BEHNEKE BROS WEYAUKEGA, WISCONSIN TRUE COBALT BLUE SELTZER BOTTLE

Description

We live in a disposable world. Virtually the same moment a new device is introduced to the marketplace, manufacturers promote a new and better version coming out in the near future. Built in obsolescence has become the norm – but it wasn't always this way.
Back in depression era America, most people were happy to have almost any creature comfort available, and they used and reused most everything, and valued what they had. That was true of everything from diapers to soda pop. During that time period, and before, right up to the post-WWII era boom that ushered in a new and burgeoning more fickle middle class looking for new and better things, most were relatively content to own functional items that were meant to endure.
Before the advent of disposable plastic bottles and disposable aluminum cans, that clutter the landfill in the interest of convenience, decades ago, soda and seltzer bottles were made of thick glass that were meant to be used and reused to satisfy the needs of consumers, not just for the moment, but for generations to follow.
They were created in the time when people had to return thick and heavy glass bottles of soda to the stores. For convenience, since about 1860, in America, there were men and occasionally women who dispensed seltzer and soda from either places of business, sometimes known as package stores, or delivered to homes and businesses is these very heavy, but enjoyable products.
In the larger metropolitan areas seltzer bottles were generally delivered in cases of 10, in a wooden box which weighed on average 70 pounds filled. Up until the 1950s , a few diehard older seltzer man still use horses and wagons, but generally deliveryman employed special trucks set up to contain 72 cases in the bay on the bottom, and 60 cases in returnable soda on top. Major soda companies like Coke, Pepsi, 7-Up, Dr Pepper, etc., all use heavy returnable glass delivered in a wooden box. And these major soda companies ,on rare occasion , used seltzer bottles as a vessel to contain their proprietary ingredients. Seltzer bottles were used in every state in the union, and remarkable examples still survive – a testament to their enduring nature. Most seltzer bottles were the more common round ones, but fancy and more ornate examples survive. They were larger in size and more heavy, and were generally sold in wooden sixpacks.
I AM OFFERING SEVERAL SELTZER BOTTLES FROM MID WESTERN STATES..THESE ARE ALL HARD  BOTTLES TO FIND, AND THESE AUCTIONS WILL LAST FOR ONLY ONE WEEK, AND THEN THOSE THAT DON'T SELL WILL GO BACK IN TO MY COLLECTION.
I ACTUALLY VALUE EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT IT IS TIME FOR MANY OF MY SELTZER BOTTLES TO GO TO NEW HOMES WHERE THEY WILL BE APPRECIATED.
MY GRANDFATHER STARTED DELIVERING SELTZER WITH A HORSE DRAWN CART IN 1919, AND MY FATHER WAS A SELTZERMAN WHEN I WAS BORN IN 1952. I'VE COLLECTED THEM WAS A CHILD EVEN  IN THE 1950'S WHEN NO ONE APPRECIATED THEM.
WHEN MY GRANDFATHER JAKE TURNED 95 AND MY GRANDPARENTS CELEBRATED THEIR 70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, THEY HAD A PARTY FOR THE FAMILY IN THEIR APARTMENT. INSTEAD OF RECEIVING GIFTS THEY EMPTIED OUT THEIR BANK ACCOUNT AND GAVE THEIR MONEY TO THEIR FOUR GRANDCHILDREN. I WAS ABLE TO PUT A DOWN PAYMENT ON A HOME, THAT RIGHT NOW I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BUY, HAD THEY NOT EXERCISED THEIR GENEROUS DEED  36 YEARS AGO.SINCE THAT TIME I MANAGED TO FILL THE HOUSE WITH 7,000 SELTZER BOTTLES TAKEN FROM SELTZER SHOP TO SELTZER SHOP AS THEY ALL CLOSED UP. I'D BE HAPPY TO LIVE THAT WAY, BUT ALONG THE WAY I GOT MARRIED AND HAD CHILDREN. AND I SUSPECT THEY DON'T SHARE MY PASSION FOR COLLECTING AND WOULD JUST AS HAPPILY SEE ME SELL THEM ALL ASIDE FOR MAYBE A FEW.
THERE IS NO ONE IN THIS ENTIRE WORLD WHO DID MORE TO PROMOTE THE BOTTLES, AND HONOR THOSE WHO WERE PART OF THIS BUSINESS, AND WHO  PERPETUATED THIS BUISINESS BY DRINKING THEIR BUBBLY CONTENTS.
