BOTTLE

Description: "THE LETHBRIDGE BREWING AND MALTING, CO. LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA HIGH CLASS CARBONATED WATER". ON FRONT "LETHBRIDGE BREWING CO. LTD." STAMPED ON METAL PUMP. "BRITISH SYPHON CO." "LONDON" ON FRONT. PUMP SCARRED, HAS GLASS TUBING. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT. BASE HAS RUBBER CALKING ON IT.

History: MADE IN ENGLAND FOR LETHBRIDGE BREWERY FOUNDED IN 1901 BY FRITZ SICK. ALSO CALLED SYPHON BOTTLES, THESE CONTAINERS WERE USED IN HOMES, HOTELS, BARS, AND CORNER SODA FOUNTAINS TO SPRITZ CARBONATED WATER. THE UNIQUE SYPHON TOP ALLOWED A PORTION OF THE BOTTLE’S CONTENTS TO BE DISPENSED WHILE PRESERVING THE REST FOR ANOTHER TIME. IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY THIS TYPE OF BOTTLE WAS ALSO PROMOTED AS BEING A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND SOME USED THE SELTZER AS A CURE FOR HEARTBURN (ULTIMATELY THE ORIGIN OF ALKA-SELTZER). SELTZER WAS EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE 1920S AND 30S, BUT HAD ALMOST DISAPPEARED BY THE 1940S. THE LETHBRIDGE BREWERY WAS CLOSED & DEMOLISHED IN 1990. DONOR WAS BORN AND SCHOOLED IN MINNESOTA, AND MOVED TO WARNER IN 1927. AFTER WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, HE WAS EMPLOYED WITH THE SICK'S BREWERY CONGLOMERATE IN 1933 IN GREAT FALLS, MONTANA. NEILS TOOK OVER MANAGEMENT OF THE LETHBRIDGE BREWERY FROM GORDON A. FRISBY IN 1947 AND STAYED UNTIL 1965 WHEN JACK LACKIE ASSUMED MANAGEMENT DUTIES.