Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2022.008.001 |
Object Name |
Bottle |
Title |
E.L. Kerns Company Brown Bottle 1 |
Description |
The bottle is brown and cylindrical in shape, with an E.L. Kerns Company logo embossed on the front. The bottle tapers significantly toward the top, and the rim flares out in two stages. The top of the logo features an image of an elk's head, with the initials "E.L.K." beneath it, underlined by a curved line. Below this, the inscription "E.L. KERNS Co." appears. On the back of the bottle, near the center, is the inscription "TRENTON, N.J." At the bottom of the back, another inscription reads, "THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD." The top of the bottle is open, revealing the inside. According to pre-pro.com and findagrave.com, E.L. Kerns founded the E.L. Kerns Company in 1889. Originally a coal miner in Pennsylvania, Edgar (E.L.) Kerns moved to Trenton, NJ, to learn the art of soda making. By the 1890s, Kerns began selling alcoholic beverages, and by 1896, the company was so successful that it acquired a four-story building on North Broad Street. Around this time, Kerns began using the initials "E.L.K." for his company and adopted an elk's head as the company mascot, which appeared on many of their bottles. Kerns was known for his motto, "quality wins," and after more than thirty-five years in the bottling business, he passed away in 1925. Citations THE E L KERNS CO. pre-pro.com. (n.d.). https://www.pre-pro.com/midacore/view_vendor.php?vid=TRT11838 Edgar L. Kerns (1861-1925) - find a grave... Find a Grave. (n.d.). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261079128/edgar-l.-kerns |
Year Range from |
1889 |
Year Range to |
1980 |
Material |
Glass |
Artist |
E.L. Kerns Company |
Height (in) |
9.500 |
Diameter (in) |
2.625 |
Condition |
Okay |
Condition Notes |
Overall: Abrasions, accretions, and scratches throughout. Front: There is an abrasion on the center near the left side. There is a white accretion on top near the right side. And finally, there are white accretions on the center near the right side. Right Side: There are scratches on top near the middle. Also, there are white accretions on the center near the middle. Back: There is a scratch on the center near the middle. There are white accretions on the center near the middle. And finally, there is an abrasion on the center near the right side. Left Side: There are white accretions on the center near the left side. Also, there is wear on the center near the middle. Top: There is nothing of note. Bottom: There are scratches along the edges. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Top to Bottom, Left to Right |
Inscription Technique |
Embossed |
Inscription Text |
""E.L.K" Line 1 "E.L. KERNS CO." Line 2 Manufacturer's Mark Embossed Back, Center to Bottom, Left to Right "TRENTON, N.J." Line 1 "THIS BOTTLE" Line 2 "NOT TO BE SOLD" Line 3 |
People |
Edgar L. Kerns |
Classification |
Business & Commerce Domestic Life/Household Goods |
Subjects |
Bottle industry Bottles Bottling industry Soda industry Drinking vessels Water |
Search Terms |
Bottles Glass Brown E.L. Kerns Elizabeth Yull Edgar L. Kerns E.L. Kerns Company North Broad Street 1889 1980 1925 19th Century 20th Century Elk Trenton New Jersey NJ E.L. Kerns Company Brown Bottle |
Provenance |
This item was donated to the library by Elizabeth Yull. It became part of the Museum Collection in May of 2022. |