Thatcher Manufacturing Company / Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company had a long and very confusing history. During the earlier years (1889-c.1904) this company sold dairy-related products including milk bottles that were actually made by other glass companies, including Whitall Tatum and Company. The first plant where they actually made their own bottles was built at Kane, Pennsylvania circa 1904.
Later, other glass manufacturing plants were built by Thatcher (or acquired through purchasing other glass companies) including locations at: Elmira, New York (built in 1912, and reportedly their largest plant and “flagship” factory); Ottawa, Illinois; Streator, Illinois; Wharton, New Jersey; Mt. Vernon, Ohio: Lockport, New York; Dunkirk, New York; Clarksburg, West Virginia; Olean, New York; Winchester, Indiana; Cedar Grove, West Virginia; Parkersburg, West Virginia; Lawrenceburg, Indiana; Long Island, New York; Muscatine, Iowa; Saugus, California; Jeannette, Pennsylvania and Tampa, Florida. Some of those plants operated for a relatively short period of time. For more detailed info on the individual plants, see the link to the article (PDF file) about Thatcher Glass by Bill Lockhart et al, near the bottom of this page.
Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company, especially during the first few decades of its operation, produced TREMENDOUS numbers of clear glass milk bottles that were used by MANY dairies, large and small, located across the United States. Many of these dairies had bottles made specifically for them with the dairy name and/or city and state embossed (i.e. with raised lettering) on the front. Some milk bottles made by Thatcher would be classified as “generic”, with no markings other than the glass manufacturer’s mark on the heel or the base. Since unlettered bottles were less expensive to produce, many dairies made use of those types as well.
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Thatcher Glass was purchased by Rexall Drug & Chemical Company (later known as Dart Industries) in 1966. In 1981, Thatcher was bought by Dominick & Dominick, a brokerage company in New York City, and eventually was acquired by Diamond-Bathurst in 1985. Diamond-Bathurst went into bankruptcy in 1987 but was subsequently purchased by Anchor Glass Container Corporation, later part of the Ardagh Group. Ardagh subsequently sold six of the Anchor Glass plants to KPS Capital Partners in 2014. In 2016 KPS sold the Anchor Glass plants to CVC Capital Partners and B A Glass, although Anchor Glass Container Corporation (based in Tampa, Florida) continues to operate under its own name and has its own website.
As of 2021, two of the factory locations that were once owned by Thatcher Glass, those at Elmira, New York and Lawrenceburg, Indiana, are currently operating as part of Anchor Glass Container Corporation. A link to the company website is here: Anchor Glass Container Corporation .
Marks used by Thatcher include:
T.M’F’G.CO (mark used c. 1904-1920s)
T M C (c. 1910s-1920s)
T.MFG CO (c. 1910s-1920s)
M T C inside a triangle (undetermined, possibly sometime in the 1923-1954 time period)
M T C (c. 1923- c.1954)
This variation of the M T C mark is seen in the form of a large T with smaller “M” and “C” sheltered underneath the “roof” of the T, in rather plain “block” style lettering (as shown in photo above). This mark was used from around 1923 to about 1954, and is usually seen embossed on the heel of clear glass milk bottles.
MTC variation: T, vaguely resembling an anchor with horizontal upper stroke, with smaller, angular M and C nestled underneath to the left and right (examples shown above and below). This particular mark was used from c. 1944 to about 1983. On this variation, the mark is often indistinct and the 2 smaller letters may be practically illegible. This mark is seen on the bottoms of a very wide variety of bottles including liquor flasks and other containers. (See the photos below of the Mrs. Butterworth’s bottle that carries this mark).
T (double-lined letter, shown) , this was the last mark used by Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company, and dates from 1983 to 1985. (Please see the email I received from Bill F, and which I quote from below). This mark has been confirmed on the base of an emerald green liquor flask with a 1985 date code, and an amber beer bottle with a 1983 date (pictured).
For some period of time, I was not sure if this mark was that of Thatcher, and noted that it MIGHT have been used by them, not being 100% certain. However, the mystery has now been solved once and for all…………… Here is a portion of a very informative email I received on May 8, 2018 from a former employee of Thatcher. He writes:
“I worked for Thatcher as a QC/Customer Service rep upon graduating from college in 1984 until Thatcher went out of business in 1985. I believe I was the last salaried employee hired. Although I worked from the Production and Engineering facility in Horseheads, NY, I spent a great deal of time in the Elmira NY, Wharton, NJ and Lawrenceburg, Indiana manufacturing plants.
