The Illustrated History of Hires Root Beer

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1925 

(Figure 1925-01, tin sign, 20.0” x 6.0”)

This lithographed, paper poster features a young boy riding in a two-wheeled cart that is being pulled by a rooster. 

(Figure 1925-02, lithographed paper poster, 18.0” x 24.0”)

The folded, paper "Full Directions for Making ROOTBEER" insert included with cartons of Hires Household Extract included a section advertising "The Hires Hand Capping Machine...A machine built to stand constant usage and last.  Puts the cap on any crown bottle securely and tight.  Can be successfully operated by any boy or girl.  Requires very little pressure on the hand.  By the use of the Hires Hand Capping Machine home-made Rootbeer made from Hires Household Extract can be put up in a commercial-looking package inexpensively in the home.  The machine will be found a great convenience in putting up all kinds of home-made bottled beverages and preserves.  Price, $4.50 delivered.  It is part of a complete bottling outfit which enables any boy or girl to make Old Home-made Rootbeer from Hires Household Extract to SELL at a large profit...One boy on a golf course made $2.00 or $3.00 per day thru the summer months.  A small restaurant keeper made over $2000.00 profit in one season."  The accompanying illustrations showed a capping machine and this crown top bottle:

(Figure 1925-03, crockery crown top bottle with stenciled label, 7.0" tall)

(Figure 1925-03, matching crown cap for the crockery crown top bottle)

(Figure 1925-04, lamp with cast iron legs and milk glass globe)

The original artwork for this sign was drawn by John Bradshaw Crandell, an American artist and illustrator who produced numerous magazine covers and was particularly well-known for his portraits of female movie stars.

(Figure 1925-05, lithographed, cardboard sign, 8.0” x 11.0”)

Continuing the shift away from advertising featuring the Hires Boy is this 8.0" x 10.0" sign featuring a flapper girl.  The artwork was also drawn by Bradshaw Crandell.  

(Figure 1925-06, tin over cardboard sign, courtesy of Mike Godown)

The U.S. Printing and Lithograph Company in New York City produced this lithographed, cardboard bottle topper.

(Figure 1925-07, lithographed, cardboard bottle topper, courtesy of Mike Godown)

The 1925 date pad is missing from this cardboard wall calendar.  Entitled "Beauties," the beautiful young woman and red roses were drawn by J. Knowles Hare, a noted magazine cover and calendar illustrator.

(Figure 1925-07.5, cardboard calendar, 19.875" x 13.0")

This fountain glass is etched “Enjoy Hires Nature’s Delicious Drink.”

(Figure 1925-08, clear fountain glass, 4.5” high, 2.5” diameter)

(Figure 1925-09, embossed tin sign, 24.0” x 44.0”)

(Figure 1925-10, die-cut, cardboard hanger, 8.0” x 10.0”)

(Figure 1925-11, tin sign, 9.5” x 27.0”)

(Figure 1925-11.5, tin sign, 9.5” x 27.5”)

(Figure 1925-12, tin sign, 20.0” x 28.0”, also produced in 3.25” x 9.25” size)

(Figure 1925-13, tin over cardboard sign, 6.5” x 9.0”)

A paper label affixed to the back of the tin over cardboard sign pictured above reads:

(Figure 1925-14, metal bottle opener)

The ice pick end of this metal bottle opener is debossed "PAT. 1-26-12" on both sides.

(Figure 1925-15, combination bottle opener and ice pick)

The illustration for this 31.0" x 41.0" cardboard sign was drawn by Gene Pressler, a New York City artist known for Art Deco style calendars, magazine covers, and pin-up illustrations.  The Brett Lithographing Company of Long Island City, New York produced the sign for Hires.  A 16.0" x 20.0" version of this sign has "A Pure Delicious Beverage for the HOME IN BOTTLES or AT FOUNTAINS" printed near the bottom.

(Figure 1925-16, cardboard sign, 31.0” x 41.0”)

(Figure 1925-17, tin sign, 10.0” x 28.0”)

(Figure 1925-18, embossed tin sign, 5.0” x 14.0”)

(Figure 1925-19, embossed tin tacker, 9.5” x 27.5”)

This similar sign features a crown top bottle bearing a gold medals paper label.

(Figure 1925-19.5 embossed tin tacker, 9.625” x 27.625”)

William B. Keller published this opinion in the June 1925 issue of National Bottlers Gazette:

Every Business – except the bottling business – has a variety of prices governing the sale of its products.  It is properly so.  But the bottling business, with the false aid of many of the syrup companies, has ignominiously settled down to the universal 5¢ drink – in which there is absolutely no profit.  That is why the trade is kept in poverty straits.  Why shouldn’t a bottler lift himself out of his trade rut, and, develop a Better Beverage and sell it at a price to retail at 10¢…It would help him in many ways.  This suggestion is offered in good faith: Develop a Better Beverage and charge accordingly.  There are hundreds of cases where this is being done successfully.  Why not you, Mr. Bottler?  Think it over.

Click on the next image and note the many details in this real photo postcard.  The large Hires sign in the foreground advertised "Tibben & Higman's Refreshment Stand."  Also visible is a large Orange Crush banner on the far right, a freestanding Ice Cold Coca-Cola sign, an Orange Crush sign next to the posing customers, a Model T, a bicycle, and gasoline pumps at the service station on the far left.  This card was published by The Dragner-Nyvall Company, College Point, Long Island, New York.   

