BOTTLE

Description: ONE-PIECE MACHINE MOLD GLASS LONG-NECK BOTTLE WITH CAP LIP. VERY SLIGHT GREEN TINT TO GLASS. OWEN BOTTOM [SLIGHTLY RECESSED]; READS "L.B. & M CO LTD". INSIDE OF BOTTLE STAINED FROM SOIL.

History: L.B. & M. CO. LTD. IS PRESUMED TO STAND FOR LETHBRIDGE BREWING AND MALTING CO.. AN AMBER, LONG NECKED BOTTLE WITH THIS SAME BASE-EMBOSSED MARKING WAS UNEARTHED IN LETHBRIDGE IN 2011. IT WAS BURIED IN THE BASEMENT OF A HOME LOCATED AT 1246 7TH AVENUE SOUTH. ACCORDING TO THE HOME OWNER, THE HOUSE’S CONSTRUCTION DATES TO 1911. ON 18 DECEMBER 1996, GALT MUSEUM STAFF WERE INFORMED OF THE DISCOVERY OF A (TENS OF) THOUSANDS OF BURIED BOTTLES BY A SITE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER FOR MEDICAN CONSTRUCTION. MEDICAN WAS EXCAVATING THE FORMER HOUSE OF LETHBRIDGE BREWERY SITE AT THE TIME OF THE DISCOVERY. IT WAS ON SITE AS PART OF A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO BUILD NEW SENIORS’ CONDO HOUSING. LOCAL PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR ARCHAEOLOGISTS WERE CONTACTED BY THE MUSEUM, BUT NO ONE CONTACTED RESPONDED TO THE SITE. MUSEUM STAFF SELECTED A NUMBER OF INTACT EXAMPLES FROM THE UNEARTHED, FORMER DUMP SITE. IN MANY CASES, THE UNEARTHED BOTTLES PREDATE THE LETHBRIDGE BREWERY AND ALSO ORIGINATE FROM POINTS IN EASTERN CANADA AND THE UK. THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE BREWERY’S RECEIPT AND DISPOSAL OF THOUSANDS ON NON-LETHBRIDGE BREWERY BOTTLES IS UNKNOWN. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BOTTLES’ DISCOVERY AND THE MUSEUM’S RESPONSE, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR INFO INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, STAFF IMAGES AND A 19 DECEMBER 1996 LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLE.