Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SELTZER

Date Range From

1905

Date Range To

1915

Materials

GLASS, NICKEL PLATED STEEL

No. Pieces

1

Height

30.2

Diameter

9.2

Description

LETHBRIDGE BREWING CO. LTD. ON NECK. "THE LETHBRIDGE BREWING AND MALTING CO. LTD. LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA. HIGH CLASS CARBONATED WATER. BRITISH SYPHON CO. LONDON" PAINTED ON FRONT. NICKEL PLATE TOP. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.

Subjects

FOOD SERVICE T&E

MERCHANDISING T&E

Historical Association

INDUSTRY

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. BREWERY CLOSED BY OWNER, MOLSONS IN 1990 & SUBSEQUENTLY DEMOLISHED.DONOR A FORMER VOLUNTEER AT THE MUSEUM IS DECEASED. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING FOUR PAINTINGS CREATED BY THE DONOR, CHRISTIAN GIBSON. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON GIBSON WAS EXCERPTED FROM HIS LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY: CHRISTIAN GIBSON WAS BORN IN BELFAST, IRELAND IN 1887 AND EDUCATED IN LONDON, ENGLAND BEFORE ARRIVING IN LETHBRIDGE IN 1908. HE WORKED FOR THE CITY AS ZOO KEEPER AT THE EXHIBITION GROUNDS AND FOR THE ALBERTA RAILROAD AND IRRIGATION COMPANY BEFORE BEGINNING HIS 35 YEAR CAREER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND COMMERCE IN 1913. GIBSON SERVED WITH THE 25TH BATTERY CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY FROM 1908 TO 1914 AND FROM 1914 TO 1919 HE SERVED IN ENGLAND IN FRANCE WITH THE 20TH BATTERY CFA. HE WAS ALSO VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A MEMBER OF THE KIWANIS CLUB, ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL, LETHBRIDGE AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PLAYGOERS OF LETHBRIDGE, ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, PEMMICAN CLUB, MASONIC LODGE, AND THE GALT HOSPITAL BOARD. HE AND HIS WIFE LINDA WERE HEAVILY INFLUENTIAL IN THE RED CROSS SOCIETY’S LETHRBIDGE CHAPTER, AND HAD TWO CHILDREN, FRED AND DORIS. CHRISTIAN GIBSON PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 26, 1971. IN 2010 HIS DAUGHTER, DORIS BALCOVSKE, PARTICIPATED IN THE GALT MUSEUM’S FIRST ‘TREASURES & CURIOSITIES’ EXHIBIT BY SELECTING ONE OF HER FATHER’S PAINTINGS TO BE DISPLAYED. SHE SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE ABOUT GIBSON’S ASSOCIATION WITH THE GALT AND HIS PAINTING PRACTICE: “MY FATHER… WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE GALT MUSEUM AND HELPED COLLECT MANY OF THE ARTIFACTS. MY FATHER WAS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST WITH OILS, WATER COLORS, AND ALSO PEN AND INK… THE FAMILY OWNS MOST OF HIS PAINTINGS.” SEE PERMANENT FILE P19694807000 FOR HARDCOPY OF GIBSON’S OBITUARY. SEE RECORD P19930031001 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE GIBSON FAMILY.

Catalogue Number

P19651656000

Acquisition Date

1965-02

Collection

Museum

Less detail