J.F. Herrmann / A.G. Herrmann / Tiger Brand
Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Frederick Herrmann, 809 2nd street SE (1881-1885)
  Frederick J. Herrmann, 811 2nd street SE (1886)
  Frederick J. Herrmann, 740 10th SE (1887-1888)
  John F. Hermann, 752 10th SE (1890-1891)
  Herrmann Bottling Works, 752 10th SE (1892)
  J.F. Herrmann & Son, 752 10th street SE
  J.F. Herrmann & Son, 10th c I SE (1893)
  J.F. Herrmann & Son, 750-754 10th street SE (1894-1905)
  August G. Herrmann, 750 10th street SE (1906-1907)
  August G. Herrmann, 750-754 10th street SE (1908-1913)
  Herrmann Bottling Works, 750-754 10th street SE (1914-1933)
  Herrmann Ginger Ale Co, 750 10th street SE (1934-1939)
  Tiger Brand, Washington DC
Notes:
The first city directory entry I see for Herrman as a bottler is in
1881, however one of the bottles below says "QUALITY SINCE 1874".
The Mar 6, 1936 Obituary for A.G. Herrmann in the Washington Post confirms
that the company was founded in 1874.
I think that John F. Herrmann and Frederick J. Herrmann are the same person.
The 1870 and 1880 census lists Frederick Herrmann, and the 1900, 1910 and
1920 census lists John F. Herrmann, but in all cases they say he was born
in 1837 in Germany.
August George Herrmann (born 1862) was J.F.'s son and successor.
His name is sometimes listed as "August" and sometimes as "Augustus".
The Herrmann Bottling Works is listed in a 1925 DC phone book under
"Bottlers, Carbonated Beverages" at 750 10th Street SE, phone number
Lincoln-1981.
Some of their bottles have a trade mark consisting of a dog, a key,
and a safe (or is it a mailbox?). I have no idea what that was supposed to mean.
Note that the bottles with the heart trade-mark have "AGWL" on the botom,
and that the "L" appears to be crudely added.
This web site claims that "AGWL" was the American Glass Works Limited
in Pittsburg PA, and that they added the "L" about 1880.
Finally, I have to admit that I have no idea who "S. HERRMANN" is.
One of the bottles below is purple and emboseed with "S HERRMANN & CO 1897 WASHINGTON DC", but
I looked through the 1897 city directory for Washington DC (even the residential
section) and could not find a Herrmann whose name started with "S". So that bottle
is a mystery to me.
J.F. Herrmann Bottles:
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This is a 7.2" aqua hutchinson bottles with a 10-sided base, embossed: round slugplate: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / 752 10TH ST. S.E. / WASHINGTON D.C. back: AGWL |
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These are 7.2" hutchinson bottles with 10-sided bases.
The one one the left is aqua, and the one on the right is clear.
They'are both embossed: oval slugplate: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED bottom: J BROS / 57 |
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This is an 8.9" baltimore-loop top bottle embossed: round slugplate: J.F. HERRMANN & SON / 752 10TH ST. S.E. / WASHINGTON D.C. |
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The left bottle is a 9.2" blue-aqua crown top, the one on the right is an
8.7" blue-aqua baltimore loop top. They are identically embossed with: front: TRADE MARK (picture of heart) / J.F.HERRMANN / & SON / 750 754 10TH ST S.E. / WASHINGTON D.C. back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD bottom: AGWL (the L is either crudely added or poorly deleted) |
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These are 9" blob top bottles.
Left bottle is clear (with original stopper - I know because I dug it out
of the ground that way) and embossed: oval slug plate: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED below slug plate: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD Right bottle is aqua and embossed the same except the letters are in an oval pattern instead of an oval slug plate. |
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This is a 9.6" aqua crown top embossed: oval slug plate: J.F. HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED below slug plate: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD bottom: 1901 |
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This is an aqua 9" crown top embossed: shoulders: J.F.H. & S. oval pattern: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD bottom: 962 |
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These are 7.5" aqua crown tops. The one on the right has a "J.F.H.&S." embossed on
the back, otherwise all three are embossed identically: oval pattern: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD |
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This is the same as the above bottles but it's taller & kind of a blue-aqua color.
It's a 9" crown top embossed: oval pattern: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD rear shoulder: J.F.H.&S. |
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This bottle is embossed the same as the 2 above, but it has a label somewhat intact.
The label says: label top edge: NO ALCHOHOL NO PEPPER / MADE FROM PURE GINGER label center: HERRMANN'S / FAMOUS / (pic of safe/dog/key) / TRADE MARK / GINGER ALE label bottom edge: LAY BOTTLE ON ICE - DO NOT USE IN GLASS / J-F-HERRMANN & SON WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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This is similar to the above bottles, except it's clear and it has a slug plate.
It's a 7.5" clear crown top, embossed: oval slugplate: J.F.HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON / D.C. / REGISTERED below slugplate: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD |
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This is an 11.9" crown top bottle embossed: round slugplate: J.F. HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON D.C. / REGISTERED / THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD back: AGW |
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This is a 7.2" purple hutchinson bottle. The deep purple color indicates that
it was probably irradiated with an X-ray machine. It is embossed: round slugplate: S. HERRMANN & CO / REGISTERED / 1897 / WASHINGTON, D.G. below slugplate: REGISTERED / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD Note that it appears to say "D.G.", not "D.C.". |
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This 9" aqua blob top has a porcelain stopper that is in great shape.
