F.H. Finley & Son
Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Finley & Koch, 1206 Pa ave NW (1879-1881)
  Adam Koch, 1206 Pa ave NW (1881-1882)
  Francis H. Finley, 1206 Pa ave NW (1883-1885)
  Frank H. Finley, 1206 D nw & 1206 Pa ave NW (1886)
  Frank H. Finley, 1206 D NW (1887-1891)
  F.H. Finley & Son, 1206 D Street NW (1892-1902)
  F.H. Finley & Son, 208 Mass. Ave NE (1903-1904)
  F.H. Finley & Son, 208-10-12 Mass. Ave NE (1905-1915)
Notes:
Francis H Finley was born 1834 in Maryland, and his son
Francis M Finley was born about 1867 in DC, according to the Census.
I got the following information via emails from a descendant of the
Finleys:
    Francis H. "Frank" Finley was born c.1835 in Baltimore, MD.
As a young man, he and his older brother made and sold cigars in Baltimore.
Approx. 1861, they moved to Washington, DC, where they engaged in the cigar
business at the corner of Seventh and F streets.
Approx. 1872, Frank Finley established a cigar factory on Pennsylvania
avenue, between Ninth and Tenth northwest. Here he made fame, together with
considerable fortune, out of his "Our Kate" brand of cigars. (The cigars
were named for his oldest child, Katherine P. Finley, my great grandmother.)
In 1876, Frank and a partner opened "The Chesapeake," an "Oyster House
and Ladies' Dining Saloon" at 9th and Pennsylvania Ave NW. This establishment
was advertised in the city directories from 1877-1879.
In 1878, Frank joined Adam Koch to form Finley & Koch, a bottling company
specializing in Rochester Beer. The company was located at 1206 Pennsylvania
Ave NW.
By 1883, Adam Koch was no longer in the picture, as the Frank H. Finley
Company became the sole DC agent for the Rochester Brewing Company.
Advertisements for the Finley company at this time also list soda and mineral
water among its products.
In 1886, the company moved to 1206 D St NW. Also at this time, Frank's son,
Francis M. Finley, began working there as a clerk at the age of nineteen.
In 1890, the company name changed to F. H. Finley & Son, as Francis M. Finley
became a partner in the firm.
Francis H. Finley died December 9, 1892 at his home in Washington. The
company continued to be operated by his son, and it continued to be called
F. H. Finley & Son. In 1902, it moved to 208-210-212 Mass Ave NE. It
ceases to be advertised after 1916.
Note: Both father and son went by the name "Frank." As a result,
newspaper reporters were often confused about which Frank Finley they were
writing about. 2
Bottles:
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These 2 blob-tops have minor variations. The left is 9.2" and marked: front: FINLEY & KOCH / WASHINGTON D.C. back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE / SOLD The right one is 9.5" and marked: front: FINLEY & KOCH / WASHINGTON / D.C. back: THIS / BOTTLE / NOT TO BE / SOLD |
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These is a 9.3" aqua blob-tops marked: front: F. H. FINLEY / 1206 D ST. / N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD bottom: E. L. This is one of the few bottles that says "F H FINLEY" without the "& SON". I don't have any idea what the EL on the bottom stands for. |
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It's a 9" aqua baltimore loop top marked: front: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1206 / D. ST N.W. / WASHINGTON / DC / THIS BOTTLE REGISTERED / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD bottom: 4 |
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It's a 9" aqua blob top with a ring around the neck, marked: front: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1893 / BOTTLERS / 1206 D ST NW / WASHINGTON DC / / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD bottom: 4 It still has the metal wire stopper. The inside of the stopper is rubber, and has faint markings that (I think) say "HUTCHINSON / CHICAGO IL" |
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These are hutchinson bottles. The 2 on the left are identical except for
the color, and are 6.5" marked: front: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1893 / BOTTLERS / 1206 D. ST N.W. / WASHINGTON DC back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD bottom: F The one on the right is 7" aqua marked: front: TRADE / F / MARK / F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12-MASS AVE. N.E. / WASHINGTON DC bottom: TRADE MARK / F |
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The one on the left is an 8.3" bluish-aqua crown marked: front: TRADE / F / MARK / F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12-MASS AVE. N.E. / REGISTERED / 1911 / WASHINGTON DC bottom: TRADE MARK / F The center one is identical except height (8.5"), color (aqua), and that it doesn't say "REGISTERED / 1911". The right bottle is a 9.2" aqua crown marked the same as the center one. |
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This is similar to the bottles above, except it's a 12" picnic sized bottle, marked: front: TRADE / F / MARK / REGISTERED / F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12-MASS AVE. N.E. / WASHINGTON DC / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD bottom: TRADE MARK / F Note that the bottom embossing seems to be double-stamped, with a feint image offset by about 30 degrees. I'm told this probably happened before the bottle was fully blown, where the glass dripped down, settled in the mold, and picked up an impression. Then when the blower gave another puff, it shifted the glass slightly and made the newer, crisper image. |