Charleston Eagle

(Motif Eagle Shield Flags)

Probably Baltimore Glass Works, Baltimore, Maryland

Medium Citron Green Soda Water

Provenance: Mike Newman Collection

The patriotic American eagle, shield and crossed flags motif was used on many American bottles, especially soda water bottles. Our subject, “Eagle-Shield-Flags,” bottles were probably blown at Baltimore Glass Works circa 1846-1852. Like many period standard glasshouse products, it is hard to attribute the bottle to any one proprietor or company unless they specifically claim to be responsible in a newspaper advertisement or other legal record.

The “Eagle-Shield-Flags” bottles are a collector’s favorite and are primarily dug and collected in cities like Baltimore, Richmond, Alexandria, Savannah, Wilmington and Charleston. These cities had bottlers that preferred Baltimore-made bottles during the late 1840s to late 1850s. H. J. & C. J. Baker, or Baker & Brother, were agents of Baltimore Glass Works and advertised that they had Mineral Water Bottles for sale in 1846. They were standard glass works ware and were supplied to anyone who wanted stock bottles. New Orleans bottles of this period were generally manufactured by glasshouses up the Mississippi River in cities like St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and possibly Cincinnati and Wheeling.

The difference between “soda water” and “mineral water” during the 19th century was often vague. Soda water was generally considered flavored artificial mineral water with the purposeful addition of carbonation and various compounds and flavoring. Mineral or spring water, as it was also called, would generally be natural waters from spring sources that were typically highly mineralized with carbonates like alkaline, sulfurous compounds, and or various salts, which often carbonated naturally. Confusion sometimes arises when mineral water is used as a generic term applied to various natural and artificially carbonated, non-artificially flavored waters, including many utilized for their perceived medicinal qualities. Please visit the museum Spring & Mineral Water Gallery.

Many druggists had soda fountains and advertised soda water for sale, but very few bottled their soda water. In Charleston, for example, the druggists who bottled soda and mineral water advertised that fact in addition to having their in-store fountains. These druggists included Finley & Phin, Gatchall & Co., Charles Clark, Dawson & Blackman, Christian Schlepegrell, Christian Alfs, B. H. Fink, and Nathaniel Fields. The proprietor would not have used paper labels as the bottles were typically returned, cleaned and re-used.

When looking at the “Eagle-Shield-Flags” bottle, a prominent embossed American eagle sits atop a shield flanked by crossed flags and underlying laurel. The bottles are usually around 7 3/4 inches tall and have an applied tapered collar mouth and an iron pontil. The thinner, taller form soda water bottles tend to be from the 1845 to 1849 period, while taper tops are “generally” an 1845 to 1849 style of mouth. 

The bottle can be found in many glass colors, typical of Baltimore Glass Works, such as shades of cobalt blue, medium blue-green, teal blue, emerald green, dark grass green, olive amber, olive yellow, medium ginger ale, etc. 

See the museum example of an olive-amber “Eagle-Shield-Flags” soda water bottle.

See the museum example of a blue “Eagle-Shield-Flags” soda water bottle.

Similar bottles exist with the addition of “Superior Soda Water” embossed copy on the opposite bottle side of the eagle, shield, and flags. See the museum examples of these bottles. 

Other times the proprietor’s name is embossed on the opposite bottle side of the pictorial eagle, shield, and flags. You see this with Roseberry & Co. in Alexandria, Va., Charles H. Umbach & Co., George Gemenden and Philip Young in Savannah, Ga., and William Heiss in Philadelphia, for example.

Primary Spinning Image: Medium citron green “Eagle On Shield with Crossed Flags” soda water bottle imaged on location by Alan DeMaison, FOHBC Virtual Museum Midwest Studio.

Secondary Spinning Image: Blue “Eagle On Shield with Crossed Flags” soda water bottle imaged on location by Alan DeMaison, FOHBC Virtual Museum Midwest Studio. Mike Newman collection.

Secondary Spinning Image: Olive amber “Eagle On Shield with Crossed Flags” soda water bottle imaged on location by Alan DeMaison, FOHBC Virtual Museum Midwest Studio. Mike Newman collection.

Support: Reference to Soda & Beer Bottles of North America, Tod von Mechow

Support: Reference to the forthcoming draft of Early Carolina Sodas, The Bottles & Proprietors by David Kyle Rakes.

Support: Research assistance from Robert Hinely, Tod von Mechow and David Kyle Rakes.

Support: Reference to Really liking this “Charleston Shield” Superior Soda Water, PeachridgeGlass.com, Ferdinand Meyer V, April 2012

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