DURING A PERIOD OF 6 YEARS NO LESS THAN 7 FILM CREWS VISITED MY HOUSE TO FILM THE BOTTLES, AND TO WEAVE STORIES AROUND THEM. I'VE HAD THEM ON TV SHOWS AND MOVIES, AND FELT VERY PROUD TO KNOW THEY WERE MY BOTTLES THAT WERE A PART OF THE PRODUCTION...I FILMED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND EVERY MAJOR NETWORK LIKE CBS, ABC, NBC, THE FOOD NETWORK, HISTORY NETWORK, BBC, NHK...ETC ETC, AND IT WAS FUN, BUT EVERY BOTTLE WAS LOST IN THE CROWD OF THE MASSIVENESS OF THE COLLECTION, AND I NEVER GOT PAID A DIME.
I'VE HAD PEOPLE STOP ME OR MY VAN WHILE DELIVERING, AND THAT INCLUDED CELEBRITES WHICH WAS FLATTERING AND BIZARRE AT THE SAME TIME; I WAS ONCE ON THE COVER OF TIME OUT NY, WHICH AT THAT MOMENT ADVERTISED THEIR MAGAZINE WITH A HUGE BLOWUP OF THE COVER ON ALL THE NEWS STANDS IN NYC. PEOPLE WOULD STOP ME AND SAY I SAW YOUR PICTURE ON THE NEWSTAND AND MY RESPONSE WAS "AS LONG AS IT'S NOT MY PICTURE ON A WANTED POSTER IN THE POST OFFICE I'M OKAY" ONE DAY THEY DID A STORY  ON ME IN GQ MAGAZINE AND SO NOW EVERY TIME MY WIFE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE WAY I DRESS I TELL HER I WAS IN GQ MAGAZINE SO I MUST BE FASHIONABLE.
I'VE GOT LOTS OF MORE STORIES, BUT I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF AUCTIONS TO PUT ON., SO LET ME BEGIN.
REMEMBER NO RELISTING.. IF THEY DON'T SELL THIS WEEK, I WILL HAPPILY RETURN THEM TO MY COLLECTION WHERE THEY MAY BE LOST TO REPORTERS AND FILM CREWS, BUT NEVER TO ME. I ENJOYED THEM 60 YEARS AGO, AND ENJOY THEM AS MUCH OR MORE TODAY.
BOTTLE   EIGHT,, FINALLY MY LAST BOTTLE IN MY KNEE JERK REACTION TO A FAMILY NOT VALUING MY BOTTLES OR MY HOUSE, EVEN THOUGH I'VE HAD THEM BEFORE I HAD THEM AND THEY'RE WORTH QUITE A LOT.SO NOW FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ASK ME FOR BOTTLES AND I'M TOO BUSY OR LAZY TO LOOK OR MORE ACCURATELY NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING THEM, TODAY'S THE DAY TO JUMP ON THE OFFER. I WILL PROBABLY NEVER DO THIS AGAIN. I USED TO LIKE SEEING THEM ON TV SHOWS AND MAGAZINES AND IN MUSEUMS..THEY'RE PILED UP,HIDDEN FROM THE WORLD, MAYBE IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON.
THIS BOTTLE IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A TRUE COBALT BLUE BOTTLE. IT WAS MADE IN THE AUSTRIAN HUNGARIAN EMPIRE, HAS THEIR CROWN, PREDATES WWI, AND IS BEAUTIFUL. FORGET MY PICTURES. IS BOB CUMMINGS STILL AROUND?...LOVE THAT BOB, BUT MY PICTURE SUCK..THIS BOTTLE IS FROM BEHNKE BROS OF WEYAUWEGA, WISCONSIN..WHAT CAN  I SAY.. A  PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS..I NEED A NEW CAMERA..ANYONE AROUND NYC,COME OVER AND SEE IT..I PROBABLY WON'T SELL IT IF YOU COME OVER. I NEVER DO, BUT COME BY AN SEE IT..
