Bottle Attributes - Beer Bottle Closures

The closure used on a bottle can say something about a bottle's age.  Regional preferences and traditions help to dictate what closures were popular and for how long. Patented stoppers can be no earlier than the submission and most were not used for very many years.

There were a great number of patented closures for beer bottles, but few were used and even fewer were successful.  All of the closures shown below were actually used on beer bottles.  Those closure that were used on more than 100 different beer bottles are in the first set by earliest year of use or patent date:

	Cork, circ: pre-1600-1905, By far the most common closure used on beer bottles until about 1880 when the Lightning stopper became standard. Initially, a string or wire was used to secure the cork to the bottle. Later, a wire bail became the standard. Some bottlers still used corks into the Twentieth Century, usually on export shaped bottles.  Corks for beer bottles were about one inch long.  Example shows string used to retain a cork in the bottle.
	Putnam Closure, circ: 1859-1905, Invented by: Henry William Putnam, American Patent: March 15, 1859, Number: 23,263, American Patent Reissued: January 19, 1864, Reissue Number: 1,606, This cork fastener was the standard used on corked beer bottles during the1860s and 1870s when it was replaced with the Lightning stopper. The bail was reusable and the bottler was not required to rewire the cork with every refilling of the bottle.
	Lightning Closure, circ: 1875-1910, Invented by: Charles De Quillfeldt, American Patent: January 5, 1875, Number: 158,406, American Patent Reissued: June 5, 1877, Reissue Number: 7,722, This stopper revolutionized beer bottling and was an almost instant success for Karl Hutter who acquired the patent rights and popularized this stopper when it was reissued in 1877. In 1878, Henry Putnam also acquired and interest in this stopper and in 1882 adapted it for use on fruit jars. There were many imitators of this patent over the years, but they all worked on the same principle of leveraging a rubber disk into the lip of the bottle to make a seal.
	Bottle Seal or Baltimore Loop Seal Closure, circ: 1885-1905, Invented by: William Painter, American Patent: September 29, 1885, Number: 327,099, This stopper enjoyed moderate success, but was more popular in some areas of than in others.  It consisted of a disk, made of a flexible material, that was inserted into a thin groove in the lip of the bottle.  It was replaced by Painter's more popular crown cork stopper.
	Crown Cork Seal Closure, circ: 1892-1920, Invented by: William Painter, American Patent: February 2, 1892, Number: 468,226, This stopper did not enjoy immediate success.  It consisted of a metal cap that had a crimpled edge that when compressed secured the cap to a specially designed lip.  A cork liner prevented contamination of the contents from the metal cap.  By Prohibition, it was the standard as it was easily adapted to automated bottling lines.
	Hutter Closure, circ: 1893-1920, Invented by: Karl Hutter, American Patent: February 7, 1893, Number 491,113, American Patent: June 16, 1896, Number 562,225, American Patent: April 13, 1897, Number 580,456, This stopper was an improvement to the Lightning stopper and was extremely popular and eventually replaced the Lightning as the preferred beer bottle stopper. A tapered porcelain plug was fitted with a rubber washer on the bottom and forced into the lip of the bottle to seal it. This stopper was replaced with the crown cork.

