Our two inter-connected sites, feature information about the history of the carbonated water industry (1770-1970), especially concerning refillable glass siphon bottles. These are also known as syphon- or seltzer‑ bottles, and early versions were also made in earthenware, porcelain, and metal.  They provide information about the many bottle types, by featuring photos of bottles supplied by collectors and antique dealers worldwide. They will also show some post-2000 siphon fillers in action. Long-time New York area filler Alex Gomburg (with his father Kenny Gomburg) recently (2023) opened a Brooklyn Seltzer Museum at their “Brooklyn Seltzer Boys” filling plant https://www.facebook.com/BrooklynSeltzerMuseum?mibextid=ZbWKwL, with co-founder, author Barry Joseph (https://www.seltzertopia.com . Other museums exist, e.g., in Buenos Aires, Argentina where the Museum of sodawater and siphons can be  found  at: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/fzRKG3uNPqsbcBQf/?mibextid=oFDknk  (or open this Facebook link Museo de la Soda et Sifons (17); to visit, contact Luis Taube at: museodelasoda@hotmail.com or see on Instagram (luisitotaube/salvemosalsifon) In Szeged, Hungary, https://www.360cities.net/image/water-tower-soda-water-museum-szeged .

We will link to other collector websites, homepages, and Facebook groups, some by bottle‑collectors and specialist dealers. For the moment, photos available are from my own collections.  To view the catalogue and photos of:

488 items of a European collection in the Hague Netherlands and  

1139 bottles of an International collection in Toronto Canada,   Press here for Page 2

In 2000, at the urging of French siphon specialist Jacques Iniesta, Ian Lubek (at the University of Guelph, Canada) and Konstantin Miller (at the University of Hannover Medical School) began work on a book about the siphon bottle, tentatively enitled: THE ROMANCE OF THE SELTZER SIPHON  An illustrated, annotated international catalogue of siphon/syphon bottles, and a social history of “aerated water” manufacturers and consumers (1770‑1970). PRESS HERE for page 3

At that time, there were few academic articles on the subject, but some bottling industry, collector, and antique dealer publications.  We wanted to trace the history of the carbonated water industry, the technological advances (and patent battles) permitting siphon bottles to safely hold and dispense pressurized aerated waters. We would then also catalogue examples of the various bottles‑‑shapes, sizes, colors, head mechanisms–available worldwide. We also wanted to trace the family /business histories involved in supplying seltzer, soda, Vichy, lithia and other sparkling waters to consumers, and the differing social functions served by siphon bottles (e.g., as preventative health provision during epidemics, publicity or artistic objects, family table beverages, mixer in bars/cafés with Scotch, absinthe, etc., or in pharmacies, drug stores and soda fountains. In differing locations or contexts, refilled siphons could be home delivered, or exclusively used in hotels, bars and cafes, golf clubs, pharmacies, and even on battleships. We also examine socio‑historical transformations as Seltzer water goes to war and to the colonies, and crosses class boundaries in some countries. We suggested the book could appeal to collectors, antique dealers, historians, and those working in the beverage industry.

But after 2000, both authors became intensively involved in research about other extremely pressing health questions. Siphons were mentioned in a few academic presentations or interviews by Lubek over the years.  In 2003, he spoke with B. Newman for an article appearing in the Wall Street Journal Press here for Page 4

Fortunately, other authors such as Frederic Nortier (2018) https://www.facebook.com/fredericnortiersiphonseltz?mibextid=ZbWKwL az , Jean Claude Delannoy (2017) Gazogenes  D.Fevre et Gazogenes d’exceptions.  Lille: Photobox., Barry Joseph (2018) http://www.seltzertopia.com/,  Dave Smithson (2018) https://sodasyphon.co.nz/?page_id=33, have recently produced interesting and comprehensively researched works that cover much of the proposed book’s contents. (See list of siphon publications, websites and Facebook groups–  PRESS HERE for Page 5)