Mineral Water
Bottles

Mineral water, also known as spring water, was a very popular beverage for a full century, with peak consumption between 1860 and 1900. Consequently, most collectible bottles were produced during these years. While the earliest bottles are pontilled, the majority are smooth based. The water came from various springs that were high in carbonates (alkaline), sulfurous compounds, various salts, and were often naturally carbonated. The waters were also thought to possess medical and therapeutic qualities and benefits.

Although the shapes and sizes of mineral bottles are not very creative, the lettering and design, both embossed and paper, are bold and interesting. The bottles were produced in a variety of colors and range from 7 inches to 14 inches high. Most were cork-stopped and embossed with the name of the glasshouse manufacturer. In order to withstand the the high-pressure bottling process and the gaseous pressure of the contents, the bottles were manufactured with thick, heavy glass. Their durability made them suitable to be refilled many times.

A.D. Schnackenberg & Co. / Mineral Water / Brooklyn. N. Y., medium golden amber, pint, rare, American 1870-1880, $500-700.

Albert Crook / Paradise Spring / Saratoga Co. N.Y, deep olive green, quart, extremely rare, American 1865-1875, $250-350.

Bear Lithia Water / Bear (motif of bear) Trade Mark / Near / Elkton, VA, pale aqua, half-gallon, American 1885-1895, $175-275.

A. D. Schnackenberg & Co. / Mineral Water / Brooklyn, N.Y.

Deep amber, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, very rare, American 1870-1880.$500-700

Aletic China Water / Discovered By / (coat of arms) / Prof. Lavender

Yellow olive green, half-pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1870-1880.$180-275

Andrew Lawrence / York, PA

Medium emerald green, 7-3/8", iron pontil, applied blob mouth, extremely rare, one of only two known examples, American 1840-1860$500-700

A. Schroth / Sch.ll Haven – Superior / Mineral Water / Union Glass Works

Medium cobalt blue, 7-3/8", mug base, iron pontil, applied mouth, scarce, American 1840-1860$400-700

Avery Lord

Medium cobalt blue, 7-1/4", smooth base, applied mouth, American 1855-1870.$200-250

Avery N. Lord – Utica N.Y.

Aqua, 7-1/4", smooth base, applied mouth, American 1855-1870$200-250

B. Bick & Co. – Mineral Water – Cincinnati – B, cobalt blue, 7-1/2", American 1840-1860, $350-450.

Blount Springs / Natural / Sulphur Water – Trade / BS / Mark, deep cobalt blue 9", American 1870-1880, $375-550.

Buffum’s Sarsaparilla & Lemon – Mineral Water – Pittsburgh, cobalt blue, 7-3/4", American 1840-1860, $400-600.

A.W. Rapp’s / Improved / Patent Mineral Water – Soda Water / R / New York

Emerald green, 6-7/8", iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1835-1845.$300-400

B. Bick & Co – Mineral Water – Cincinnati – B

Cobalt blue, 7-1/2", 10-sided with embossed tear drop in each panel around shoulder, iron pontil, applied blob mouth, rare, American 1840-1860.$350-450

Buffum & Co / Pittsburgh – Sarsaparilla / And / Mineral Water

Deep cobalt blue, 8", smooth base, applied mouth, American 1855-1865$800-1200

Carter & / Wilson / Manuf’s / Boston – Soda & / Mineral / Water

Deep blue green, 6-7/8", iron pontil, applied sloping collar mouth, American 1840-1860$400-600

Carter & / Wilson / Manuf’s / Boston – Soda & / Mineral / Water

Deep blue green, 6-3/4", iron pontil, applied sloping collar mouth, American 1840-1860$400-600

Franklin Spring / Mineral Water / Ballston Spa / Saratoga Co. N.Y., emerald green, pint, American 1865-1875, $200-275.

Colemans / Concentrated / Spring Water White Sulphur / Dallas Texas – Pat’d Aug 1 ‘76’, medium amber, pint, American 1870-1880, $400-700.