The bottle is embossed: front-horiz: TRADE / (picture of safe/dog/key) / MARK / THIS BOTTLE IS NOT SOLD / RETURN PROMPTLY WHEN EMPTY front-vert: A.G. HERRMANN / SUCCESSOR TO / J.F. HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON, D.C. / REGISTERED back: C & CO. The porcelain stopper is embossed: top: A.G. HERRMANN / SUPERIOR / (picture of safe/dog/key) / TRADE MARK / WASHINGTON, D.C. bottom: PAT'D / K. HUTTER / FEB. 7, 1893 |
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These aqua crown tops are embossed the same, but have slight variations.
The left is 8.5" tall and the right is 8.3" tall. Also, the dog on the
left bottle is facing front, whereas the dog on the right bottle is
facing to the side. They are both embossed: front-horiz: TRADE / (picture of safe/dog/key) / MARK / THIS BOTTLE IS NOT SOLD / RETURN PROMPTLY WHEN EMPTY front-vert: A.G. HERRMANN / SUCCESSOR TO / J.F. HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON, D.C. / REGISTERED back: C & CO. |
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This is similar to the above bottles but it's taller, the lines are spaced farther apart,
and the logo does not have a circle around it.
It's a 9.2" aqua crown top embossed: top front-horiz: TRADE / (picture of safe/dog/key) / MARK front-vert: A.G. HERRMANN / SUCCESSOR TO / J.F. HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON, D.C. / REGISTERED bottom front-horiz: THIS BOTTLE IS NOT SOLD / RETURN PROMPTLY WHEN EMPTY |
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These are 8.5" crown top (machine made) bottles that are identical except
for color, and are embossed: front: TRADE / (picture of safe/dog/key) / MARK / REGISTERED WASHINGTON DC / THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD / RETURN PROMPTLY WHEN EMPTY back: A.G. HERRMANN / CONTENTS 8 FLUID OZ |
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This is the same bottle as the one above (on the right), except that it
has a cap and a label. The label is marked: label center: HERRMANN / AROMATIC / (picture of safe/dog/key) / TRADE MARK / GINGER ALE label top left: CARBONATED BEVERAGE / COLORED WITH CARAMEL. label top right: LOOK FOR THIS LABEL / BEWARE OF SUBSTITUTES. label bottom left: LAY BOTTLE ON ICE - DO NOT USE ICE / IN GLASS. label bottom right: A.G. HERRMANN / WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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This is a 12" machine-made crown top bottle embossed: front: TRADE / (picture of safe/dog/key) / MARK / REGISTERED WASHINGTON DC / THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD / RETURN PROMPTLY WHEN EMPTY back: A.G. HERRMANN / 1 PT & 8 FLUID OZ |
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This is a 9.9" machine-made crown top bottle embossed: front: TIGER / (picture of tiger) / BRAND / REGISTERED WASHINGTON DC / THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD / RETURN PROMPTLY WHEN EMPTY back: A.G. HERRMANN / CONTENTS 1 PT |
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This is identical to the bottle above, except it has a label: label: HERRMANNS / TIGER / (picture of tiger) / BRAND / GINGER ALE / A.G. HERRMANN / WASHINGTON DC / (I can't make out what was under that) |
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This is an 11.5" machine-made crown top bottle embossed: front heel: HERRMANN GINGER ALE CO. back heel: 1 PT & 8 FLUID OZ. |
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This is a 9.5" crown top bottle embossed: front: A.G. HERRMANN / CONTENTS 13 FLUID OZ. THIS BOTTLE IS NOT SOLD back: WASHINGTON D.C. / REGISTERED / DOC 1511 |
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This is a 9.8" Applied Color Label crown top bottle. The coloring is
black on white and says: shoulder: HERRMANNS front: QUALITY / SINCE 1874 / HERRMANN'S / "Famous" / BEVERAGES back: HERRMANN'S BEVERAGES / Carbonated Water, Sugar, / Flavor or Artificial Flaver, / Other Ingredients on Crown. / Contents 12 Fluid Ounces / HERRMANN GINGER ALE CO. / Washington, D.C. |
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This is a 4.3" diameter lithographed tip tray. It is marked: around edge: THE HERRMANN BOTTLING WORKS, / WASHINGTON DC inside circle: HAVE YOU TRIED / HERRMANN'S / TIGER BRAND / GINGER ALE |
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This is a Ceramic bottle stopper. It is marked: outter ring in red: A.G. HERRMANN / WASHINGTON, D.C. inside ring in black: SUPERIOR / (picture of safe, dog & key) / TRADE MARK |
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This is a Ceramic bottle stopper. It is marked: outter ring in red: J.F. HERRMANN & SON / WASHINGTON, D.C. inside ring in black: SUPERIOR / (picture of safe, dog & key) / TRADE MARK |
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This is a bottle cap. It is marked: FAMOUS / SINCE 1874 / HERRMANNS / ARIFICIALLY COLORED / LIME SODA / 8 OZ. / WASH DC |
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This is a letter that is postmarked 1894. It shows JF Herrmann & Son
were wholesale dealers in Val Blatz's Milwaukee Beer. |
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This is a cardboard fan (front & back shown). This business side is marked: DRINK / HERRMANN'S / FAMOUS / Ginger Ale and Root Beer / Put up in 8-oz. Bottles HAVE YOU TRIED THEM? / Tiger Ginger Ale / GOLDEN AND PALE DRY! NONE BETTER! / In 10-zo., 12-oz. and 16-oz. Bottles / AND NOW YOU CAN BUY / HERRMANN'S Famous GINGER ALE and / OTHER FLAVORS / in 24-oz. Bottles at 10c Each, Plus Usual Deposit / Ask Your Dealer for HERRMANN'S / QUALITY BEVERAGE SINCE 1874 / REFUSE SUBSTITUTES / A.G. HERRMANN, Washington, D.C. / PHONE: LINCOLN 1981-1982 |