(Figure 1925-19.8, real photo postcard)

Vendors used metal carriers to serve ice cold bottles of Hires Root Beer at ball games and other events. 

(Figure 1925-20, metal vendor carrier)

Hires’ crown caps were updated during 1925 with the “i” in the word Hires changed from a slanted top to a flat top, and the words “Root Beer” added. 

(Figure 1925-21, updated crown cap with flat “i” in the word Hires)

Considerable debate has surrounded whether to include this embossed, tin, lithographed sign as an authentic 1925 Hires sign, or as a fantasy/fake item that has been "aged" to appear old.  The posted image shows the sign as found with no retouching, including what appears to be a bullet hole adjacent to the H.  The sign's coloring and lettering font are identical to those used for the 1925 crown cap illustrated as Figure 1925-21 above.  Concerns arise about the sign's authenticity, however, when one notes that neither the front nor back of the sign bear a Hires item number.  A manufacturing oversight perhaps, but nonetheless very unusual.  Also, the scratches thru the black lettering reveal a turquoise background, while scratches thru the yellow paint show no turquoise coloring.

(Figure 1925-21.5, embossed, tin, lithographed sign, 6.0" x 9.5")

This clear, crown top bottle has a pebble finish and embossed gold medals on the shoulders.  The paper Hires Ginger Ale label indicates the bottle held 6.5 fluid ounces. 

(Figure 1925-22, crown top, 7.5” tall)

The Henry Weinhard Company of Portland, Oregon utilized this 6 ounce, aqua crown top bottle.  Weinhard was one of numerous breweries that survived Prohibition financially by bottling soft drinks.  The paper label affixed indicates the bottle contained “Hires AROMATIC GINGER ALE WITH CHILLIES AND CARAMEL.” 

(Figure 1925-23, crown top, 8.0” tall)

The paper label affixed to this one quart capacity bottle reads “EFFERVESCENT – REFRESHING – HEALTHFUL – Carbonated with Gas made from pure Bicarbonate Soda – SPARKLING Purock WATER – THE FINEST OF TABLE WATERS – See that each cork bears the name of Purock – BOTTLE EXCLUSIVELY BY THE PUROCK WATER CO. Philadelphia.”  The lower front of the bottle is embossed “THE CHARLES E. HIRES CO. – PHILADELPHIA.” 

(Figure 1925-24, Purock Water bottle, 12.0” tall)

Quart bottles of Purock Water like the one pictured above were placed in partitioned, wooden, city delivery cases for shipping.  The cases were 19.0" long, 12.0" wide, and 13.0" high and held six bottles. 

(Figure 1925-24.5, Purock Water city delivery case - side)

(Figure 1925-24.5, Purock Water city delivery case - end)

(Figure 1925-24.5, Purock Water city delivery case - partitioning)

This bottle of “Purock – THE PUREST WATER IN THE WORLD” has its original paper label and cap.  The paper label indicates “PUREST OF WATERS.  Produced by our own special process of distillation and bottled in thoroughly cleaned and sterilized bottles under the highest sanitary conditions – Soft sweet and palatable…Sold only in sealed bottles.  Bottled only at the Purock department of the Charles E. Hires Co., Manufacturers of Artificial Mineral Waters.” 

(Figure 1925-25, one gallon Purock bottle, 13.5” tall)

One gallon bottles of Purock Water were delivered in partitioned, wooden, city delivery cases that were 14.5" tall and 15.0" wide.  Each case held four bottles. 

(Figure 1925-25.5, Purock Water city delivery wooden case - side)

The front of this five gallon, aqua carboy is embossed “DRINK Purock WATER – PUROCK WATER COMPANY – PHILADELPHIA.”  The back is embossed “LOANED NEVER SOLD.” 

(Figure 1925-26, carboy, 20.0” tall x 10.0” diameter)

Hires expanded the Purock product line by bottling “HYDRO-PUROCK – THE BATTERY WATER” in 64 ounce crown top bottles.

(Figure 1925-27, 64 ounce crown top, 13.5” tall)

 (Figure 1925-28, paper label, 2.75” x 3.75”)

The November 5, 1925 edition of the Los Angeles Times newspaper carried this financial news about the impending public offering of additional Charles E. Hires Company stock:

OFFERS HIRES STOCK

Until now, stock of the Charles E. Hires Company, manufacturers and distributors of the widely advertised “Hires” root beer and other soft-drink beverages, has been held almost exclusively by members of the Hires family.  The Hires family has controlled the company since its original organization in 1876 by Charles E. Hires, the president.  The new financing, which will total approximately $2,500,000, has been undertaken principally for the purpose of prosecuting an intensive advertising and selling campaign in many territories that have not been fully developed in the past.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of the stock will be used to retire a small amount of outstanding preferred stock and funded debt.

Hires products are being distributed through more than 4,000 jobbers and bottlers, and they are sold by approximately 300,000 dealers in practically every city in the United States and Canada.  Last year’s sales aggregated 740,000,000 bottles and glasses, representing an increase of over 400 percent since 1915, when the total was 158,000,000.

The growth of the company to its present size has been accomplished almost entirely through earnings.  Last year net earnings available for dividends were $476,858, equivalent to about $5.25 a share on the class A stock.  For the past three years they have averaged approximately $4.55 a share.  It is understood that the stock will be offered on an 8 percent dividend yield basis.

 

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