“I can confirm that the double lined “T” was used on all containers manufactured by Thatcher in 1984. It was my understanding that the T logo was used on all new molds manufactured after the company was purchased by Dominic & Dominic from Dart-Kraft Industries in 1981. ” (Bill F, Elmira, NY)
In a subsequent email, he also stated that there might have been a gradual transition over a period of time after 1981 before the “new” mark was used on all molds, but he was quite certain that by 1984 all bottle molds in use did carry the “Double lined T”. [Note: in recent years, since receiving Bill F.’s email, Bill Lockhart found that the trademark for this “T” mark (number 1,277,031) was actually reported in the patent gazette record as having been used by Thatcher Glass beginning early in 1983].
Just for fun (and a bit of interesting info) I wanted to include pictures of an amber Mrs. Butterworth’s pancake syrup bottle made by Thatcher Glass. This bottle carries a 1961 date code on the bottom, as well as their glassmaker mark variant used from circa 1944 to about 1983. The “4054” is a style or mold design number assigned to the bottle. (Thanks to Jaime Pecsek for sending me the photos).
For a much more comprehensive discussion on Thatcher, with lots of background information and pictures of many other lesser-known marks used by Thatcher included, see this great article by Bill Lockhart et al here.
Please click here to go to my site Home Page.
For an extensive list of glass manufacturers’ marks on bottles, fruit jars, insulators, tableware and other glassware, please check out the GLASS BOTTLE MARKS pages, here starting on page one.
Beach Glass/ Sea Glass (lots of bottle bases are found as part of “sea glass” and worn shards of old Thatcher Glass products may be found occasionally).
My webpage with a pic of a Thatcher liquor bottle, including a base closeup: “Federal Law Forbids Sale or Reuse of this Bottle”
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I recently started cleaning my fathers house out and have found many “Florida Store Bottles” with “MTC” on either the bottom lip or the bottom of the bottle. On the bottom of the bottles the have a Large “5¢” symbol on the bottom. There is a outline of the state of Florida with “Florida” overlayed. These are listed as “One Pint Liquid.” The bottom has a “•43” symbol on the bottom, so I assume it is a 1943 bottle made by MTC. However here is my question. When I look online most of the photos have a thatch/cross mark around the neck of the bottle. Mine have “5¢” in circles around the neck of the bottle. Can anyone give me any information about these?
Recently found a 1961 Mrs Butterworth bottle by Thatcher Glass.
I found a neat looking Pepsi Cola bottle when I was hiking on my newly acquired property in SE MO. Today. I did some internet searches and discovered that it’s a 10oz Pepsi Cola swirl glass bottle (embossed no color) from the 70’s, it has a 74 on the bottom so I believe that was the year it was made. It also has the beautiful mTc triangle. It took me a while to find the manufacturers mark online, and even longer to figure out what company it belongs to (it didn’t help that I thought the m was a y lol) but I finally made it to this website, and was fascinated to learn about Thatcher manufacturing CO. The company that made my bottle, so thank you! My bottle isn’t a very rare, or super valuable find, but it is beautiful!
Hi Alyssa,
Thank you for your nice comments! I appreciate your post. Please continue to stop by this site when you can!
~David
I found a large clear glass bottom with the letters mTc. The letters STORE are large and in a cross pattern on the bottom. Any ideas where it is from ? Thanks.
Wendy, I’m sorry but I don’t have any ideas. I assume the piece is the base of a milk bottle, and this has some relation to a dairy or dairy-related business, or grocery store of some kind. Perhaps a reader will come across your question and have information for us. Thanks for writing!
David
This is all new to me and very interesting. I have quite a number of what was given to me as ‘canning’ jars about five years ago, though I have not used them. The one I’m looking at, on the bottom, has the ‘mTc’ mark, with ‘0 4’ above that, and ‘2323-P’ above that. From what I’m reading on your site this would have been made by the Thatcher Manufacturing Company. They also have a patterned design on the shoulder and heel. What are you able to tell me about this please? Thank you.
