Help needed Identifying Pint Liquor Bottle, Diamond Cut Edges, Clear Glass, Pint R420

Peppi

I found an older liquor bottle. It has the "Federal Law Prohibits" embossed on the Front. One Pint on the back. It has machine bottle seams up to the and across the screw top area. The bottom has R420 Embossed, which I believe is a Rectifying Plant Permit Number. It has "PAT APPL'D FOR", date and plant stamp appears to 16-40 and a mold number 3. It was found on a former Nike Missile Base in SE PA. Any help appreciated. There is no glass manufacturers symbol. I'm a rookie, so if I missed anything, please let me know.

Thanks

lstassen

I'm pretty sure it's 1940. Federal law bottles had to have a factory number followed by the last 2 digits of the year.

Abandoned_Anthracite

I also found one of these today in PA, Northumberland County. I was getting attacked by mosquitoes so I didn't get good pictures of the embossed lettering. Same 16-40 & R420, just a different mold number. Ever find out anything more on it?

Chris

@Abandoned_Anthracite One can say in general that you have a mid 20th century liquor bottle, likely whiskey, but as for the brand, it would take some research to find out which Rectifier was assigned number 420. I continue to build a list of distillers and rectifier numbers based on labeled bottles but have yet to identify 420.

Old_As_Dirt

I have this half-pint bottle (it still has a label), marked 56 over R420, over S in the center of the bottom, and DES over PAT over 84385 on the right side of the bottom, and there appears to be a mark on the left. The label is for Tom Walker Gold Label Straight Rye Whiskey. I can't find anything online about Tom Walker, Inc.

Chris

@Old_As_Dirt - thanks VERY much for posting these pictures, helping to connnect the dots on yet another rectifier number. You will find some info on Tom Walker Inc - I did at least find a few other brands by this company.

Chris

Below is the patent info for this bottle. The Design Patent is actually #94385, not 84385 as reported above. This is an Edwin Fuerst patent, he worked at Owens-Illinois and is responsible for many bottle design patents. Patent issued in 1935

Chris

Other brands by Tom Walker, Inc. Glenfield, PA

- Penn State, A Whiskey Blend

- Old Honesty Brand Rye Whiskey

- Three Rivers Straight Bourbon Whiskey "Fine Top Run Whiskey"

- Old Kilbuck Brand Blended Whiskey

Note - I found both Glenfield PA and Pittsburgh PA on labels bearing the Tom Walker, Inc. name.