1890s GEORGE BECHTEL STATEN ISLAND EXCELSIOR ANTIQUE BOTTLE PICTORIAL BEER For Sale

DESCRIPTION

Offered here is a spectacular circa 1890s–early 1900s George Bechtel Brewing Co. beer bottle from Stapleton, Staten Island, New York, featuring one of the most impressive pictorial designs found on an early New York beer bottle.

This is not simply an embossed brewery bottle. The entire front is dominated by an elaborate raised pictorial of a soldier/knight in ancient-style armor holding a large flag emblazoned “EXCELSIOR.” Surrounding the figure is extensive lettering identifying the famous George Bechtel brewery of Stapleton.

The embossing is exceptionally bold, crisp and deeply defined. The details of the armor, helmet, flag, clothing and figure remain remarkably sharp, while the large lettering frames the pictorial beautifully.

The bottle is embossed:

THE GEORGE BECHTEL BREWING CO.
EXCELSIOR
BOTTLED AT BREWERY
STAPLETON
STATEN ISLAND

For collectors with a connection to Staten Island, this bottle has tremendous appeal. It is a tangible survivor from an era when brewing was one of Staten Island's important industries and Stapleton was home to several major breweries.

The bottle itself is made from thick, heavy glass with a beautiful subtle green-apple tint. In natural light the glass has just enough color to distinguish it from ordinary clear glass without overpowering the extraordinary embossing.

It also contains several attractive bubbles and other subtle manufacturing irregularities that add early character.

The bottle has been professionally tumbled and restored to a beautiful, exceptionally clear condition. Combined with the bold embossing and flawless condition, the result is an outstanding display bottle.

The Bechtel brewing story on Staten Island began in 1853, when John Bechtel established a brewery in Stapleton. His son George became involved with the operation and ultimately purchased his father's entire interest in 1870. The original facility was soon replaced by a substantially larger brewery as the business expanded.

George Bechtel's operation became one of Staten Island's major breweries. Historical accounts show that the rebuilt brewery occupied nearly four acres on Van Duzer Street, and production grew dramatically—from approximately 60,000 barrels annually in the mid-1870s to a capacity approaching 150,000 barrels by the turn of the century.

The brewery was also part of Staten Island's substantial German-American brewing culture. Bechtel's was one of several major breweries operating around Stapleton, and the brewery's beer received recognition at major international exhibitions. Bechtel was among the Staten Island brewers receiving honors at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, and historical records also credit Bechtel's beer with awards at the 1878 Paris Exposition and 1879 Sydney exhibition.

The EXCELSIOR name and distinctive soldier/knight carrying the Excelsior flag became a memorable part of Bechtel's branding. Bottle references document this same pictorial on George Bechtel Brewing Co. champagne-style blob-top bottles, making the dramatic figure far more than decoration—it is an identifiable piece of the brewery's historic visual identity.

The George Bechtel Brewing Co. ultimately closed in 1907, leaving these heavily embossed bottles as tangible survivors of Staten Island's once-thriving brewing industry.

• Circa 1890s–early 1900s
• The George Bechtel Brewing Co.
• Stapleton, Staten Island, New York
• Large EXCELSIOR soldier/knight pictorial
• Soldier depicted in elaborate ancient-style armor
• Large flowing flag prominently embossed EXCELSIOR
• Extensive embossing covering much of the bottle
• Exceptionally bold, crisp and sharply defined embossing
• Beautiful clear glass with a subtle green-apple tint
• Thick, heavy glass construction
• Hand-tooled blob-top finish
• Several attractive bubbles and early glass character
• Champagne-style beer bottle form
• Professionally tumbled
• Outstanding clarity
• No damage
• Exceptional display example

What sets this bottle apart is the sheer amount of detail packed into the pictorial. This was an elaborate and expensive mold design compared with an ordinary lettered beer bottle. The combination of the armored figure, flowing EXCELSIOR flag, arched company name and extensive lower embossing creates a bottle that can be appreciated as much for its graphic design as for its brewing history.

And for someone who grew up on Staten Island, lives there today, collects Staten Island history, or has family ties to the borough, this is a particularly appealing piece of local history.

I would rate this bottle a 10 out of 10.

The bottle is in outstanding condition with no chips, cracks or other damage noted. The hand-tooled blob top is excellent, and the extensive pictorial and lettering remain remarkably bold and crisp.

The bottle has been professionally tumbled, removing the haze and staining commonly encountered on bottles of this age and revealing the beautiful glass, subtle green-apple tint and exceptionally sharp embossing.

As with virtually any antique bottle more than a century old, extremely close inspection under strong lighting may reveal an occasional tiny scratch, scuff, rub, manufacturing irregularity or other insignificant evidence of age and handling. Such minor age-related characteristics are normal and should not be confused with meaningful damage.

Overall, this is an exceptionally clean, damage-free and highly displayable example of a wonderful Staten Island pictorial beer bottle.

Height: Approximately 9"

Diameter: Approximately 2 1/2"

Color: Clear glass with a beautiful subtle green-apple tint

Finish: Hand-tooled blob top

Condition: No damage; professionally tumbled

Dating antique bottles is not always an exact science. The estimated date range provided here is based on historical research, documented company history, known examples, manufacturing characteristics, bottle construction and available reference material. I am not an expert on every type of antique bottle, and I am always happy to receive additional information or corrections from knowledgeable collectors.

NOTE:***IF YOU BUY MORE THAN ONE BOTTLE AT THE SAME TIME, I WILL SHIP ALLBOTTLES TO YOU FOR FREE! PLEASE PAY FOR THE BOTTLES AND I WILLIMMEDIATELY CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT FOR THE SHIPPING CHARGES. (EXCLUDESINTERNATIONAL SALES).ALSO, I OFFER FREE RETURNS SO IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY THRILLED,JUST RETURN IT AND I WILL PAY FOR THE SHIPPING NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!!SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!!! (EXCLUDES INTERNATIONAL SALES - NO RETURNS)PLEASE SEE MY OTHER BOTTLES!