Brooklyn Museum: Decorative Arts: Seltzer Bottle

Seltzer Bottle

Manufacturer: Walter Kidde Sales Co.
Designer: Norman Bel Geddes, American, 1893-1958
Medium: Chromed and enameled metal with rubber fittings
Place Manufactured: Bloomfield, New Jersey, USA
Dates: ca. 1935
Dimensions: 10 x 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (25.4 x 10.8 x 10.8 cm)
Markings: Stamped on bottom, forming a ring: "WALTER KIDDE SALES CO. INC. BLOOMFIELD, N.J. / DESIGNER NORMAN BEL GEDDES."; within this ring: "PAT. 20535 / OTHERS PEND. / SODA KING / SYPHON / MADE IN / U.S.A. / C"
Signature: no signature
Inscriptions: no inscriptions
Collections: Decorative Arts
Museum Location: This item is on view in Luce Visible Storage and Study Center, 5th floor
Accession Number: 82.168.2a-b
Credit Line: H. Randolph Lever Fund
Image: Overall, 82.168.2_reference_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

Catalogue Description: Soda King Syphon seltzer bottle. Lower half is a chrome-plated cylinder that gently swells out from concave base. Upper section is painted red; it continues the cylinder form and tapers to a rounded top; band of chromed metal encircles the bottom of this upper section. Surmounting the top is a triangular hood with a rounded pouring spout, beneath which is a round slotted disc that unscrews to accept a carbon dioxide cartridge. At top (b) is a round-edged rectangular insert surmounted by a round button intended to dispense the contents. Bottom (a) section threaded on its exterior (male) and tapering in, top section threaded on inside. Interior of top has what appear to be all of its mechanical fittings including a long tube for extracting the contents of the bottle. Fitted to the inside is a round red gasket, with a second one sitting at the bottom of the interior. Also inside were the following papers (original): instructions, list of parts, recipe book, and serial number tag dated Dec. 2, 1938. CONDITION: Entire bottle has tiny chips to both paint and chrome. Numerous small spots of white paint (?) on top and base, especially to proper left of spout. Several chips to area beneath spout and around removable disc. Scuff to center of proper right side with minor paint loss. One long scuff to base, about three inches long, with small losses to chrome. Chrome surface of top rectangle and button worn with some loss, also slightly loose.

Collections: Decorative Arts: Seltzer Bottle