F.H. Finley & Son


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Finley & Koch, 1206 Pa ave NW (1879-1881)
  Adam Koch, 1206 Pa ave NW (1881-1882)
  Francis H. Finley, 1206 Pa ave NW (1883-1885)
  Frank H. Finley, 1206 D nw & 1206 Pa ave NW (1886)
  Frank H. Finley, 1206 D NW (1887-1891)
  F.H. Finley & Son, 1206 D Street NW (1892-1902)
  F.H. Finley & Son, 208 Mass. Ave NE (1903-1904)
  F.H. Finley & Son, 208-10-12 Mass. Ave NE (1905-1915)

Notes:
 Francis H Finley was born 1834 in Maryland, and his son Francis M Finley was born about 1867 in DC, according to the Census.
I got the following information via emails from a descendant of the Finleys:
    Francis H. "Frank" Finley was born c.1835 in Baltimore, MD. As a young man, he and his older brother made and sold cigars in Baltimore. Approx. 1861, they moved to Washington, DC, where they engaged in the cigar business at the corner of Seventh and F streets. Approx. 1872, Frank Finley established a cigar factory on Pennsylvania avenue, between Ninth and Tenth northwest. Here he made fame, together with considerable fortune, out of his "Our Kate" brand of cigars. (The cigars were named for his oldest child, Katherine P. Finley, my great grandmother.) In 1876, Frank and a partner opened "The Chesapeake," an "Oyster House and Ladies' Dining Saloon" at 9th and Pennsylvania Ave NW. This establishment was advertised in the city directories from 1877-1879. In 1878, Frank joined Adam Koch to form Finley & Koch, a bottling company specializing in Rochester Beer. The company was located at 1206 Pennsylvania Ave NW. By 1883, Adam Koch was no longer in the picture, as the Frank H. Finley Company became the sole DC agent for the Rochester Brewing Company. Advertisements for the Finley company at this time also list soda and mineral water among its products. In 1886, the company moved to 1206 D St NW. Also at this time, Frank's son, Francis M. Finley, began working there as a clerk at the age of nineteen. In 1890, the company name changed to F. H. Finley & Son, as Francis M. Finley became a partner in the firm. Francis H. Finley died December 9, 1892 at his home in Washington. The company continued to be operated by his son, and it continued to be called F. H. Finley & Son. In 1902, it moved to 208-210-212 Mass Ave NE. It ceases to be advertised after 1916. Note: Both father and son went by the name "Frank." As a result, newspaper reporters were often confused about which Frank Finley they were writing about. 2

Finley & Koch Bottles:

finley_4 book # 260
These 2 bottles have different tops and slightly different slug-plate embossing. The left is a 9.25" baltimore-loop top bottle embossed:
round slugplate: FINLEY & KOCH / WASHINGTON D.C.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD

The right one is a 9.5" blob top bottle embossed:
round slugplate: FINLEY & KOCH / WASHINGTON / D.C.
back: THIS / BOTTLE / NOT TO BE / SOLD



F.H. Finley (without the '& Son') Bottles:
finley_17 book # 242
This is a 7" aqua hutchinson with a 10-sided base, embossed:
tombstone slugplate: F.H. FINLEY / 1886 / WASHINGTON / D.C.
base: No 1
finley_07 book # 244
These is a 9.3" aqua blob-tops embossed:
round slugplate: F. H. FINLEY / 1206 D ST. / N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
base: E. L.
I don't have any idea what the EL on the base stands for.



