Bergoust-Davies Co. - Seattle
The Bergoust-Davies Co. was stared in Seattle around 1915 at 1837 15th Ave, W. by .J. J. (John) Bergoust and Fredrick Davies and featured a variety of products for the home such as vinegar, pickles, sauerkraut and other food condiments. Bergoust had started a similar business in Tacoma around 1900 and eventually relocated to Seattle around 1913 and partnering with Davies in 1915. By 1930 they had adopted the brand name "Faultless" and were producing approximately 175 tons of pickles per year. They also produced pearl white onions, crabmeat cocktail, meat gravy, olives, vinegar, mustard and ketchup for home consumption. Bergoust continued in the business for 47 years and died in Seattle at the age of 93 in March of 1947.
Jersey Dairy - Seattle
The Jersey Dairy Co. was started by local dairyman A. Z. Erickson in 1903 and its newer building was completed at the corner of Denny and Taylor in 1906. Erickson had an "interesting" career in the dairy business in Seattle as he was arrested numerous times for adulterating milk with formaldehyde in order to ensure its sweetness; reducing the butterfat content of the milk and conspiring with fellow dairymen of price-fixing in order to raise the price of milk to the consumer. In 1911, he claimed to have the first electric milking machine in Seattle which was to ensure sanitation, save processing time and workers lives through better milking conditions. He remained as owner of the business until around 1928 when it moved its operation to 1440 Jackson St. with A. Guerin as its president. Carnation Farms Products consolidated Bryant's West Seattle Dairy, Pure Milk & Mayflower Dairies, Clark Ice Cream Co. and the Jersey Dairy in March of 1929 and allowed each company to keep their brand name while in business.
Silver Grill/The Spokane - Spokane
A silver teapot from the Silver Grill/Hotel Spokane of Spokane. When the Spokane Hotel went into bankruptcy in 1893, William S. Norman bought and remodeled it into what was termed “The finest hotel in the Inland Empire.” From there Norman went on to purchase the posh Tacoma Hotel and the North Yakima Hotels. Being an hotelier took Norman into the liquor business and in 1900, he commissioned architect and designer Kirtland Cutter to make a magnificent restaurant at the Spokane Hotel, named the “Ye Old Silver Grill”, or just the “Silver Grill”. The restaurant was styled in an impressive “English country look” that proved very popular with the hotel’s guests as the restaurant is said to have served some of the finest cuisine in Spokane. Locals also would frequent it for dinner, fine wine and alcoholic drinks. Eventually there were “Silver Grills” in all three of Norman's hotels. Each hotel also contained a liquor store that Norman called “Silver Grill Cellars".
Blumauer-Frank Citrate of Magnesia - Seattle, Portland, Spokane
A heavily embossed Citrate of Magnesia bottle from the Blumauer-Frank Drug Co. of Seattle, Portland and Spokane
West Seattle Dairy - Seattle
Paul Bryan opened the West Seattle Dairy in 1913 at 4740 California Ave. in the West Seattle Junction and remained in business at various locations in the area for a number of years. He was part of a consortium of Seattle diary businesses that consolidated with Carnation Farms in 1928 and he continued to operate the West Seattle Dairy until his retirement in 1942.
Commercial Importing Co. - Seattle
The Commercial Importing Co. began in Seattle by John N. Shaw in 1899 and continued in business until being sold in 1953 to the Continental Coffee Co. of Chicago. Their main product lines consisted of tea and coffee branded under the name of "Royal Corona.".. An embossed jar states: "Vacuum Packed Coffee - Highest Quality Commercial Importing Co." with the label on the reverse side reading: "Shaw's Coffee Commercial Importing Co. of Seattle, Tacoma and Portland." An ad in the Seattle Times newspaper dates this bottle to the 1934 time-frame.