U S Navy Mustard and Pepper Bottles

[nchistory]

View attachment 892010 View attachment 892011 View attachment 892012 View attachment 892010 View attachment 892011 View attachment 892012 Hi,
I enlist anyone's help with the elusive US Navy Mustard and Pepper bottles.... Picture of example that was a water recovery from Beaufort, NC in the 1970's... Don't know if any of you guys were around Beaufort in the late 70's, but the town of Beaufort revitalized waterfront in the 1970s, and built a wooden boardwalk by the water's edge. I was 11 or 12 at the time, and my family had a beach house at Emerald Isle, which we would visit every summer. One late afternoon after eating Seafood with my family at "Tony's" Sanitary Fish Market in Morehead City, my father drove across the bridge to Beaufort and down to the waterfront. Upon arriving, the whole block by the water was just a 20' mound od mud, with people crawling all over it.... I was fascinated by what the people were doing, recovering old bottles that came off the bottom of Beaufort Harbor, which had been a harbor since the 1700's. I begged my father to let me go, and he finally allowed myself, my sister and brother to dig on that mound for about 30 minutes. When my father said it was time to go, I threw a fit (I WAS HOOKED), he promised to bring me back the next day. I was not leaving, but my father's discipline quickly persuaded me to get back in the car with my finds. I threw a fit all the way home. Well the next day, my punishment was staying home while my brother, sister, and dad went to Beaufort. I think I cried all day. A missed opportunity, that I never forgave him for. Months later he took me too the site, but the mound was gone, and locals said it had been removed to the landfill. I searched the waterfront to find any remnants of bottles from my big mound, but nothing remained. My father saw my disappointment as he took me to the antique shops on the waterfront. I saw many of the bottle recoveries locals had made. In one of those shops my father purchased this Navy Mustard that came from that Big Mound of Mud in Beaufort, NC. This bottle put a band aid on my hurts that day, but I'll always wonder what I could have found in that Big Mound on the Beaufort waterfront in the late 70's. Has been almost 35 years since, but I'll Never forget those vivid memories.

My question......Does anyone have any historical information on these Mustard and Pepper bottles I have seen one or two comments stating US Navy was the brand?? That would seem highly unlikely as it would minimize it's marketability. Somehow US Navy would not be a draw to market Mustard or Pepper.
I would think it would be regulation use. It seems most recoveries are water or where there was a Naval presence. Does anyone have any hard data?

Also I see many forums on reproductions, it seems so many are wary, but I haven't seen a reproduction that even looks remotely close.
Does anyone have information of the manufacturer? Manufacturing process?

Any good articles you can point me to on the subject? Thanks, have a great day.
Chris Carroll
BA History NCWC
US Marine Veteran
[email protected]
[email protected]

 

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Howdy Chris,

Welcome to TNet & thanks for showing us your mustard.

"Even in three sections that the Cairo wasbrought up in she still proved to be a treasure loaded witheveryday objects of Naval life, some previously unknown. One ofthese unknowns was the matter of food and drink. Evidence showsthat the sailors ate in messes, about 15 to each one. Every messhad a special chest to hold its gear: tin plates, cups, spoons,glass condiment bottles, scrub brushes, and a washtub. Every mantook care of his own and had his names scratched on each piece.Among the artifacts found were multi-sided glass condimentbottles with embossing reading “U.S. NAVY /PEPPER” or “U.S. NAVY / MUSTARD” onthe sided. More than 300 of these bottles were found on board,some containing their original contents. Among other bottlesfound were whiskies, rums, wines and champagnes, some unopened.Other bottles offering evidence of the medical care. Some ofwhich still contained contents such as potassium chlorite, bluemass for syphilis, quinine, rhubarb, ammonia, sulfur, zincchloride and others. Many other artifacts were recovered including personal belongings, weapons and ammunition...

The research and reassemble of the Cairo and itscontents was completed in 1984 and placed on exhibit at theVicksburg National Military Park..." RECOVERY of an Ironclad U.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reproductions are available, still: eParks.com: Handblown Mustard Bottle (Clear) - eParks - Where your purchase supports America's National Parks.

US Navy Meriden Britta Co International Silver Silverplate Threaded Oval Pattern Salt Spoons ca 1850 to 1890's​