Hi Jan,
I’m not sure what type of fruit or canning jars you are describing, but I am guessing you might be referring to some jars with a “waffle” or “grid” type design on the front, and often with a blank space for a label? If so, those kinds of jars were very popular in the 1930s-1950s era. They are found in clear glass, and were made by a number of glass factories in the United States. I don’t have info to interpret the markings on that particular jar, but I am assuming the “2323-P” is a model or style number assigned to that design by Thatcher Glass. Just for fun, here is a keyword search string on the ebay website I just did…….this search will bring up some various jars with the “waffle”, “diamond” or grid pattern. Some of them have also occasionally been referred to as “Hoosier Cabinet” jars although I believe that is incorrect. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=%28waffle%2Cgrid%2Ccrosshatch%2Cchecker%2Cchecked%2Ccheck%2Ctic+tac%2Cdiamond%29++%28canning%2Cfruit%29++jar&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=%28waffle%2Cgrid%2Ccrosshatch%2Cchecker%2Cchecked%2Ccheck%2Ctic+tac%29+++jar
Take care!
David
Hi David. I found a piece of sea glass that is the bottom of the bottle with the markings MTC the T is the one that looks like the anchor. The glass is brown and it also has a capital T and number 13 and number 69. Any idea of the date?
Hi Marilyn,
I am fairly certain that the number “69” is a date code for 1969. The number 13 is probably a mold number.
Thanks for writing,
David
My boyfriend found a 1 full quart amber bottle that I’ve identified as having the MTC variation mark. On the bottom at the top are the numbers “2675” with “1 FULL QUART” written underneath. Underneath that is “S” the MTC mark and “49”. Directly under the MTC mark is the number 2. The bottle itself is tall with a decorative shoulder of ridged rings and the same design at the bottle. I’m thinking its a wine bottle but I’m not fully sure. I’m thinking the number 2 indicates the alcohol permit number and the S the city the bottle was made in. 49 indicates the year 1949. If anyone who reads this knows if they made decorative wine bottles I’d appreciate it!
Thanks for the info! I moved to the eastern shore of VA and have a rather large washed glass collection from walking the shorelines. I love the reminiscing of people whose families worked in the industry!
Mindy
Hi Mindy,
Thank you very much for your kind post! If you haven’t already, you might want to check out my webpage on Beach glass here: What is Sea Glass / Beach Glass?
Take care!
David
We lived in Santa Clarita/Valencia in the 70s-90s. About a mile from a Thatcher Glass plant that employed 800 [probably the largest local business]. The co. was bought out by a competitor who soon closed the plant, laid off the local workers – made plastic bottles instead elsewhere. [Probably just wanted the mailing list].
Hi Boz,
Thanks for your post. Do you remember the name of the company that bought and closed down the plant?
Thanks and take care,
David
I used to work there & many people from my hometown a half hour away worked there also. Was a shame what they did to us.
I have an amber 4/5 Quart bottle with mTc, D-9 , B and the numbers 2 , 44 and what looks like a small 0 or o on the bottom. It’s a cork bottle (no threads)
Hi Craig,
From your info provided, I believe that liquor bottle was made in 1944.
Take care,
David
While diving in the St. Lawrence I found a milk bottle and now I am obsessed with discovering its age and history. Your site has already unlocked several answers so I thank you for that but perhaps you may be able to shed more light on it. The bottle is marked with the mTc logo (small m & c under the large T). This appears on the heel and on the base. The heel also is embossed with “one quart liquid” and under that the code “A142”. The other side of the bottle, also on the heel the embossing states: “registered” and under that it states “sealed ll”. While there is no logo or label on the face, My particular curiousity point is the base which is embossed with the mTc logo as mentioned, the number 47 and a very large R. Any further information would be most welcome.
I found a brown bottle 750 ml with metal screw top has 750 ml marked on opposite sides near the bottom. Bottom marks are (around the edge, clockwise from top, 7546, 18, MTC triangle logo (1944 version), L, 83. I presume this to be a liquor bottle due to the 750 ml marking and screw top. How old might this be?
Thank you for your very informative website.
Hi Valther,
I don’t know what year the bottle was made. It is possible the “83” is a date code for the year 1983, but I can’t guarantee that is correct. The “7546” would be the catalog mold style or design number used by Thatcher. Sorry I don’t have better info on your bottle.
