This is somewhat of a mystery bottle due to Jerome Monier being listed in San Francisco Directories in the late 1850s as a hair dresser, not a soda water manufacturer. As suggested in the Markota's book, "Western Blob Top Soda and Mineral Water Bottles" Monier could have maintained a short lived soda bottling business as a sideline. Regardless of his business interests the bottles do exist and we have Jerome to thank for that.
This cobalt example was dug from a downtown Sacramento privy a few years ago and now rests firmly in a Northern CA collection. It has a iron pontil and is simply embossed J. MONIER & CO/CL FR Na.
Great write up Mike!
ReplyDeleteHow many J. Monier's are known? I never knew they came in cobalt blue like that!
Honestly, Lance, I have no idea how many Moniers of any color exist, but there can't be more than a dozen, if that. I have dug two over the years in Sacramento, this one and a deep aqua example. Luckily, neither had any problems, so they moved fast. I'm not really a soda collector, although I do have a few, but the Moniers got me a few more Hotaling items that I wanted.
ReplyDeleteI always liked to think of Jerome as an early innovator. Had to take my wife to her salon a while back after we dropped her car at the shop, so I was stuck with her at the salon. They offered me a Perrier mineral water while I waited. Not a new idea! ~David G.
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