Applied Colour Labels on pop bottles / The Lions Ginger Ale

As "Historical Archaeology" ages, we are called to know more about bottles of 20th century. The soft drink industry is quite interesting. Although soda bottles existed for many years before, the soft drink industry exploded with Prohibition in the 1920s. 

Applied Colour Labels (ACL) (also referred to as enamelled, painted-on, lithographed, or screen-printed) are those labels on glass bottles that are colourful and seemingly fused to the glass like paint. We all know a good old fashioned Coke bottle with an ACL.


Embossed bottles were dominant in the ‘20s and ‘30s, but the ACLs took over the market because of their colour and durability. The first ACL on such bottles was used around 1934. Drying time limited the labels to 1 or 2 colours until a technological development in the mid-1950s allowed colours to be applied more quickly, meaning that a label with 3 or more colours post-dates that time. 

As an example, here is the Lions Ginger Ale bottle found in Vancouver, BC:

The Lions Dry Ginger Ale bottle – Van Bros / Lions Mineral Water Works, Vancouver, BC, 1934-1952


Six fragments from a clear bottle were recovered. The bottle was broken and not all of the pieces were recovered. The bottle was embossed as well as having an applied colour label (ACL), which is only visible now as a shadow on the bottle. “The Lions Dry Ginger Ale” is visible in the shadow, and “..N BROS. LTD” is embossed near the base.


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#32 – The Lions Dry Ginger Ale Van Bros bottle 


The same bottle was found at the Museum of Vancouver:


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Same bottle from the Museum of Vancouver collections (cat. No. H2000.37.33 http://openmov.museumofvancouver.ca/object/history/h20003733)


The description from the Museum of Vancouver reads: “Clear glass bottle with crown cap lip. Embossed on shoulders with vertical fluting for half of the diameter and similar fluting on lower portion of body for full circumference. Embossed on back "The Lions Net Contents 7 Fl.Oz." and "Gold Medal Brussels 1906 Van Bros. Ltd." Bottom embossed "Made in U.S.A. 2 2 7" , an undecipherable logo with (apparently) number below "1923-G". Painted label "The Lions Dry Ginger Ale Excellent Blend for Liquors The Lions Mineral Water Works Vancouver B.C." and twin peaked mountains in green and white. All framed in a white painted border.”


Henry C. and Herbert F. Van came to Canada in 1906. The first mention of the Vans in their own cider business is in the 1918 Vancouver Directory where Herbert Van is listed being “of Van’s Cider”. In the 1919 directory, they are both listed “of Van Bros”. At the time, they were likely making soft cider since Prohibition in BC lasted from In 1921, Van Bros. is at 1502 Venables St. They are noted as cider manufacturers (which, according to this ad in the May 22, 1925 edition) referred to both soft and slightly hard ciders. 


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British Columbia Federationist February 20, 1920 (https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/bcfed/items/1.0345416#p1z-1r0f:)


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British Columbia Retailer 1921 (https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/bcret/items/1.0344698#p20z-3r0f:)


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British Columbia Federationist, May 22, 1925 (https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/bcfed/items/1.0345231#p1z0r0f:)


The First Mention of the Lions Mineral Water Works is in 1927 in the Wrigley’s British Columbia Directory and has no commercial address, just the personal address of Mr. Robert M. Campbell is listed. At that time the name appears to be owned by Campbell. In 1929, Lions Mineral Water Works is listed at the same address as Van Bros. Cider, indicating to me that Van Bros bought out Campbell (or bought the name from him, or brought him onboard) in 1928 or 1929 and started bottling soft drinks at or near that time. The actions of a thirsty, persnickety burglar confirms that the Lions Mineral Water Works was at 1055 Vernon Drive by September 25, 1929.


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The Vancouver Sun, September 25, 1929 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/490777512/?terms=%22Lions%20Mineral%20Water%20Works%22). 


In 1934 the Applied Colour Label was first used on Soft Drink Bottles (https://www.angelfire.com/zine2/thesodafizz/PSBCA.html, http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/bottles-glass/241475-earliest-painted-label-soda-bottles-acls.html), establishing that as an “earliest” date. 



The Province, April 19, 1938, p.2


A rather curious aspect of the bottle is that, like its counterpart at the Museum of Vancouver it would have had "Gold Medal Brussels 1906 Van Bros. Ltd" embossed on it. I suspect this was a marketing ploy since the Van Brothers moved to Vancouver in 1906 at the ages of 26 and 22 and didn’t appear to start their cider company until 10 years later, their soda business another 10 years later. As well, there does not appear to have been any carbonated beverage contest in Brussels in 1906.


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In 1938, the business is under the new ownership of J.O. Halifax but the names Van Bros and Lions Mineral Water Works continue to be used. The Lions Mineral Water Works last appears in the City Director in 1949. The business is renamed Lions Beverages but it only appears in the directory for 1950-51. The new manager is J.N. Turvey. In 1952 Pepsi-Cola opens a branch in Vancouver on the former premises of the Lions Beverages. 








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