Irondale Spring / W. VA, medium golden amber, pint, very rare, American 1865-1875, $400-600.

Champion Spouting Spring / Saratoga Mineral / Springs / (CSS monogram) / Limited / Saratoga N.Y. – Champion / Water

Blue aqua, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875.$150-200

Clark & White / C / New York / NII

Deep olive green, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, rare, American 1860-1865.$180-220

Clark & White / C / New York

Deep olive green, pint, smooth base, wide mouth with rolled lip, early widemouth salt jar, extremely rare, American 1855-1865$4,000-6,000

Congress & Empire Spring Co / Hotchkiss’ Sons / C / W / New York / Saratoga, N.Y.

Olive green, half-pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875 $500-800

Congress & Empire Spring Co / Columbian Water / Saratoga, N.Y.

Medium blue green, pint, slope shoulder, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$800-1,400

Covert / Morristown / N.J. – Superior / Mineral / Water

Medium cobalt blue, 6-7/8", iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860.$1,500-2,500

Crystal Spring Water / C.R. Brown / Saratoga Springs / N.Y.

Deep emerald green, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, rare, American 1865-1875$375-475

Darling & Cobb’s / Improved / Mineral Water – Boston / C

Light blue green, 6-7/8", iron pontil, applied sloping collar mouth, American 1840-1860$150-275

Deep Rock Springs / Oswego, N.Y. / C. MC. N & Co., blue aqua, quart, rare, American 1870-1880, $275-450.

Gardner & Landon / Sharon / Sulphur Water, medium olive green, quart, American 1860-1875, $1,000-1,500.

Gettysburg Katalysine / Water, yellow emerald green, quart, American 1865-1875, $275-375.

Demott’s / Celebrated / Soda or Mineral / Waters – Hudson County / N.J.

Cobalt blue, 7-3/8", iron pontil, applied sloping collar mouth, American 1840-1860 $250-350

Excelsior / Spring / Saratoga, N.Y.

Medium blue green, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875.$200-300

Exelsior / Spring / Saratoga, N.Y.

Yellow olive green, pint, smooth base, tooled mouth, American 1865-1875$200-275

Francis / Schellenberg (in a slug plate)

Blue green, 6-7/8", squat form, iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860.$150-200

Geo. Upp, Jr. / York, PA – Mineral / Water

Medium cobalt blue, 7-3/4", iron pontil, applied blob mouth, very rare, American 1840-1860$500-700

Geyser Spring / Saratoga Springs / State / Of / New York – The Saratoga / Spouting Springs

Deep blue green, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, very rare color, American 1865-1875$1,800-3,000

Geyser Spring / Saratoga Springs / New York – Avery N. Lord / 66 Broad St. / Utica, N.Y.

Blue aqua, quart, smooth base (A & HDC), applied mouth, rare, American 1865-

1875$120-160

Gettysburg – Water

Deep olive green, tall magnum quart, smooth base, applied mouth, extremely rare, American 1865-1875.$2,500-3,500

Dr. Wieber’s / European / Mineral Water, medium blue green, pint, American 1865-1880, $400-600.

Hathorn Spring / Saratoga, N.Y., label reads: Saratoga Mineral Waters, Property of the State of New York, Hathorn Spring, Natural Cathartic Water. dark amber, pint, American 1865-1875, $200-275.

Hopkins / Chalybeate / Baltimore, medium yellow green, pint, American 1850-1860, $375-475.

Guilford Mineral / GMSW (monogram) / Guilford / VT. / Spring Water

Olive yellow, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, scarce color, American 1865-1875$250-350

G.W. Weston & Co / Saratoga / N.Y.

