Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Posted by DB Production Company | File under : , ,

rosen's beverages south river bottle company new jersey dylan benson antique bottle glass
What may just be seen as a piece of glass to some, is a story of the past to another.  I love local history, especially history that hasn’t been seen for decades, and you get to uncover it yourself.  This is just the case with what happened with this glass “Rosen’s Beverages” bottle.

A few years back, I was canoeing on Farrington Lake (located in Middlesex County in New Jersey).  The 290 acre lake is quite long and narrow, making it seem more like a large river.  It makes canoeing the length quite fun.  When you get to one end of it, it literally becomes a stream that is only a few feet across and less than an inch deep.  I brought my canoe up to as fast a speed as I could when I was getting close to this area so I could bottom it out on the rocks.  As I did, I decided to get out and walk to shore.

No matter where you are in the world, it’s common to find bottles and other garbage in water.  This was no different.  However, when I neared the river bank, I saw a bottle in the water that was completely black.  I could tell it was in the water for some time.  I picked it up and didn’t recognize where it was from.  I placed it in the canoe just for the heck of it, and continued walking.  When I finally canoed back, I decided to clean off the bottle.

rosen's beverages south river bottle company new jersey dylan benson antique bottle glass

I got the bottle to almost its original clarity save for a few brown spots inside that I couldn’t reach.  I was able to see “Rosen’s Beverages”.  There were other markings on it too:

  • Contents 7 FL. Oz.
  • Registered 647-2
  • South River Bottling Co. South River NJ

This was as local as local history gets.  South River was just the town over.  I got quite excited.  Upon further research, not much was found out about either Rosen’s Beverages, or the South River Bottling Company (at least not online).  One newspaper from 1946 came up that had an article about Mr. Rosen, and the bottling company.  Based off of some pictures from the New Jersey Bottle Forum, this bottle is probably 1930s or 1940s.

rosen's beverages south river bottle company new jersey dylan benson antique bottle glassThe newspaper article from the South Amboy Citizen (August 30, 1946) claims that William Rosen headed the South River Bottling Company for the past ten years (which one could conclude to be 1936).  It is interesting to note that the article mentions the strict sanitary precautions the company adheres to.  Something we wouldn’t even question today.  (The article is on the second to last page, at the bottom).



Garbage is everywhere, but sometimes what you can manage to find can quite unique.  It makes you wonder: how did that bottle get there?  Who was drinking out of it?  Why did they discard it where they did?  What did that person end up becoming?  Things like that, one will never know, but it’s fun to imagine.




rosen's beverages south river bottle company new jersey dylan benson antique bottle glass
rosen's beverages south river bottle company new jersey dylan benson antique bottle glass


11 comments:

  1. My Grandfather is (was) William Rosen

    I was told that when the business was cleared out in the early 1960s, after his death, "it all went into the river" - go figure!

    I am always looking for a Rosen's Soda bottle or South River Bottling co. bottle

    Mike Rosen

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    Replies
    1. That's incredible! Also, quite ironic. Thank you for reading and for your comment.

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    2. Mike we happen to have a green Rosen's Beverage Bottle contact me. Thanks for the history!

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. I would be interested in buying the green one if interested. rickrartist@gmail.com let me know pls.

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  4. Hi, Mike Rosen. I just found a Rosen soda bottle at the Cook campus at Rutgers today. If you want it, it's yours. Email me at placidpond@gmail.com. At this moment, it's soaking in my kitchen sink.

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  5. Happy to have come across this post. My son and I just dug up a bottle in the forest in Rock Creek Park in DC. Impressed to think it’s been there for so long!

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  6. Sorry
    I had not looked at any reply to my post until now
    If you still have any bottles or crates from the Rosen soda business please contact me
    7322615697
    Mike

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    Replies
    1. Hi. I have a wooden crate that i will sell for 25 bucks. Can meet in the philly area...

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  7. Mike Rosen. I work at Golden Nugget flea market in Lambertville,N.J I have three full unopened Rosen bottles all different colors. They look great on the window sill.My number is 267-337-2510. Will take pix.

    ReplyDelete