M ilk deliveries started with the milkmen filling customers’ personal containers. This practice is claimed to have begun 1785 in rural Vermont! The first milk bottle came about in the late 1870s. In 1884, Harvey D. Thatcher improved the milk bottle with the inclusion of a “milk protector,” that is to say, a bottle cap. In 1900, Thatcher’s Common Sense Bottle, milk protector included, was patented.

Milk bottles have evolved from a round bases, prior to 1930, to square or rectangular bases

by the 1940s. More often than not you will find old milk bottles with some form of labeling. These labels vary – they include either etching, embossing, or color labeling. These labels were very important as they prevented companies from using other dairy’s

bottles. They also made sure bottles got returned to the correct dairy manufacturer.

Source Cornell, B. (2017, August 29). Back N The Day Antiques. Retrieved from https://backnthedayantiques.com/the-history-of-milk-bottles-and-what-to-look-for/

Billings Farm & Museum collection

Billings Farm combined with Starlake in White River Junction 1960-74. This is a half- gallon bottle. Billings Farm has had a Jersey herd since it started its dairying endeavor. Jersey milk is known for its high fat content. The front label tells a buyer the milk is pure Jersey milk, of high quality, and who manufactured it. The back gives detail on what makes this milk stand out and its credibility.

back label

Billings Farm & Museum collection

Brookdale Farm kept their label simple. Front and back proclaim the farm’s name and city, and touts that the milk is “produced on our own farm.” It is hard to see, but the neck of this bottle is different from others. There is a pressed form of a face in the glass. Ears are even visible on the sides of the neck. Can you see the face?

Billings Farm & Museum collection

Orchard Farm Dairy also has a face shaped into the bottle neck and is labeled with slogans on their bottle. The front proclaiming “For Mother’s Who Care” and the back stating “Good Morning We are bringing you Health.” You may notice they ask for bottles to be washed and returned. This was important because reusing bottles saved time and money, and was better than acquiring new bottles all the time. Billings Farm & Museum collection

These two companies kept their labeling short and sweet. Wakema simply stated theirs was Jersey milk. Hood & Sons caught buyers’ eyes with “It’s Hood’s.” Simple can still make a statement .

Billings Farm & Museum collection Billings Farm & Museum collection

Here is a sampling of some slogans one might come across on old milk bottles. Many slogans encourage consumers to drink a manufacturer’s milk, others encourage bottles to be returned. Which milk would you buy if all you saw was the slogan?

Weeks Dairy; Billings Farm & Museum collection

Al Mihaly & Sons Dairy; Private collection

Mac Kenzie Dairy; Billings Farm & Museum collection W.L. Carr's Milk; Billings Farm & Museum collection