Thursday, September 23, 2010

Spied On An Autumn Morning Walk


The soda syphon or seltzer bottle was a concept introduced as early as 1790. It's a bottle used to dispense carbonated water. These seltzer bottles were popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Today one can purchase seltzer water in pre-filled bottles.

It's officially AUTUMN and a delightful time to take a walk in a quiet NYC neighborhood. We no longer have our NY apartment, but I do have some favorite photos of those times. I like to think about our treasured time experiencing the city that never sleeps. I spied this collection of seltzer bottles sitting on a windowsill in a New York apartment. Fun to see this bit of history as I took a walk one crisp AUTUMN morning. The colored glass coated with dust makes me think these have been sitting there for some time.

I was struck by the composition of the juxtaposition of these colorful seltzer bottles standing at attention within the window panes and the pink texture of the window ledge.

So Happy Pink Saturday!

Stop by to see Mercedes. She shares a wonderfully creative life. I think you'll enjoy her blog, M.E.R.C.E.D.E.S. S.C.O.T.T.

Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

55 comments:

  1. This is one piece of history I love to see.

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  2. How neat, you never know what you might find!

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  3. Hi Sarah!

    What great old bottles~! I love seeing them. I have one old selzer bottle that I treasure. It came from an old barn sale years ago. It wasn't even part of the sale. I just spotted it in the corner under a workbench and asked the gentleman if it was for sale.

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  4. I love seeing collections of old bottles in different colors. Thanks for the info. - I did not know seltzer bottles dated that far back.
    Thanks for visiting. The vendor I bought the spoons from had several of the salt spoons, and I rally wished I had bought more. However, at the time I did not know what I would be doing with them - still don't. :-D
    Have a great weekend.

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  5. So nice, Sarah! It reminds me of the olden days when I was small, in the Philippines....Christine

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  6. Love the seltzer bottles! I love old bottles and am especially attracted (addicted) to blue (from cobalt to aqua) bottles.

    Have a fabulous weekend!

    ~ Tracy

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  7. So interesting, I didn't know the history of these bottles. How fun so see such a great collection. Hugs, Marty

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  8. I love those bottles. I don't know how many times I've started to buy one and then backed out.
    Brenda

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  9. Hi Sarah,

    How wonderful you used to live in NYC!! I have visited and so want to go back. I actually thought these old bottles were from a farmhouse..how cool to see them in a windowsill in NY! My mom used to collect old bottles...I remember going into old abandoned houses and farms in Alabama with her and my aunt and uncle to find "treasure". We did find some very old medicine bottles that were so interesting in shapes and colors. Thanks for sharing and your sweet visit..my son will appreciate the support!

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  10. there is such beauty in the odd little things we see, wonderful shot!

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  11. That is such a pretty picture of those seltzer bottles. I have seen them in the stores I shop and I will pick one up and put it back because I am not real sure where to put one. What I would need is a group of them like that, but they aren't cheap.

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  12. I'd would love to see that! Thanks for sharing this great picture....such pretty bottles :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  13. SARA! Thank you for your visits to Ruben's blog and to mine as well. We are having fun having SOMETHING ARTIST TO DO that only develops, changes, and gives us more ideas. We are both teachers and are under a lot of stress; coming home to PLAY is what I love. Thank you for your encouraging words dearest. I LOVE THOSE SELTZER BOTTLES! Happy Pink Saturday! We had a lovely pink sunrise this morning, but the gray is back...not bad, I love gray autumn weather! Anita

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  14. Great shot of the dusty bottles on the windowsill, I wonder if they are still there?
    Hope you weekend is wonderful.
    Maggie

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  15. I love it when someone sees beauty in the ordinary - this is a beautiful picture!
    I hope you have a terrific Pink day,
    Kathy

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  16. There's something so very interesting to us in a collection of the ordinary from another era. I wonder what the colour from the bottles looks like from the inside, with the sun streaming through.

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  17. I love old discoveries like that. I really love the story that they tell, if that makes sense.

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  18. I love the quote you have under your banner...my Grandmother used to say if something nice happened like a rainbow, for instance, that it was her "hyacinth" for the day. I have always wondered, til now, where she came up with that...she was a reader of poetry and essays and was often called on to do readings and to speak in the area she lived in in Iowa.....
    So nice to meet you!
    Jil
    xo

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  19. Hello dear Sara
    It's funny when I think of old seltzer bottles, I think of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Remember Jerry used to spray Dean all the time?? LOL
    Ok maybe it's just the mood I'm in. The sun is shining and it's a beautiful Indian summer day here in Canada.
    Happy PS and FFB
    Love Claudie
    xoxo

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  20. I remember people telling stories about how the seltzer man used to come to pick up the bottles.
    I wish you still had your apartment. You could hop on the Jitney and come for a visit!

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  21. Sarah, I think this collector was way ahead of the game. Those bottles are so collectible now. They look beautiful lined up on the window sill (by the way, I love the you write - so descriptive). Thank you so much for linking to Favorite Things Sat. laurie

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  22. I love old bottles--I have some I've purchased from flea markets, but none are seltzer bottles like those. They look nice displayed in a window!

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  23. These are really wonderful old bottles!! I love things displayed on window sills! I know they say it makes a room untidy looking most of the time but I still like the quaint look about it!

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  24. What a wonderful collection of old seltzer bottles...they do grab the eye against that pink window ledge. Your pics of the AIW sculpture from Central Park have stuck with me, I didn't realize you had an apartment there, you must have some wonderful photos from that time!