David
Hello, I have stumbled across this wealth of knowledge in hopes of identifying a bottle made by Thatcher Manufactering Co. The mTc I have located on here that matches, the T resembles an anchor, while the M and C are formed to mimic a triangle formation. It is a clear bottle, with an embossed logo on the face of an “S” in a shield, with 2 eagles/hawks facing away on both sides in almost a crest look. There is also a single crown above them. As stated, the bottom has the mTc triangle variation. Under it is the number “4” followed by a space and “58”. Under those numbers is “R105”. Around the base of the bottle it reads ‘federal law forbids sale or reuse of this bottle’. I have even searched a NY Heritage website that has the original scanned concepts and patents of various bottles. Thanks again for the info so far, even if you do not have the chance to respond.
Hi Jonathan,
From your description, you have a liquor bottle, and the “58” is a date code for 1958. The “R105” is a “rectifier number”. I don’t know what product was in the bottle, but perhaps someone who reads your post will recognize the crown/eagles graphic which would certainly be the trademark of the brand of spirits which was in the bottle. It’s likely a well-known logo/trademark, although I’m not familiar with it.
Take care, David
I found a bottle that has number 3717 above the MTC and a number 9 on the right side can anyone assist me in finding the round about date for this bottle. Thanks
My son found a bottle that has the MTC logo along with Gibson Wines and the #7. We was trying to date the bottle of you could maybe assist. We was thinking 1940s?
Very interesting site! I have a half pint milk bottle with the big T and smaller M C under it. Next to that is S. I gather that is the Streater plant in Illinois? Also marked LIQ. and 233 on one side at the bottom heel. On the underside (bottom) is S and 5 (or 3). Just curious how old this bottle is. bottle was found in Florida. I see that there was a plant in Tampa, but this bottle has an S. Thank you for providing the website and great information!
Lyn, evidently the “S” does stand for their Streator, Illinois glass plant (according to the information compiled on the article by Bill Lockhart, mentioned in my text). However, I cannot give you an exact date for the bottle.
best regards,
David
Hi, is your milk bottle square sided? Because this may be code for “square”. I have seen “ss” on short-square half pint bottles. Hope this helps, Ed
My father worked in the Tampa from 1961 until 1985 and they closed (and pretty much lost a lot, and they just locked the doors- as did a lot of people) the Tampa plant along with my grandparents. A lot of the Tampa crew were from the Streator area. I had a lot of family members work up in the Streator (Owens too) one and to this day a lot of family members still live in that town and area.
A lot of good cookouts and stuff in Streator and Tampa (Lowery Park) back in those days….
T. Bute
Hey there, Todd. My dad (“Norbie” Wholeben) worked at the Tampa plant from 1960 to sometime about 1982(?). He came down from the Elmira plant. He retired before the bankruptcy. I’m sure he and your dad would have known each other. He worked the “hot end.” I worked the cold end and the hot end a bit in the late 70s, part time. (I was a student at USF). Surprised I don’t recognize the name “Bute” from his talking around the dinner table.
Thanks for this! My father was a chemist for the Elmira plant from, um, sometime in the 1940s until 1969. Lots of memories…
Thank you Glenda!
~David
Hi Glenda,
My dad worked in the Mold/Pattern Shop. I remember your parents very well. Chris Alcock
I hadn’t checked the site for too long…
Chris? Chris Alcock from down the street on Cleveland Street???
*boggle*
my email is glinda, at gmail, with the usual dot and com, if you want to reminisce, or let me know how your family has done…
–Glenda
Dunkirk, New York (Chautauqua County), NOT Indiana
Thanks Wayne for the correction! I don’t know how I missed that, or how long I had the error posted……..I have fixed it today! Take care and best regards,
David
I found an old brown soda/ beer bottle with mTc on the lower rim. Any idea of what it contained and possible age?
I recently purchased a milk bottle with T. M’F’G. CO 16 embossed on the bottom. The bottle is a pint and has a purple hue. It says P.M. Davidson Pasteurized Milk and REGISTERED on the front.
I was curious if you knew what year this bottle was made and if you had an idea of what state it was produced. Also, do you have any information on which state this dairy was located?
Thanks
I found a bottle with the “double lined T”. Has there been any more information found on this marking?
Hi Gary,
Not to my knowledge. Can you send a pic of the bottle and the mark to my email address, which is listed on the bottom right-hand corner of the page?
Thank you,
David
Thatcher Glass was one of the largest employers – about 800 – on San Fernando Rd. in Santa Clarita [northern Los Angeles County] when they closed – supposedly sold to a plant that made plastic bottles rather than glass bottles.