	ABC Closure, circ: 1864-1868, Occurs on 10 bottles, Invented by: Josiah Beard and Moses Fairbanks, American Patent: December 6, 1864, Number 45,373, An early stopper that consisted of a hollow soft rubber ball that was pulled into the neck of the bottle.  The patent was assigned to the Automatic Bottle Closing Company of New Haven, Connecticut and all known bottles bear the "A. B. C. Co." embossing.  These bottles are distinctive in shape and are also marked with the patent date.  A number of different bottles experimented with this closure, but none adopted it.
	Kutscher 1869 Closure, circ: 1869-1890, Occurs on 6 bottles, Invented by: Frederick Kutscher, American Patent: June 15, 1869, Number: 91,349, This closure was a basically flipped over the top of the bottle and snapped on to the tie wire on the neck.  This closure was initially used on glass weiss beer bottles on the East coast, close to its inventors home in New Haven, Connecticut.  However, it was used much later to about 1890 on pottery beer bottles from Wisconsin.
	Matthews 1872 Closure, circ: 1872-1878, Occurs on 16 bottles, Invented by: Joseph Connor, Improvement by: John Matthews, American Patent: June 11, 1872, Number: 127,851, American Patent: January 25, 1876, Number: 172,757, This was a form of cork fastener, with a modification by John Matthews that used a rubber and metal stopper.  These were used on lager beer bottles.  It was used only in the metro New York and Philadelphia areas.  Bottles usually have the Matthews name and the patent date embossed on the base and can be identified by the unique bulge in the neck just below the lip.  It was replaced by the Lightning stopper.
	Fritzner 1880 Closure, circ: 1880-1920, Occurs on 23 bottles, Invented by: Nicolay Fritzner, American Patent: July 13, 1880, Number: 229,815, This closure was a variation of the Lightning closure with the difference that the eccentric was mounted in a glass dimple in the lip instead of on a mounting wire.  The patent deals with filling these bottles, but also identifies this new configuration of the eccentric.  This was used mainly on pottery ginger beer bottles of later vintage.
	Rich Closure, circ: 1882-1885, Occurs on 5 bottles, Invented by: Augustus E. Rich, American Patent: January 10, 1882, Number: 252,059, This closure was marketed by the Champion Stopper Manufacturing Company of Greenfield, Massachusetts.  The stopper was based on earlier patents and closed by tightened by pressing the lever tight.
	Riley Screw Closure, circ: 1885-1915, Occurs on 5 bottles, Invented by: Frederic George Riley, English Patent: July 7, 1885, Number: 8,198, This closure was another English import that never became successful.  Riley improved the inside screw stopper by adding a protrusion to the top of the stopper that allowed for easier opening.
	Aluminum Seal Closure, circ: 1895-1903, Occurs on 19 bottles, Invented by: Robert Allison Hall, American Patent: June 18, 1895, Number: 541,203, This stopper was mainly used in the metro Baltimore area and was a competitor to William Painter's Bottle Seal closure.  However, unlike the Bottle Seal there were two sizes as seen on some of quart sized bottles.  The groove on the inside of the lip is very close to the top and is not as angular as the Bottle Seal.  Painter successfully sued Hall in 1903 and won.
	Thatcher 1901 Closure, circ: 1901-1910, Occurs on 7 bottles, Invented by: Frederick B. Thatcher, American Patent: October 15, 1901, Number 684,476, This stopper was an improvement on the Lightning closure with a wire bail and eccentric.  The difference is that there were two loops on the side of the stopper that accepted the eccentric.  One Boston bottler had his name impressed on the top of the closure.  The closure appears to have had more success in the New England market as Thatcher was from Providence Rhode Island.
	Universal Seal Closure, circ: 1901-1905, Occurs on 13 bottles, Invented by: Edward D. Schmitt, American Patent: October 22, 1901, Number: 685,226, This stopper was only used in the metro Baltimore and Philadelphia areas and was replaced by the crown cork seal closure.  Most of the bottles were used by the Gottlieb Bauerschmidt Straus Brewing Company of Baltimore.  It appears to have been used experimentally by the few bottles.  Some of the bottles are marked Universal Seal & Stopper Co. of Baltimore on the base and all have a large tapered groove in the lip, which often flares out, with a small ledge at its base.
	Phoenix Closure, circ: 1902-1910, Occurs on 15 bottle, Invented by: Alfred L. Weissenthanner, American Patent: July 22, 1902, Number 705,173, This stopper of a metal cap that was secured to a specially formed lip on the bottle, which is an exaggerated square collar.  This closure found some success at Midwestern breweries.

