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Milwaukee, WI
Kiewel Brewing Co.
Crookston, MN
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Colorado City, CO
- Schlitz Distributor -
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C.A. Lunnemann - Liquors
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The 'Stock' Exchange
The Meek Co.: No. 99 "Bertha"
The Meek Co.: No. 99 "Bertha"
Date: 1908 - 1909
Size: 13.25" x 13.25"
Style: Pie
Scarcity: Very Common
Value: $$$ to $$$$
Condition & Brewer Dependent
Size: 13.25" x 13.25"
Style: Pie
Scarcity: Very Common
Value: $$$ to $$$$
Condition & Brewer Dependent
Confirmed Brewer used Stock Trays
Non-Beer Related & Non-Tray Uses
General
Similar to Minetta (No. 93) and Adeline (No. 137) which appear to use the same model, there appears to be two different tray designs that used the same model for “Bertha.” The twist is that they were produced by two different manufacturers! In Meek’s version she appears older than the version produced by competitor H.D. Beach, possibly indicating that the Beach version is earlier. Unfortunately, Beach’s version does not carry either a copyright date or a stock number to give us a clue when it was produced and if it was earlier than the Meek version. That two different manufacturers located in the same small town of roughly 5,000 at the time would both use the same model hardly seems unlikely.
"Bertha" is a female Germanic name meaning “bright one” and originally was shortened form of Beorhtgifu which means “bright gift.” Bertha began appearing as a stand-alone name among Frankish German tribes as early as the 6th century. In more modern times, the name became associated with unusually large examples of specific items, such as large machines; one example being large World War I howitzers known as “Big Bertha.” As a girl’s name its popularity occurred in the late 19th century and then declined significantly by the mid-20th century. It currently ranks #2,834 in popularity as a girl’s name in the United States.
Similar to Minetta (No. 93) and Adeline (No. 137) which appear to use the same model, there appears to be two different tray designs that used the same model for “Bertha.” The twist is that they were produced by two different manufacturers! In Meek’s version she appears older than the version produced by competitor H.D. Beach, possibly indicating that the Beach version is earlier. Unfortunately, Beach’s version does not carry either a copyright date or a stock number to give us a clue when it was produced and if it was earlier than the Meek version. That two different manufacturers located in the same small town of roughly 5,000 at the time would both use the same model hardly seems unlikely.
"Bertha" is a female Germanic name meaning “bright one” and originally was shortened form of Beorhtgifu which means “bright gift.” Bertha began appearing as a stand-alone name among Frankish German tribes as early as the 6th century. In more modern times, the name became associated with unusually large examples of specific items, such as large machines; one example being large World War I howitzers known as “Big Bertha.” As a girl’s name its popularity occurred in the late 19th century and then declined significantly by the mid-20th century. It currently ranks #2,834 in popularity as a girl’s name in the United States.
Click the Picture to Return to Meek & Beach Stock Catalog Page
"Big Bertha" Howitzer - 1914
H.D. Beach Co. - "Young Bertha"
There are a couple of potential literary inspirations based on characters named Bertha, but both seem unlikely. The first is Bertha Mason from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Erye. She is Jane’s main antagonist and the scene where she is introduced is arguably the most important in the novel. Bertha is “a mad-woman” who is literally locked in an attic. Bertha Mason is described as the violent and insane ex-wife of Rochester, although she has not been allowed to give us an account of her madness (there are no lines of dialogue attributed directly to her). All we learn about Bertha is either through Rochester’s description of her madness, or Jane’s biased (because she is the leading lady and in love with Rochester) perception of her. Not exactly an ideal character to reference in advertising.
The second possibility is from a short story by Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant (Aug 5, 1850 - Jul 6, 1893), a popular French author and widely considered the father of the short story. His prolific and deeply admired body of work influenced a great number of writers including William Somerset Maugham, O. Henry, Anton Chekhov, Kate Chopin and Henry James. He was a popular writer during his lifetime and had the good fortune to see that his stories were widely read. He has a short story entitled Bertha where, interestingly, the title character is also mentally ill or retarded. Again, not a particularly promising model for an advertising tray.
Adolph Sahling Workbooks
Sahling does have an entry in his workbook in December 1908 for “Stock tray, No. 99, Bertha.” It is the last stock tray entry for 1908, unless we consider “9 ½ plate Minetta.” There is an earlier entry in his workbook for “Square stock tray Girl in Blue” in Sept 1908; it’s not clear if this is the same design or something different.
Size, Shape and Advertising Placement
As a tray, No. 99 appears exclusively as a square; no other tray shapes appear to have been used. It does occasionally show up as a square self-framed tin. Rims are either black, woodgrain, or dark green and advertising text is gold. There are a couple of examples (Kiewel Brewing of Crookston, MN and Port Washington Brewing of Port Washington, WI) where text or logos appear on the face of the tray in a deviation from standard practice by this point in time.
Hager & Price
Hager does not discuss this design other than to place its introduction in 1908 in his date table; he does include it in his catalog. Examples from Jung Brewing of Milwaukee; Aurora Brewing of Aurora, IL; Knapstein Brewing of New London, WI; and Oconto Brewing of Oconto, WI show up most frequently. Almost all examples are from breweries with an odd water or liquor company in the mix. Prices vary widely with less common breweries demanding fairly strong prices and more common one far less; prices for more common breweries range from the low to mi triple figures, while rarer breweries reach the low four figures.
The second possibility is from a short story by Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant (Aug 5, 1850 - Jul 6, 1893), a popular French author and widely considered the father of the short story. His prolific and deeply admired body of work influenced a great number of writers including William Somerset Maugham, O. Henry, Anton Chekhov, Kate Chopin and Henry James. He was a popular writer during his lifetime and had the good fortune to see that his stories were widely read. He has a short story entitled Bertha where, interestingly, the title character is also mentally ill or retarded. Again, not a particularly promising model for an advertising tray.
Adolph Sahling Workbooks
Sahling does have an entry in his workbook in December 1908 for “Stock tray, No. 99, Bertha.” It is the last stock tray entry for 1908, unless we consider “9 ½ plate Minetta.” There is an earlier entry in his workbook for “Square stock tray Girl in Blue” in Sept 1908; it’s not clear if this is the same design or something different.
Size, Shape and Advertising Placement
As a tray, No. 99 appears exclusively as a square; no other tray shapes appear to have been used. It does occasionally show up as a square self-framed tin. Rims are either black, woodgrain, or dark green and advertising text is gold. There are a couple of examples (Kiewel Brewing of Crookston, MN and Port Washington Brewing of Port Washington, WI) where text or logos appear on the face of the tray in a deviation from standard practice by this point in time.
Hager & Price
Hager does not discuss this design other than to place its introduction in 1908 in his date table; he does include it in his catalog. Examples from Jung Brewing of Milwaukee; Aurora Brewing of Aurora, IL; Knapstein Brewing of New London, WI; and Oconto Brewing of Oconto, WI show up most frequently. Almost all examples are from breweries with an odd water or liquor company in the mix. Prices vary widely with less common breweries demanding fairly strong prices and more common one far less; prices for more common breweries range from the low to mi triple figures, while rarer breweries reach the low four figures.