I WAS LISTENING TO THE BEATLES BEFORE. MY WIFE HATES THEM. I LOVE THEM. PICTURED WITH TWO CASES OF SELTZER BOTTLES IS EDDIE HILL. IN REAR IS THE GUARD HOUSE OF THE BUILDING KNOWN AS THE DAKOTA BUILDING BUILT IN THE 1880'S BY CENTRAL PARK AND 72ST, WHEN THIS AREA WAS SO REMOTE FROM NY SOCIETY THAT CRITICS SAID IT MIGHT AS WELL BE LOCATED IN THE DAKOTA TERRITORY.THE NAME STUCK, I USED TO HAVE A CUSTOMER THERE WHO MOVED. THE APARTMENTS WERE SO CAVERNOUS THAT I SAID I'D NEED ROLLER SKATES TO LIVE THERE. HE WAS FRIENDS WITH JOHN LENNONS SON, WHO LIVED THERE AS WELL. MY CUSTOMER WOULD RECALL JOHN LENNON AS TALL AND DIDN'T SAY MUCH. A FEW FEET BEYOND EDDIE NEAR THE GUARD HOUSE THEY FILMED THE MOVIE "ROSEMARIE'S BABY".I WAS THERE THEN IN THE MID 60'S. I REMEMBER IT WELL. HISTORY IS A FUNNY THING. THAT WAS A MOVIE-A HORROR MOVIE. YEARS LATER IN THAT EXACT SPOT JOHN LENNON WAS KILLED, AND THAT WAS A REAL LIFE HORROR MOVIE..EDDIE HILL USED TO WORK IN THE SELTZER SHOP FROM 7AM TILL 5PM AND THEN IN THE NIGHT AT WOOLWORTH'S, AND ON SUNDAY..ON SATURDAY HE'D GIVE ME A HAND. HE NEVER HAD A FATHER BUT HIS MOTHER WORKED THREE JOBS AND SAID HARD WORK NEVER KILLED NOBOBY..EDDIE NEVER HAD MEDICAL COVERAGE.. A FEW YEARS AGO HE HAD  A TOOTHACHE AND I TOOK HIM TO MY NEIGHBOR UP THE HILL WHO WAS READY TO PULL HIS TOOTH AS A FAVOR TO ME. SHE CHECKED HIS BLOOD PRESSURE AND IT WAS TOO HIGH SO SHE RECOMMENDED A SPECIALIST. I LAID OUT 0 AND EDDIE PAID ME A WEEK TILL  HE WAS PAID UP..HE STILL NEVER GOT MEDICAL COVERAGE AND THEN HAD A STROKE, AND SURVIVED, THEN ANOTHER ONE. HE WAS DOESN'T DOING WELL AND WOUND UP IN A NURSING HOME AS THE PANDEMIC RAGED..I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO SEE HIM. TODAY WE WENT TO ASTORIA QUEENS TO A BRAZILIAN RESTAURANT AND I FELT WE WERE BACK IN BRAZIL AS MY WIFE SPOKE PORTUGEUSE, THE FOOD WAS GOOD, AND IT WAS A DELIGHTFUL NIGHT..I TOLD MY WIFE THAT ME AND EDDIE USED TO DELIVER TO HERE EVERY TWO WEEKS, MAINLY SODA..TWENTY YEARS AGO WHEN EDDIE WAS BIG AND STRONG AND MY BOYS WERE CHILDREN THEY THOUGHT EDDIE WAS A TEENAGER..IN THE END HE DIDN'T LOOK SO YOUTHFUL..HE WAS THREE YEARS YOUNGER THAN  ME..SOME PEOPLE SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER.. I SAY EVERY LIFE MATTERS..THE BOTTLES USED TO MEAN A LOT MORE TO ME..IT WAS A TOUGH YEAR..
THIS AUCTION WILL LAST FOR A WEEK, MAYBE LESS. IF THERE ARE NO BIDS SOO.  I MAY RETHINK PUTTING ANY OF THESE BOTTLES UP FOR AUCTION FOR THE WEEK...IT'S A KNEE JERK REACTION TO A FAMILY WHO DOESN'T VALUE MY BOTTLES OR MY HOUSE, ALL OF WHICH WERE HERE BEFORE THEM.
.
ALL AUCTIONS BELONG TO MY WIFE SELTZERLADY.
I STILL DELIVER THE SELTZER AND WILL NEVER SELL ANY OF MY BOTTLES IF YOU OF SEE ME AROUND, BUT WILL TALK TO ALMOST ANYONE ABOUT THEM.
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THESE ARE IN FABULOUS CONDITION CONSIDERING THEIR AGE AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN USED FOR GENERATIONS. WHEN YOU DELIVER THESE BOTTLES IN WOODEN CASES OF TEN WEIGHING 70 POUNDS THEY DO GET HANDLED ROUGHLY.
AND THEY DO SHOW THEIR SIGNS OF AGE BUT THAT ONLY ADDS TO THEIR AUTHENTICITY AND DESIRABILITY..
THESE BOTTLES HAVE BEEN CLEANED THOUGHLY BY MY WIFE AND THESE ARE HER AUCTIONS.
THEY ARE MEANT FOR DISPLAY AND DECORATION..
THESE ARE VINTAGE COLLECTIBLES AND WERE IN USE TILL RECENTLY..THEY ALL HAVE A LONG AND MAGNIFIENT HISTORY OF PLEASING MANY FOR GENERATIONS. THEY ARE TIME-WORN WHICH ONLY ADDS TO THEIR AUTHENTICITY AND SENSE OF CONTINUITY WITH THE PAST FOR THOSE WHO LOOK FOR THINGS THAT ARE MEANT TO BE USED FOR A MOMENT THEN DISPOSED OF JUST AS QUICKLY.
THANK YOU.
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