Deep olive amber, quart, pontil-scarred base, applied mouth, American 1848-1855.$275-375

H. Borgman / Mineral Water / Manufacturer / Cumberland, MD

Blue green, 8-3/8", iron pontil, applied blob mouth, extremely rare, American 1850-1860$1,500-2,500

Hand & Murtha / Mineral Waters – H & M

Aqua, 7-1/4", iron pontil, applied mouth, extremely rare, American 1845-1860.$375-475

Harris’s / Albany / Mineral Water

Medium blue green, 7-1/4", iron pontil, applied mouth, very rare, American 1840-1860$375-450

Highrock Congress Springs / (motif of rock) / C & W / Saratoga, N.Y.

Teal blue, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875.$400-600

Highrock Congress Spring / (motif of rock) / C & W / Saratoga, N.Y.

Yellow amber, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$200-300

I. Sutton & Co. – Covington – KY, medium cobalt blue, 8-1/2", American 1840-1860, $800-1,200.

Frost’s Magnetic Spring / Eaton Rapids Mich, medium orange amber, quart, American 1870-1875, $375-475.

Lamoille Spring, Milton VT, medium yellow amber, quart, American 1865-1875, $450-650.

I.C. / Vreeland / Newark / N.J. – Superior Water / Union Glass Works / Phila

Teal blue, 7-1/2", iron pontil, applied blob mouth, American 1840-1860$180-220

J.B. Edward – Mineral Water / Columbia / PA

Deep blue, 7-5/8", iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860$200-300

J. Dowall (in a slug plate) – Union Glass Works Phila – / Superior / Mineral Water

Deep cobalt blue, 7-1/2", mug base, iron pontil, applied blob-type mouth, American 1840-1860$600-900

J. Lake / Schenectady , N.Y.

Deep cobalt blue, 8-1/8", iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860 $500-800

John Boardman – New York – Mineral Waters

Cobalt blue, 7-1/4", 8-sided, iron pontil, applied blob mouth, American 1840-1860.$400-600

Knickerbocker / Mineral Water / Bottles Registered / According To Law – Boughton & Chase / Rochester

Medium cobalt blue, 7-1/2", iron pontil, applied blob-type mouth, American 1840-1860$500-800

Lynch & Clarke / New York

Deep olive green, quart, pontil-scarred base, applied mouth, American 1825-1830$1,200-1,600

Massena Spring Water, golden yellow amber, quart, American 1880-1885, $250-375.

Oswego Deep Rock / Mineral Water – This Bottle Must Be Returned, blue aqua, quart, American 1870-1880, $250-350.

Strumatic Mineral Water / N / PSM Co., medium orange amber, pint, American 1870-1880, $600-800.

Lynch & Clarke / New York

Yellow olive amber, pint, pontil-scarred base, applied mouth, American 1825-1835.$700-900

Keys – Burlington / N.J.

Medium blue green, 7-1/8", iron pontil, applied blob mouth, American 1840-1860.$200-300

Keys – Burlington (in an arch) / N.J.

Medium emerald green, 7-1/4", iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860.$200-300

Massena Spring / (monogram) / Water

Medium teal blue, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875.$275-400

Middletown / Healing / Springs / Grays & Clark / Middletown VT

Deep emerald green, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, rare color, American 1865-1875$250-300

Middletown / Healing Springs / Grays & Clark / Middletown VT

Deep yellow amber, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875.$500-800

Missisquoi / A / Springs – (Indian woman with papoose)

Yellow olive, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875 $200-300

Richfield Springs N.Y. / Sulphur / Water, deep blue-green, pint, American 1865-1875, $250-350.

Rockbridge Alum Water, Rockbridge Co / VA, medium teal blue, half-gallon, 9-3/4", American 1865-1880, $400-700.

Round Lake / Mineral Water / Saratoga Co. / N.Y., deep red amber, quart, American 1865-1875, $375-475.

Oak Orchard / Acid Springs – H.W. Bostwick / Agt. No 574 / Broadway, New York

Dark amber, quart, smooth base (Glass From F. Hitchings Factory / Lockport, N.Y.), applied mouth, American 1865-1875$200-275

Oak Orchard / Acid Springs – Alabama / Genesee Co. N.Y.

