru a light
industrial and housing area where empty lots show signs of much urban renewal
activity (where the heck were my probe and shovel when I really needed
them!). The weather while we were there was unusually nice for August, with
high temperatures in the low 80s and very low humidity.
Mid-morning we took a 15 minute city bus ride directly to Graceland. The
area was packed with people in town for Elvis Week activities. Thanks to
purchasing tickets on-line we avoided standing in line and headed straight for
the mini-buses that took us across the street to Graceland. We were each
given headsets and listened to a recorded tour as we walked thru the house
and grounds. The gravesites out behind the house were loaded with flowers
and signs. The tour was far better than I expected and is a must-see event
for Memphis visitors whether they’re Elvis fans or not.
We hopped off the city bus back to town at 706 Union Ave, the legendary
home of Sun Records. An excellent tour guide took us upstairs to a small
museum loaded with Sun Records memorabilia, and then downstairs into the Sun
Records office and one room studio. As a life-long fan of Elvis, Johnny Cash,
Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich, and the many other
Sun stars, I’m still awestruck that I was finally able to visit the studio where
they each made so many of their early recordings. Other than the Expo,
visiting Sun Records was the highlight of the Memphis trip for me.
After leaving Sun Records we walked back toward Beale Street, intending to
visit the Gibson Guitar Factory and Rock ‘n Soul Museum. We were too late
for the day’s last factory tour, and the museum is closed because it is being
moved, so we walked a few blocks and toured the National Civil Rights
Museum. It is housed in a beautiful new building constructed adjacent to the
Lorraine Motel where MLK was shot. The tour was excellent and includes
access to the motel area where MLK stayed the night before he was killed.
The tour ended across the street in the building where James Earl Ray rented
the room from which he fired the fatal shot. The original evidence (rifle,
bullet, personal effects, etc.) is on display and accompanied by write ups
indicating Ray acted alone, rather than as part of a conspiracy.
The Expo opened for dealers to move their goods into the convention center hall
at 1100 on Friday. The spacious hall featured room for 500+ tables and
displays, 32’ high ceilings, excellent lighting, and air conditioning. Table set up
started about 1330 and there was the usual flurry of early selling and buying.
Many Florida dealers and collectors were unable to attend because they either
couldn’t get out of Florida due to Hurricane Charley or they were home
protecting their property. Beale Street was really hopping on Friday night,
with every club featuring live music and many bands playing along the street or
in parks/outside seating areas.
Saturday morning’s run found me headed to the east of downtown and an area
mainly occupied by beautifully preserved 100+ year old mercantile buildings,
the city jail, and more bail bondsmen than I could count.
I spent all day Saturday at the Expo explaining the Hutchinson Book Directory
project and successfully gaining the involvement of collectors from many states
to help with this initiative. It was fun to renew acquaintances and meet
collectors from across the country. The show closed for the day at 1630 and
then there were several breakout meetings. I stopped by the authors’ meeting
briefly and then headed on to the Painted Soda Bottle Collectors Association
gathering. Kathy Hopson did a fine job of organizing the meeting and it was
fun to visit with folks I hadn’t seen since the national shows in Denver and
Nashville. I did a 30 minute presentation on siphon bottles that seemed to be
well received.
Sunday morning’s run took me downtown and then east thru the beautiful
University of Tennessee campus. While crossing a downtown street I spotted a
large, heavy silver ring lying on the pavement. If it turns out that it isn’t
worth much, I’ll keep it and concoct a story about how Elvis lost it Saturday
night while driving down the street and waving to fans.
Sunday’s Expo session ran from 0800-1400. In order to maximize the use of
my remaining time, I left the sales table and sought out collectors from
specific states where we had yet to identify Hutchinson collector specialists.
By the end of the day, the list of people committed to helping with the project
covered more than half of the states and several foreign countries! During the
Memphis trip the grand total of identified different Hutchinson bottles grew
from 8000 to almost 8400, with more quantum leaps due as collectors submit
promised information when they return home. Reaction to the Hutchinson
Bottle Directory project was 100% positive and far exceeded my wildest
expectations.
Thanks to pitching the Hutchinson Bottle Directory non-stop, I wasn't able to
view the 20-25 displays or peruse the many rows of sales tables. None-the-
less this was a memorable national show and I’m extremely pleased with every
aspect of the trip. My thanks to the FOHBC and Memphis club members, and
other hard-working folks who put this great Expo together.
Since returning home I have been attacking the project with renewed
enthusiasm. I have mailed out nearly 30 packets containing drafts of
country/state/territory/province spreadsheets, copies of the project overview
document, and much more. As of this morning, the grand total of bottles listed
stands at 8,540 with many more to be listed in days to come. We’ll easily hit
9,000 before going to print and may approach 10,000!
Please be watching for another project update during September. I intend to
post a list of those remaining states and provinces where we have yet to
identify a Hutchinson collector specialist. Hopefully some of you will be able to
recommend collectors we can contact from each of these areas. I also plan to
start listing “maverick” bottles in hopes readers will be able to help us assign
them to their proper states and towns.
My sincere thanks to everyone involved with the Hutchinson Bottle Directory.
This is one of the most challenging projects I have ever tackled, and is turning
out to be one of the most rewarding as we all work together to make it happen!
Ron F.
HutchBook@yahoo.com
© 2004, Seattle History Company
PRESS RELEASE: July 17, 2004
Hutchinson Bottle Directory Initiative Over 50% Complete
Ron Fowler, author of the international Hutchinson Bottle Directory, today
announced this highly-desired initiative is over 50% complete and well ahead of
schedule. Excitement is building as collectors anticipate publication of this
milestone antique bottle collector reference source.
