Back in August I received a random message request on Facebook. After cautiously accepting it, I discovered that it was someone trying to sell a “Coonley flask”. The spelling error meant it could either be a J.C. Conley flask or a John P. Cooney flask. Well to my great excitement it turned out to be a John P. Cooney Prov. R.I. flask! There was only one known to exist, but apparently there are a couple others out there. I was even more surprised to discover that it was a different version and color than the example that was documented. This was easily my best find of 2022!
A trip to the local river usually turns up a few ABM sodas. After finding a pile of Star Bottling sodas from Pawtucket (the usual suspects), I spotted Metropolitan Bottling Co. Providence, RI. I recognized the name from the city directories I've used for research, but I didn't know a bottle existed! It's pretty crazy how an ABM soda could be so rare.
Also from the river was a United Mineral Water Co. Providence, RI crown top with no slugplate. That makes it a new variant!
Sadly the productive construction site in Providence finally got filled in an paved over, but a new spot showed some promise! I was digging there with my friend Scott when he found a 5-1/2” Corrigan the Apothecary Providence, RI. I didn't have one, and jokingly said “dig me one too!”. Well less than a minute later he finds another one! I sure do love a win-win situation!
Every now and then I do an ebay search outside of the bottle category to see if anything got mis-listed. A W.J. Goff Arctic, RI blob top got my attention very quickly! This was one of those completely unlisted bottles that made all those long hours scrolling through ebay listing worth it!