F.H. Finley & Son Bottles:
finley_02 book # 245
These two 6.5" tall hutchinson have rings around them. The left one is aqua, embossed:
tombstone slugplate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1893 / BOTTLERS / 1206 D. ST N.W. / WASHINGTON DC
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
base: F
The right one is clear, embossed:
tombstone slugplate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1893 / BOTTLERS / 1206 D. ST N.W. / WASHINGTON DC
below slugplate: REGISTERED
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
base: F
finley_09 book # 246
This is 6.8" aqua hutchinson with a 10-sided base, embossed:
tombstone slugplate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1206 / D ST. N.W. / WASHINGTON / D.C.
finley_16 book # 247
This 7" aqua hutchinson is embossed:
round slugplate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1206 D ST. N.W. / REGISTERED / WASHINGTON, D.C.
back: THIS / BOTTLE / NOT TO BE / SOLD
base: W
finley_08 book # 248
This 7" aqua hutchinson is embossed:
front: TRADE / F / MARK / F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12-MASS AVE. N.E. / WASHINGTON DC
base: TRADE MARK / F
finley_05 book # 249
It's a 9" aqua blob top with a ring around the shoulder, embossed:
oval slugplate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1893 / BOTTLERS / 1206 D ST NW / WASHINGTON DC
below slugplate: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: F
It still has the metal wire stopper. The inside of the stopper is rubber, and has faint markings that (I think) say "HUTCHINSON / 3"
finley_18 book # 250
This is an 9.5" aqua baltimore-loop top bottle embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE / ("F" in diamond) / MARK / REGISTERED
front in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894 / BOTTLERS / 1206-D-ST. N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C.
below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE/ NOT TO BE SOLD
back: AGW
base: TRADE MARK / (letter "F" in diamond)
finley3 book # 251
It's a 9" aqua baltimore loop top embossed:
oval slugplate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1206 / D. ST N.W. / WASHINGTON / DC
below slugplate: THIS BOTTLE REGISTERED / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: 4
finley_20 book # 252
It's a 9" aqua crown top with a ring around the shoulder, embossed:
above oval: REGISTERED
oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894 / BOTTLERS / 1206-D-ST. N.W. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
below oval: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
rear on heel: AGW
base: TRADE MARK ('F' in a diamond)
finley_15 book # 253
This is an 8.5" light-aqua crown top embossed:
round slug plate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1206 D ST. NW. / WASHINGTON, DC.
below slug plate: REGISTERED
finley_22 book # 254
This is a 9.5" aqua crown top embossed:
oval slug plate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1206 D. ST. N.W. / REGSTERED / WASHINGTON. DC.
rear: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
finley_10 book # 255
These are 9" and 8.5" bluish-aqua crown top bottles, both embossed:
front shoulder: CONTENTS / OF THIS BOTTLE / MANUFACTURED BY
front in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / REGISTERED / 1911-1912 / WASHINGTON, D.C.
front below oval pattern: UNLAWFUL FOR OTHER / BOTTLERS TO RE-FILL / UNDER / PURE FOOD LAW
back: TRADE / (letter "F" in diamond) / MARK
base: TRADE MARK / (letter "F" in diamond)
finley_25 book # 255 a
This is an 8.5" aqua ABM crown-top bottle embossed the same as the bottles above, but it has a label:
label: GREATER WASHINGTON / F.H. FINLEY & SON / ('F' in a diamond) / COMPOUND / GINGER ALE / BURNT SUGAR COLORISED / 208.10.12 Mass. Ave. N.E. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
finley_11 book # 256
This is an 9.5" aqua crown top embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE / ("F" in diamond) / MARK / REGISTERED
front in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894 / BOTTLERS / 1206-D-ST. N.W. / WASHINGTON DC
below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE/ NOT TO BE SOLD
back: AGW
base: TRADE MARK / (letter "F" in diamond)
finley_06 double_trademark book # 257
This is a 12" picnic-sized bottle, embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE / ("F" in diamond) / MARK / REGISTERED
front in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12 MASS-AVE. N.E. / WASHINGTON DC
front below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: TRADE MARK / ("F" in diamond)
Note that the base embossing seems to be double-stamped, with a feint image offset by about 30 degrees. I'm told this probably happened before the bottle was fully blown, where the glass dripped down, settled in the mold, and picked up an impression. Then when the blower gave another puff, it shifted the glass slightly and made the newer, crisper image.
finley_12 book # 257
These are aqua crown tops embossed the same as the bottle above. Left is 8.5", middle is 8.75", and right is 9.25". They are all embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE / ("F" in diamond) / MARK / REGISTERED
front in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12 MASS-AVE. N.E. / WASHINGTON DC
front below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: TRADE MARK / ("F" in diamond)
finley_19 book # 257a
This is a 9.75" aqua crown top embossed the same as the bottles above, however it has a label:
label top edge: WHEN EMPTY PLEASE RETURN
label: F.H. FINLEY & SON / ('F' inside diamond) / TRADE MARK REGISTERED / GINGER ALE / 208.10.12 Mass. Ave. N.E. / WASHINGTON, D.C.
label bottom edge: THIS BOTTLE COSTS 5 CTS.
finley_13 book # 257
This is an 8.3" aqua crown top embossed:
front shoulder: TRADE / ("F" in diamond) / MARK / REGISTERED
front in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894-1902 / BOTTLERS / 208-10-12 MASS-AVE. N.E. / REGISTERED / 1911 / WASHINGTON DC
front below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: TRADE MARK / ("F" in diamond)
It differs from the bottles 2 rows above in that it says "REGISTERED / 1911" inside the oval pattern.
finley_21 book # 258
This is a 12" picnic-sized aqua crown top embossed:
above oval: REGISTERED
in oval pattern: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894 / BOTTLERS / WASHINGTON DC
below oval pattern: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: TRADE MARK / ("F" in diamond)
finley_14 book # 259
This is an 8.7" aqua crown top embossed:
round slug plate: F.H. FINLEY & SON / 1894 / BOTTLERS / WASHINGTON. DC.
below slug plate: REGISTERED
base: TRADE MARK / ("F" in diamond)
finley_23 book # 8 (Seltzer section)
This is a 9" clear seltzer bottle etched:
etched on front: F.H. FINLEY & SON / TRADE MARK / ('F' in diamond) / REGSTERED 1894 / WASHINGTON. DC.
etched on base: (picture of 2-headed bird) / MADE IN AUSTRIA
The metal peice on top is engraved:
F.H. FINLEY & SON / REGISTERED 894-1009



Other Items:
finley_24 This is a ceramic bottle cap. It is marked in black & red letters on both front & back:
FINLEY'S / GINGER ALE / UNEXCELLED


1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)
2 From information emailed by a descendant of Finley


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This page last updated on November 3, 2020.