Hi Bob, Were you connected with the Saugus plant? I have at least one relative who worked at the plant.
Matt W.
No – we lived there [1974-95] – less than one mile from the plant. Their sale and eventual closure was devastating to the local economy. Eventually Six Flags and the Valencia Town Center created more jobs but at a lower salary rate. The only other large employer [other than schools] was Newhall Refining. Little by little small manufacturers and auto repair shops moved into parts of the old factory buildings. I didn’t realize that the original buyer filed for bankruptcy soon after the purchase.
I was a glass operator at the Saugus, San fernando Rd. California plant in 1975. They had a lot of family picnics and get togethers back then. Good times until I caught fire and an upkeep man yanked my shirt off, but OK now.
Hi and thanks for your post!!
David
I worked at Thatcher in Tampa,fl. It was my first job when i graduated high school. I worked on the hot end. I liked my job, but was most interested in the lab, I was very curious how glass was made. I remember when the plant closed. A lot of the older men talked about a TMC in Cuba before the revolution…is this true? Very fond memories of my first job after high school… thank you.
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for your post! I don’t know anything about a Thatcher glass plant in Cuba, but perhaps a reader with more information will let us know.
Take care, David
My Mom worked for Thatcher Glass, she worked in the LAB. She worked for Thatcher Glass for 25 plus years, I remember the Christmas Parties as a kid. I know the Plant very well.
My whole Family worked for Thatchers at some point. First in Streator, then in Saugus. My grandparents retired from there, both with 38 years.
DEAR DAVID I HAVE A MILK BOTTLE THAT HAS ON IT REGISTERED SEALED 1-11-14 AND IT ALSO HAS BIG T OVER LITTLE MC WHICH ON THE WEB SITE SAYS C.1923 CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT? PLEASE THANKS BILL.
Hi Bill,
Although there seems to be uncertainty on it’s meaning, the 1-11-14 mark is not believed to be a date, according to information on this detailed page on Thatcher, by Bill Lockhart. https://www.sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/Thatcher_BLockhart.pdf
The “block letters” MTC mark is believed to date from about 1923 into the early 1950s. I really can’t pinpoint a particular year this bottle may have been made.
Best regards, David
Bill and Dave, the 1-11-14 is a weights and measures seal/registration number assigned to Thatcher. Weighs and measures laws ensured that bottles held the amount of milk it says it does (a pint actually has a pint of milk in it). You will only see the 1-11-14 on a Thatcher bottle because it is the number assigned to them. Other manufacturers had their own assigned numbers. Some states also had their own seals, like MN’s was a triangle with a number and MINN written inside it. (Source: Glass Milk Bottles, their Makers and their Marks, by Girard.)
Thank you, Phyllis.
To elaborate a bit, the info is on page 118 of “Glass Milk Bottles: Their Makers and Marks’ by Jeffrey L. Giarde, published in 1980.
Best regards,
David
Thanks David for your reply. I have so many I may be back in touch. I wish there was a site to go to I could plug in numbers and get a response. But your website has been very useful
Thank you David for a fantastic informational page. I have been collecting sea glass on Marylands eastern shore and and have found quite a few glass bottoms which I am struggling with identifying. Right now I am trying to identify what I believe to be a Thatcher Glass bottom but cannot locate a rectangular brown glass bottom that saya “MADE IN USA” 855 mTf “logo” D126 5 8 53. Any help would be appreciated. I have many more to identify.
Hi Shannon, the bottom is certainly from a bottle made by Thatcher Glass. What appears to be an “F” in the mTc logo is actually supposed to be a “C” although often it has an odd angular look. The “D126” is a distiller code so we can be sure it was from a liquor bottle (flask). Not positive about the other numbers but I assume the “53” is a year date code for 1953. “855” may be a style number assigned to that bottle. Hope this helps!
David
Above you have Lockport, NY as a bottle plant. I believe it should be Brockport, NY.
Brockport, NY also, rather than wrong city.
Hi Edward,
Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company acquired the Lockport Glass Company of Lockport, New York in August of 1919. That’s why the Lockport, NY location is included in the list of glass plants that were acquired, controlled or owned by Thatcher at some time during it’s history.
HOWEVER, the Brockport, NY glass bottle container plant, which I believe you are referring to, is an Owens-Illinois (Owens-Brockway) plant, not a Thatcher Glass plant. Those are two separate glass companies. Take care, David