The Hutchinson Bottle Directory features spreadsheets listing over 8,000
bottles alphabetically by city and bottler. Individual listings detail available
data on front, back, and base embossing, mold, glass color, height, diameter,
plate shape, base shape, and rarity. Illustrations of each bottle are included.
A service will likely be offered to periodically provide updated pages to
Hutchinson Bottle Directory subscribers.
Hundreds of collectors have contributed information to the Hutchinson Bottle
Directory. Successful completion of the project requires the valued assistance
and contributions of collector specialists from across the North American
continent. Identified specialists for each country/state/territory/province
receive copies of their geographical area’s spreadsheets detailing the
information gathered thus far and then work with the author to gather missing
information, obtain data on additional bottles, and quality control the finished
product prior to publication.
Author Ron Fowler is attending the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs’
national show in Memphis, Tennessee August 13-15, 2004 in order to promote
the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative and identify collector specialists.
For additional information, contact:
Ron Fowler
4518 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105-3002
Telephone: 206-525-1050
EMail: HutchBook@yahoo.com
Project details/updates: www.SeattleHistoryCompany.com
© 2004, Seattle History Company
Hutchinson Bottle Directory Initiative Over 50% Complete
Ron Fowler, author of the international Hutchinson Bottle Directory, today
announced this highly-desired initiative is over 50% complete and well ahead of
schedule. Excitement is building as collectors anticipate publication of this
milestone antique bottle collector reference source.
The Hutchinson Bottle Directory features spreadsheets listing over 8,000
bottles alphabetically by city and bottler. Individual listings detail available
data on front, back, and base embossing, mold, glass color, height, diameter,
plate shape, base shape, and rarity. Illustrations of each bottle are included.
A service will likely be offered to periodically provide updated pages to
Hutchinson Bottle Directory subscribers.
Hundreds of collectors have contributed information to the Hutchinson Bottle
Directory. Successful completion of the project requires the valued assistance
and contributions of collector specialists from across the North American
continent. Identified specialists for each country/state/territory/province
receive copies of their geographical area’s spreadsheets detailing the
information gathered thus far and then work with the author to gather missing
information, obtain data on additional bottles, and quality control the finished
product prior to publication.
Author Ron Fowler is attending the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs’
national show in Memphis, Tennessee August 13-15, 2004 in order to promote
the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative and identify collector specialists.
For additional information, contact:
Ron Fowler
4518 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105-3002
Telephone: 206-525-1050
EMail: HutchBook@yahoo.com
Project details/updates: www.SeattleHistoryCompany.com
© 2004, Seattle History Company
Full Speed Ahead!
September 23, 2006
September has been a very productive month! The new scheduling approach is
facilitating giant leaps forward. This update is earlier than usual so it won't
interrupt final preparations for two impending major announcements.
The inspiration for those beautiful colored Hutchinson bottle photos posted on
the home page was a combination of beginning to see fall colors combined with
the spirited eBay bidding for the emerald green Pottsville, PA bottle. Here's a
rundown on those four beauties:
The grand total number of listings has jumped to 14,817 thanks to input by an
additional West Virginia Hutchinson specialist. My prediction skills are
questionable, but it certainly appears we'll have 15,000+ listings by year end.
Check back in a few days for the aforementioned major announcements!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
September 23, 2006
September has been a very productive month! The new scheduling approach is
facilitating giant leaps forward. This update is earlier than usual so it won't
interrupt final preparations for two impending major announcements.
The inspiration for those beautiful colored Hutchinson bottle photos posted on
the home page was a combination of beginning to see fall colors combined with
the spirited eBay bidding for the emerald green Pottsville, PA bottle. Here's a
rundown on those four beauties:
- JACOB SCHMIDT / POTTSVILLE, PA. = 2 piece mold, emerald green,
8.50" x 2.25" with round plate mold, blank back and base, round bottle,
rare. Check eBay 110031992576 to review the auction. Chuck
frequently offers great, freshly dug Hutchinsons; check out his listings!
- G. HAUSBURG / BLUE ISLAND / ILL. = 2 piece mold, amber, 7.25" x
2.375" with round plate mold, blank back, round bottle, rare.
- CENTRAL / BOTTLING WORKS / DETROIT, MICH. = 2 piece mold,
cobalt blue, 7.00" x 2.375" with round plate mold, THIS BOTTLE IS
NEVER SOLD / C & Co. LIM. NO. 5 on back, J.J.G. on base, round
bottle, rare.
- M. GONDREZICK / TOMAH / WIS. = 2 piece mold, citron (yellow green),
6.50" x 2.50" with round plate mold, blank back, WIS. G. CO. MILW on
base, 6 panel base, rare. Thanks to Bob Libbey and www.mrbottles.com
for permission to post their photo. Check out their great web site!
The grand total number of listings has jumped to 14,817 thanks to input by an
additional West Virginia Hutchinson specialist. My prediction skills are
questionable, but it certainly appears we'll have 15,000+ listings by year end.
Check back in a few days for the aforementioned major announcements!
Ron F.
© 2006, Seattle History Company
Extra! Extra! Extra! Extra!
September 27, 2006
We are very pleased to introduce the "Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide," a new
tool designed to help those selling Hutchinsons create more effective sales
listings. Click on Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide to review this new page. Also
note the navigation buttons have been rearranged so the Hutchinson-related
topics are grouped together. Check back soon for another major announcement!
September 27, 2006
We are very pleased to introduce the "Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide," a new
tool designed to help those selling Hutchinsons create more effective sales
listings. Click on Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide to review this new page. Also
note the navigation buttons have been rearranged so the Hutchinson-related
topics are grouped together. Check back soon for another major announcement!
Hutchinson Bottle Collect