	Cronk Closure, circ: 1858-1860, Occurs on 1 bottle, Invented by: Munson C. Cronk, American Patent: July 6, 1858, Number 20,778, An early closure that was used to empty and reseal bottles.  It was described as a faucet that was controlled by a screw on cap to empty the contents.  Although described as a closure for mineral water bottles, the only known bottle is a pottery mead bottle.  These bottles are identical in shape to the standard mead bottles with a ledge in the neck of the bottle, as reflected in the patent drawings. Munson Cronk, the inventor, was the sole user.
	Whitney Inside Screw Closure, circ: 1861-1865, Occurs on 2 bottles, Invented by: S. A. Whitney, American Patent: January 1, 1861, Number: 31,046, This closure consisted of a glass stopper that screwed into the lip of the bottle, which had matching threads.  The stopper only occurs on one beer bottle, but enjoyed considerably more success on whiskey bottles.
	Schlich Closure, circ: 1874-1885, Occurs on 2 bottle, Invented by: Frederick Schlich, American Patent: September 5, 1865, Number: 49,793, American Patent: February 28, 1871, Number: 112,185, American Patent: July 21, 1874, Number: 153,380, This closure was perfected over nearly ten years by Frederick Schlich of New York City.  The stopper consisted of a medal stopper with a rubber covering that was forced into the mouth of the bottle.  Although Schlich's patent preceded the Lightning stopper by ten years, without a cam, it could compete and did not achieve market success.
	Rubin Closure, circ: 1884-1888, Occurs on 3 bottles, Invented by: Max Rubin, American Patent: November 11, 1884, Number: 307,990, The patent was patented by Max Rubin of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The stopper involved a cap that drawn down onto the lip of the bottle by a twisting action.  The stopper is found on a bottled from the Albany area.
	Lowell Closure, circ: 1885-1890, Occurs on 1 bottle, Invented by: George D. Corey, American Patent: February 10, 1885, Number: 312,096, The patent for this closure was assigned to Woods, Sherwood & Company of Lowell, Massachusetts.  The stopper was based on the Lightning closure with a stopper that tightened to the bottle as it was twisted.  The stopper is found on on a bottle marked "The Lowell Bottle Stopper."
	Argus Closure, circ: 1885-1895, Occurs on 2 bottles, Invented by: Edwin Haas, American Patent: March 10, 1885, Number: 313,588, This closure was a variation of bailed closures.  It consists of a cam that when depressed forces the stopper into the mouth of the bottle.  The tab on the cam come in two different configurations.  This stopper was only used on beer bottles.
	Wizard Closure, circ: 1885-1890, Occurs on 1 bottle, Invented by: William Painter, American Patent: April 14, 1885, Number: 315,655, This closure was a variation of bailed closures.  This was William Painter's first bottle closure patent.  He would be much more successful on his later Bottle Seal and Crown Cork closures.  This stopper was only used on beer bottles.
	Lloyd Closure, circ: 1885-1895, Occurs on 2 bottle, Invented by: Edwin L. Lloyd, American Patent: August 25, 1885, Number: 325,181, This closure was a variation of bailed closures.  The stopper was attached to the bail via a loop on it.  This stopper was only used on beer bottles.
	Kent Closure, circ: 1885-1890, Occurs on 2 bottle, Invented by: Alonzo F. Kent, American Patent: April 14, 1885, Number 315,797, This closure was only used by two Philadelphia bottles of beer.  The bottles can be identified by the the tight threads that received a metal stoppers that screwed into the lip.  The stopper was secured to the bottle by a loose fitting bail that was fitted to the neck.
	Fullerton Closure, circ: 1887-1890, Occurs on 4 bottles, Invented by: George A. Fullerton, American Patent: November 29, 1887, Number 373,973, American Patent: October 2, 1888, Number 390,586, Bottles that used this closure are identified by the unique "L" shaped indentations on the lip of the bottle.  The closure consists of a sheet metal bail whose eccentric slid into the groove in the lip.  The patent was assigned to the Facile Bottle Stopper Company of New York, New York, which is marked on some of the bottles.  The patent drawing shows a square mark on the base of the bottle, which is present on some of the known examples, but is not explained by the patent..
	Bloeser Bail Closure, circ: 1888-1895, Occurs on 2 bottles, Invented by: Rudolph Bloeser, American Patent: March 6, 1888, Number: 379,149, This stopper was consists of a wire bail with a stopper on it that flips over the bottle's lip.  The cam is a flat molded piece of metal that forces the closure into the opening of the bottle.  This stopper was used by a few bottlers in the Scranton area, where Bloeser was associated with a local glass house.
	Howe Closure, circ: 1889-1890, Occurs on 2 bottles, Invented by: Thomas B. Howe, American Patent: June 11, 1889, Number: 405,035, This stopper was consists of a wire bail with a stopper on it that flips over the bottle's lip and a clip secures the stopper by snapping under the lip.  The lips on these bottles are oversized tapers that have a unique shape to support the closure.  This stopper was used by two Philadelphia bottlers.
	Cunningham Closure, circ: 1997-1910, Occurs on 3 bottles, Invented by: William J. Cunningham, American Patent: May 25, 1897, Number: 583,211, This closure is a variation of the lightning stopper.  The purported advantage was the fact that the stopper would open more freely than the typical Lightning closure.  Cunningham was a member of the Cunningham Supply Company, which supplied bottlers.
	Alston Closure, circ: 1900-1905, Occurs on 2 bottles, Invented by: John S. Alston, American Patent: April 3, 1900, Number 646,653, American Patent: December 31, 1901, Number 690,220, This stopper was consists of a wire bail with an eccentric that inserts into the lip.  Only one Philadelphia bottler appears to have adopted this closure.  With the second bottle being a salesman's sample.  The lips on these bottles are exaggerated to accept the closure.  The closure appears to have had more success on fruit jars with the Alston label.
	Imperial Bottle Closure, circ: 1902-1903, Occurs on 2 bottle, Invented by: Nathaniel B. Abbott, American Patent: July 8, 1902, Number 704,167, This stopper of a metal cap that was secured to a flared lip on the bottle.  This was a deviation of William Painter's Crown Cork.  Painter sued Abbott in 1903 and won.  Although this stopper occurs on two bottles, it may not have been commercially produced.
	Strebel Closure, circ: 1903-1905, Occurs on 1 bottle, Invented by: Louis Strebel, American Patent: April 14, 1903, Number 725,505, This stopper was a slight deviation from the Lightning closure.  The variance being in the stopper portion of the closure, which consist of a different style of the loop that holds the eccentric.
	Sani-Top Closure, circ: 1908-1912, Occurs on 1 bottle, Invented by: Anthony F. McDonnell, American Patent: July 14, 1908, Number 893,008, The inventor claimed that his new closure did not cause distortions in the neck of the bottle and better facilitated cleaning and filling.  McDonnell claims to be a "practical bottler and glass manufacturer" and owned the Scranton Glass Company of Scranton, PA; a glass jobber.  In 1910, McDonnell trade marked his closure "Santitop."

Want more information? Get a book:
	Soda and Beer Bottle Closures 1850-1910 - David Graci 2003 - This book covers the subject of mainly American soda and beer bottle closures that were used by bottlers and brewers. A decade by decade history is provided as well as numerous illustrations and pictures.	$24.95

Copyright © 2010 Tod von Mechow

Last modified: April 18, 2010