Rammel Mfg Co / E O Rammel Co


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Rammel Manufacturing Co, 408-410 Princess, Alexandria (1910-1915)
  Rammel Manufacturing Co, Wilkes cor Columbus, Alexandria (1916-1919)
  Rammel Manufacturing Co, N. St Asaph cor Pendleton, Alexandria (1920)
  Rammel Manufacturing Co, 119 King, Alexandria (1921)
  Rammel Manufacturing Co, 126 N Royal, Alexandria (1923)

  E O Rammel Co, 408 Princess, Alexandria (1918-1924)

Notes:
In 1910 the Rammel Manufacturing Company was run by 2 brothers:
    Ernest Ott Rammel (b. Apr 28, 1873 in Germany, d. Oct 7 1951 in Alexandria VA) 2,3
    William Louis Rammel (b. Mar 30, 1883 in Alexandria VA, d. 1961) 2,4
They took over the bottling establishment that was previously run by Frank W. Brawner.
The city directories list Ernest & William as proprietors from 1910-1912, then just Ernest from 1913-1916, then just William from 1917-1924. Ernest ran a separate bottling company called "E O Rammel Co" from 1918-19241.

Prior to 1910, the Rammel brothers worked for the Rammel Hotel & the "A. Rammel & Sons" Restaurant with their mother Augusta Rammel (b. abt 1849 in Hannover Germany). In the years that he wasn't working for the Rammel Manufacturing company, William went back to working for the Hotel & Restaurant1.
None of the city directories mention Augusta Rammel as being associated with the Rammel Manufacturing Company, however the July 1st 1915 Richmond Times Dispatch lists her as the president of the company5.
The Rammel Manufacturing Co was described in various years as Ginger Ale Manufacturers, Soft Drink Manufacturers, and Bottlers. The 1917 directory lists them as distributors for "Pablo", "Reif's Special", and "Grapefruitola".1. Pablo was a non-alchoholic beverage from Pabst6, and Reifs Special was a non-alchololic hops-based drink7.

The 1920 directory lists the Whistle Bottling Co at the same address as the Rammel Mfg Co. Likewise the 1921 directory lists the Christo-Cola company at the same address. So my guess is that these companies were either owned-by or working closely with the Rammel Mfg Co.
One of the bottles below says "SATANET" - this appears to be a brand of soda that was sold in other places besides Alexandria. Satanet may have been created by the Garrett Company in Norfolk VA, which got a copywrite on the phrase "Satan-et. The drink with a wink" in 19158.

Rammel Manufacturing Company Bottles:

rammel_03 book # 575
This is an 8.6" Sun Colored Amythest BIM crown top with a very crooked neck, embossed:
shoulder: REGISTERED
oval slugplate: RAMMEL MFG. CO. / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
below slugplate: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
rammel_1 book # 577
This is an 8.3" clear BIM crown top embossed:
front: RAMMEL MFG. CO. / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
base: OW / 1
rammel_2 book # 578
This is a 7.8" clear machine-made crown top embossed:
front: REGISTERED / RAMMEL MFG. CO. / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
satanet satanet_bottom book # 625
This is a 7.8" clear machine-made crown top embossed:
front: SATANET / TRADE MARK REGISTERED / RAMMEL MFG.CO. ALEX.VA.
back: SATANET / TRADE MARK REGISTERED / CONTENTS 7 FLUID OUNCES
base: S
The bottom of the bottle has a manufacturing defect, as it is very lopsided.



E. O. Rammel Co. Bottles:
rammel_05 book # 576
This is an 8.5" clear BIM crown top, embossed:
shoulder: REGISTERED
oval slugplate: E.O. RAMMEL CO. / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
below slugplate: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
rammel_04 book # 579
This is an 8" aqua machine-made crown top with a ring on the neck, embossed:
front slanted in script: E.O. Rammel Co.
front on heel: 7 FLUID OZS.
back slanted in script: Alexandria, Va.
base: A.G.W. / 94-1



Other Items:
rammel_06 This is yellow bottlecap with red writing that says:
RAMMEL MANFG CO. / GINGER ALE / COLORED WITH / CARAMEL / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
rammel_07 This is a 3" long metal bottle opener (front & rear views shown), marked as follows:
front: KEY TO / RAMMEL'S / BEVERAGES
rear: RAMMEL MFG. CO. / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
rammel_08 This is a 3.5 x 6 inch cardboard postcard, with a wheel that you can turn. The wheel has faces that have red and blue marks, which are filtered out by the red & blue colored plastic. The back is marked like a postcard, with a place for the stamp.
It has the following written on it:
These faces will change, but University Club Ginger Ale never will because it cannot be made any better. Manufactured and Guaranteed by THE RAMMEL MANUFACTURING CO. under Serial No. 19355. THE DONKER & W. CO CHICAGO.


1 Various Alexandria VA Directories from the Library of Congress
2 Ernest & William's birth dates were from the 1900 census
3 Ernest death date from obit: Washington Evening Star newspaper, Oct 8, 1951, page 12
4 William death date from find-a-grave web site for William Louis Rammel (1883-1961)
5 Richmond Times Dispatch, July 1, 1915, p.5
6 Alexandria Gazette newspaper, November 24, 1916, page 5
7 Alexandria Gazette newspaper, June 27, 1917, page 5
8 Catalog of copywrite entries, part 4, for the year 1914, nos. 1-4, p.197


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This page last updated on March 28, 2020.