The citro-carbonated liquid contents, (sold as a medicine ca
late-1920s-thru-1930s in Texas drugstores), was manufactured by the
Citro Chemical Company of Maywood, NJ, which I believe was started-owned
by the Bromo-Seltzer king, Isaac Edward Emerson [see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Edward_Emerson ]. In any case, the
Citro Chemical Company was started sometime after about 1910 (perhaps
1914 ?), and the earliest date for your bottle is likely about 1914 (the
identical bottle form and cobalt glass was also used for bottling
Perfection Ginger Ale in Baltimore, and the earliest known [to me]
cobalt-blue Perfection Ginger Ale bottle being dated about 1914 and also
made/marked by the Maryland Glass Corporation). These distinctive
[commonly called cobalt-blue-pitkin-bitters by bottle-collectors]
bottles were manufactured by the ... [for marks see following, at:
http://www.glassbottlemarks.com/m-within-a-circle-maryland-glass-corporation/
]
[Your "M" is likely enclosed in a circle, which is just poorly stamped
and appears as a "C" or "G" ]
**
*Maryland Glass Corporation*
*Baltimore, Maryland *
(1907-1970s)
*“M inside a circle” marking *
This mark was first used in 1921, according to trademark information
reported in Arthur G. Peterson’s /*400 Trademarks on Glass* / (1968).
However, Julian Toulouse, in */Bottle Makers and their Marks/ *(1971,
page 341) writes that the “M in a circle” first appeared on bottles in 1916.
Maryland Glass Corporation was organized in 1907 as a vehicle for making
large quantities of Bromo-Seltzer bottles
<http://www.glassbottlemarks.com/bromo-seltzer-cobalt-blue-bottles/> for
parent *Emerson Drug Company,* of Baltimore. Emerson Drug Company
(founder and president, Issac E. Emerson) had been incorporated in 1891,
and because of increasing sales needed a reliable source of supply for
the large quantities of glass bottles needed.
This company was soon specializing in producing all kinds of cobalt blue
bottles and jars. Many of the blue glass containers made for Phillips
Milk of Magnesia, Bromo-Seltzer
<http://www.glassbottlemarks.com/bromo-seltzer-cobalt-blue-bottles/>,
Bromo-Caffeine, Vicks Vapo-Rub, Noxzema, and other products were
produced here. Maryland also produced clear glass as well as cobalt.
The “M in a circle” mark is seen on tremendous numbers of glass
containers from the 1920s through the 1960s, and cobalt blue jars and
bottles from trash dumps of this time period are often found that bear
this mark. Many of these containers have no identification or brand
markings other than the “M in a circle” on the base.
Maryland produced the most commonly-seen type of figural “violin bottle”
or “fiddle bottle” in various shades of blue (and probably other
colors) although these bottles were not usually marked. They may bear a
mold number on the bottom.
On 7/14/2016 7:28 AM, William Lockhart wrote:
> Hi Al & All,
>
>
> The Bottle Research Group has not yet completed the "Other M" section of the Encyclopedia of Manufacturer's Marks on Glass Containers (the SHA site you noted in your message), but below is what it will eventually be. The monogram on the fruit jars is identical with the one on your soda bottle.
>
>
> Let me know if you want or need the individual citations.
>
>
> Bill
>
>
> Bill Lockhart
>
>
> ------------
>
>
> MG monogram (1911-1916)
>
> An MG monogram was embossed on the base of machine-made fruit jars that had “MICHIGAN MASON” embossed on the side. Roller (1983:251) noted that there were also variations with no monogram on the base. He claimed that the jars were made by the Michigan Glass Co., Saginaw, “c. 1910s.” Creswick (1987b:95) agreed but dated the company 1911-1916. She also listed other jars with the MG monogram. The dates we discovered were ca. 1914-ca. 1917 – very close to those of Creswick. The Roller update (2011:375) added historic details (see below) and noted that the jars were made in both shoulder and bead seal versions with three variations:
>
> 1. “MICHIGAN MASON” on side; no basal embossing
> 2. “MICHIGAN MASON” on side; MG monogram on base
> 3. No side embossing: MG monogram on base
>
> Allen Dart also described a cobalt blue bowling-pin soda bottle embossed “CITRO / THE THIRST QUENCHER / BROOKLANDWOOD SPRINGS CO. / BALTO MD” in a round plate; “REGISTERED” on the front heel; and the MG monogram on the base (Figures ? & ?).
>
> Manufacturer
>
> Michigan Glass Co., Saginaw, Michigan (1911-1916)
>
> Roller (2011:375) noted that the Michigan Glass Co. incorporated in February 1911, with Frederick Buck as president, Fred C. Simon as vice president, and C.H. Brand as secretary and general manager – with a location at 1401 Wheeler St. George Grant, Jr., replaced Simon in 1913. Although the firm was last listed in the city directory in 1916, the Thomas Registers continued it as a fruit jar manufacturer from 1914 to 1917 (Thomas Publishing Co. 1914:3010; 1915:3387; 1916:3782; 1917:4104). It should be noted, however, that the Thomas Registers frequently missed closings. Creswick (1987b:160) agreed with a range of 1911-1916.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Al Dart <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 11:08:50 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: CiTro Cobalt Blue Bottle
>
> Hi HistArchers,
>
>
> I'm looking for company and dating information on a cobalt blue,
> machine-finished soda (or other beverage) bottle with crown-cap lip and this
> embossed label:
>
>
>
>
>
> CITRO
>
>
> THE THIRST QUENCHER
>
>
> BROOKLANDWOOD SPRINGS CO.
>
>
> BALTO MD.
>
>
> REGISTERED
>
> (The T in CITRO is about twice as large as the other letters in the name.)
>
> A logo on the bottle base (maker's mark?) is a capital M inside of either a
> G or a C (which I can't find in Toulouse's Bottle Makers and Their Marks
> book or in the SHA's
> http://www.sha.org/bottle/makersmarks.htm#Bottlemakersmarks site), above the
> numeral 2.
>
> Photos:
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32727110/Citro%201.JPG
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32727110/Citro%202.JPG
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32727110/Citro%203.JPG
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32727110/Citro%204.JPG
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32727110/Citro%20base.JPG
>
> Several of these bottles are listed on eBay but I'm looking for info about
> the Citro company and the bottle's age and maker's mark. All help
> appreciated.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> al
>
> Allen Dart, RPA, Executive Director (Volunteer)
> Old Pueblo Archaeology Center
> PO Box 40577
> Tucson AZ 85717-0577 USA
> 520-798-1201
> [log in to unmask]
> www.oldpueblo.org<http://www.oldpueblo.org>
>
>
> Disclosure: Old Pueblo Archaeology Center's Executive Director Allen Dart is
> a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service cultural resources specialist
> who volunteers his time to Old Pueblo. Views expressed in Old Pueblo
> Archaeology Center communications do not necessarily represent views of the
> U.S. Department of Agriculture or of the United States.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
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