Medium blue-green, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$275-350

Powell’s – Mineral Water – Burlington – N.J.

Medium sapphire blue, 7-5/8", 8-sided, iron pontil, rare Powell bottle, American 1840-1860$1,800-2,700

Powell & – Dr. Burr’s Mineral Water – Burlington – N.J.

Medium cobalt blue, 7-3/4", 8-sided, iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860$1,500-2,500

Rockbridge / VA / Alum Water

Yellow olive green, 6-7/8", squat form, pint, iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1845-1860$7,000-9,000

Rockbridge / Alum / Water – Alum Springs / Virginia

Deep emerald green, 13-1/4", smooth base, applied mouth, extremely rare, American 1855-1865$10,000-20,000

S. Keys / Burlington / N.J. – Union Glass Works / Superior / Mineral Water

Medium cobalt blue, 7-3/4", paneled mug base, iron pontil, applied mouth, American 1840-1860$450-650

Saratoga Red Spring, deep blue green, quart, American 1865-1875, $200-300.

Saratoga Seltzer Spring Co. / Saratoga N.Y. – SSS, dark olive green, quart, very rare, American 1865-1875, $4,000-6,000.

Siderite Springs / SS Co. / Manchester Conn, medium emerald green, pint, extremely rare, American 1865-1875, $2,500-4,500.

Red Sulphur Springs, Monroe Co. / WV, medium amber tall, quart, American 1880-1885, $275-375.

Saratoga High Rock Spring / (motif of rock) / Saratoga, N.Y.

Emerald green, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$700-1,000

Saratoga / (star) / Spring

Olive green, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, scarce color, American 1865-1875$275-375

Saratoga Seltzer Water

Medium green, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1870-1885$200-300

Saratoga Vichy Spouting Spring / V / Saratoga / N.Y.

Aqua, three-quarter pint, smooth base, applied mouth, rarely seen in this size, American 1765-1875 $350-450

Saratoga Vichy Spouting Spring / V / Saratoga / N. Y.

Aqua, half-pint, smooth base, tooled mouth, American 1865-1875$275-375

St. Catherines / Mineral Water / G.L. Mather Agent / Astor House / New York

Medium yellow amber, 11-3/8", cylinder form, smooth base, applied sloping collar mouth, American 1865-1875$600-800

St. Regis / Water / Massena Springs

Black olive amber, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$375-450

Syracuse Springs / D / Excelsior / A.J. Delantour / New York, yellow olive, pint, American 1870-1880, $500-800.

Vermont Spring / Saxe & Co. / Sheldon VT, medium golden yellow amber, quart, American 1865-1875, $350-475.

Washington Spring, Saratoga N.Y., medium yellow olive, pint, American 1865-1875, $400-600.

White Sulphur Water / Greenbrier, VA, medium blue green, quart, American 1855-1865, $375-475.

Star Spring co / (star) / Saratoga, N.Y.

Deep amber, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$150-250

Teller’s / Mineral Water / Detroit – The Bottle / Must Be / Returned

Deep cobalt blue, 8-3/8", smooth base, applied mouth, American 1855-1865$375-450

Vermont Spring / Saxe & Co. / Shelton, VT.

Yellow olive, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, scarce color, American 1865-1875$120-150

Vermont Spring / Saxe & Co. / Sheldon, VT.

Yellow amber, quart, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$350-475

Washington Spring Co (bust of Washington) / Ballston Spa / N.Y. – C

Deep blue green, pint, smooth base, applied mouth, American 1865-1875$600-800

W. Heiss, Jr’s / Mineral Water / No. 213 N. 2nd. St. / Phila – Improved / H / Patent

Medium blue green, 7", tubular pen pontil, applied mouth, American 1835-1845$350-400

WM. P. Davis & Co – Excelsior – Mineral Water – Brooklyn

Cobalt blue, 7-3/8", 8-sided, iron pontil, applied blob mouth, American 1840-1860$400-600