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  26. Man oh man, would I have loved to see the inside of that NY city apartment. My youngest son lives in Manhattan and I so love to visit him (later in October) and I love to walk the streets of Greenwich Village, etc. I missed Pink Saturday because of the Magic party but so glad you visited Sarah. Have a great week. We are finally getting some rain. yah! xoxo

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  27. Sarah, You are right... these seltzers make the most artistic image! This could be framed!
    Yvonne

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  28. I was so busy looking at the bottles that I almost missed the pink ledge. Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

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  29. How neat to be taking a stroll and be able to soak in some history along the way.

    I'm with Kathleen. I wish you still had your NY apartment!

    Thanks so much for being a part of Seasonal Sundays!

    - The Tablescaper

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  30. Sarah, As you know, I am obsessed with these bottles, so I am enamored with this photo! I am on the look-out for more bottles everywhere I shop. Love the juxtaposition of the pink ledge against the dark window frame.
    ~ Sue

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  31. What a great shot and piece of history. Haven't been to NYC in years - makes me want to go - it is best in fall.

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  32. Seltzer bottles are awesome! Even the knock offs are cool but very expensive. What a beautiful shot Sarah. Glad you peeked at our wedding pictures, I forget what is on that lil ole blog of mine.

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  33. This is a wonderful photo Sarah! I love all the colors in it and it's softness.
    I remember many of my childhood friends parents would get deliveris every week. It's an important ingredient of a NYC "egg cream" soda!

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  34. Hi Sarah,
    Reminds me of a walk I took many years ago on the Metolious River in Oregon. I came upon a colletion of "sun glass" out in front of a cabin on the river just sitting on a stump. Apparently it turns a very deep purple when left in the sun. Quite the site.
    And yes the girls are still so sweet and innocent and still loving tea parties:)
    Thanks for stopping by!
    Terry

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  35. Oh how I would love to take an autumn stroll in NYC. Who knows maybe one of these days. It’s on my list!

    Kendra aka "Domestic Princess in Training"

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  36. Sarah, I've always loved seeing ANY kind of colored glass sitting on a windowsill. To capture such old seltzer bottles like you did seems like grabbing an old moment in time. How fortunate that you had your camera with you!

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  37. Those old seltzer bottles have wonderful colors and make great collectibles.

    Glad you remember the autumn weather. We'd like to see it -- still endless summer here.

    Thanks for stopping by to see us. Hope you'll link up your giveaway at our new Giveaway Friday party.
    http://bit.ly/crsACQ

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  38. The seltzer bottles are showing up everywhere. Nice collectible. When you see them in this photo it is easy to see why! Thanks for stopping by.
    Sherry

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  39. How lovely it would be to live in NYC for awhile. The film YOU'VE GOT MAIL has a nice fall tribute to the city. And peeking in shop windows is exactly what I would love to do!

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  40. I have always loved the look of old seltzer bottles. Especially the blue ones.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  41. Good morning Ms. Sarah,
    I've missed you too. So happy you come over for a visit. It is always a delight to hear from you my dear friend. Hope you're doing well. Have a wonderful autumn day.

    Hugs and Kisses,
    ♥Ana

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  42. What a wonderful photo! I love old seltzer bottles and I'm so glad that Pat of Mille Fiori Favoriti mentioned about the NYC egg cremes. I absolutely love this photo and I am pulled right to those blue bottles. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  43. What a wonderful photo of a treasure found on an autumn day in NYC. I've only been there a couple of times -- but what a great city! Thanks for your very sweet visit too.

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  44. awwwww....how wonderful! just reading that someone is taking a crisp autumn walk sounds wonderful.

    big hugs to you, dear one!

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  45. OMGosh, those bottles are gorgeous!

    Thanks for visiting me over at Pittpat Paperie. I hope you will drop by again real soon Ü

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  46. It shows you even the simple things are beautiful! I was thinking about getting some pumpkins today.

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  47. I love the look of vintage seltzer bottles, especially the colored ones. In English pubs they still have them on the bar and use them!

    I'm collecting vintage blue glass Ball jars with old grey zinc lids - they look really nice mixed with white ironstone and china - there's that farmhouse style again!

    Thanks for everything Sarah -Bob's off to NYC tomorrow - wish I was going too but much to get done on the homefront!

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  48. Hi Sarah! Oh, this is a lovely photo of the olden bottles!
    Thanks for popping in to see me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  49. I love the composition of this photograph. And I also love the contrasts -- the bottles with their beautiful colors, the old iron windows, and the stack of VHS tapes next to it all!

    Wonderful.
    Cass

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  50. Hi Sarah! What a great photo! I love all of the colors! I am back from NOLA and scrambling to catch up! Of course, I loved the French Embassy post, but the witchy Quimper ware was fascinating!!! I never knew such a thing existed! Have a great weekend...hugs...Debbie

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  51. I've been shopping for one of those forever. They can be expensive!

    Have a wonderful Thursday!
    Hugs,
    Anne

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  52. I very, very belated Happy Pink Saturday, Sarah.

    I love this photo. I've been looking for some pretty colored glass bottles for my kitchen windowsill.

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  53. Super cool...I always love visiting here! You spark me!
    Have a gorgeous wkd..and Happy October..yaya!
    Kiki~

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  54. Sarah, I so love these bottles! The vignette reminds of the wonderfully picturesque windows you see all over Europe. Thank you so much for your visits and your support! It means a lot to me. :) mercedes

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