Snider’s Catsup – The Flavor of The Past

When looking at the historic bottles from a dump site used in the 19th and early 20th century, I identified one bottle specifically as a Catsup bottle. This bottle has many characteristics that identify it as a Catsup bottle. First
off, the finish, or mouth part, is what is referred to as a screw thread finish, which indicates the kind of cap that screws on and off, which is what a sauce bottle would have.

Another hint is the size and shape. The long neck, sloping shoulders, and carrying capacity looks very similar to a current ketchup bottle. The manufacture method, which can be determined by looking at the two vertical seams on the bottle, is indicative of a mouth-blown, two-part post mould. One can determine that is mouth blown because the seams don’t continue through to the finish.

 

And if all of this information isn’t convincing that this is a Catsup bottle, the maker’s mark on the bottom doesn’t hurt.

Snider’s Catsup. Advertisement. VintageAdBrowser. 2012. Accessed Feb 13, 2017. http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/food-ads-1900s.

When researching Snider’s Catsup bottles, I found an advertisement that shed light on how this product was marketed and used. The ad says hotels, clubs, restaurants, hotels, and even homes choose Snider’s Catsup. This shows a targeting towards mostly non-residential businesses. The advertisement also provides two recipes, which is something most people would now consider slightly odd for a sauce bottle. It also mentions Cincinnati, U.S.A, which is either indicative of where the bottles were made, or where the ad was marketed (I was not able to discern).

Overall, catsup/ketchup was, and still is, an important accessory to the American diet, as shown by it’s abundance in the historical and archaeological record.

9 thoughts on “Snider’s Catsup – The Flavor of The Past

  1. Thomas A. Snider started the T.A. Snider Preserve Company of Cincinnati in 1879, and was renowned for his “catsup” recipe made from fresh tomatoes without preservatives. Snider was one of the largest ketchup makers at the turn of the 20th century and produced a variety of tomato related products and canned goods such as relish, tomato soup, oyster sauce, and pork and beans.

    In doing some research on a Snider’s condiment bottle associated with KLGO in Skagway, AK, I came across some information on the T.A. Snider company that you may be interested in. On page 450 in Bottle Makers and Their Marks, 1971 Julian Toulouse, Thomas Nelson Inc., it says T.A. Snider Co. grew out of Mrs. Snider’s home business. “Mrs. Snider’s home business was the product of the wife of Reverend T.A. Snider, in that effort to gain a little better living than a circuit-riding minister could achieve. Her first product was catsup. ” Further, in doing a search on line I found the following from Pure Ketchup: A History of America’s National Condiment, with Recipes, Andrew F. Smith, Univ of South Carolina Press, 1996 – House & Home, page 40, “Snider’s ketchup recipe was based on a formula developed by his wife, who had kept a boarding house and became ‘famous for the excellence of her preserved food’ “. Just wanting to give a little credit to Mrs. Snider, who, sadly doesn’t get much credit.
    The latest ad for the company that I have found is from 1960 with a GF logo. Apparently General Foods (Post etc..) and what know is Kraft, Inc bought the Snider company out. Interestingly, Kraft manufacturers Heinz Ketchup which is an entirely different story and was competition to the Snider’s Catsup.
    Snider’s must have done very well, in the early 1900’s in one year along they spent $275,000.00 on advertising. You can see some of their ADS for sale on eBay. Where is the landfill you found this bottle ?

    • Re Snider’s catsup, for not sure about general foods owning it in 1960 but fit sure Hunt Wesson owned it circa 1963
      G. Droz, . 734-434-9692

  2. Sniders was purchased by General Foods, White Plains, NY. Think they put it out of business in late 1 up 1950’s or early 1960,s.

  3. I believe I have a snider catsup bottle from 1939 I am not 100% sure the bottle has the numbers 39 on it and it does say snider twice on the bottom of the bottle but nothing else but D-50 can someone help me identify it?

  4. It’s interesting to read some of these articles about Snider’s catsup, as a child growing up in Puyallup Wa, in the fifties and sixties Snider’s catsup was the only brand catsup we ever used, I recall thinking it was the best catsup ever. I thought for a long time it was a local brand but apparently not. I had always wondered what became of the brand. I never knew that Heinz bought them out. Orwell It is a taste from my child would that I will never forget

  5. Found this snider’s catsup bottle today in the wall of a home I’m restoring. It was sided on the outside and lath snd plaster on the inside. The house was built in 1915, or possibly earlier, so this bottle must’ve been placed there by the workers.

  6. Found this snider’s catsup bottle today in the wall of a home I’m restoring. It was sided on the outside and lath snd plaster on the inside. The house was built in 1915, or possibly earlier, so this bottle must’ve been placed there by the workers.

    I couldn’t figure out how to attach a picture.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *