SUBMIT a Rare Soda

The APS (American Pontiled Sodas) Database ^{what's this ?}

SUBMIT A RARE SODA, BEER OR MINERAL
You can now submit a rare pontiled soda or mineral listing by two methods. The ideal method is to email a good photo of the example, front and rear, or if you have a list of rare sodas send the whole document [email here]. Good images of rare sodas may appear in the featured soda section (which has so far been a monthly update, but may be more frequent if good pics start coming in).

Sometimes, the only info. available is a written description from a show, auction or other source. If you do not have a digital image of the example, you can actually fill out the description of the piece using the simple form below:

FORM:		(IF "OTHER" PLEASE DESCRIBE BELOW IN COMMENTS)
TOP:		(IF "OTHER" PLEASE DESCRIBE BELOW IN COMMENTS)
CITY, STATE:
FRONT SIDE MOLD TYPE
FRONT EMBOSSING LINE 1		STYLE:
FRONT EMBOSSING LINE 2		STYLE:
FRONT EMBOSSING LINE 3		STYLE:
FRONT EMBOSSING LINE 4		STYLE:
FRONT EMBOSSING LINE 5		STYLE:
REAR SIDE MOLD TYPE
REAR EMBOSSING LINE 1		STYLE:
REAR EMBOSSING LINE 2		STYLE:
REAR EMBOSSING LINE 3		STYLE:
REAR EMBOSSING LINE 4		STYLE:
REAR EMBOSSING LINE 5		STYLE:
COLOR
BASE TYPE		(NOTE: ONLY PONTIL ERA SMOOTH BASED TEN PINS OR ROUND BOTTOMS WILL BE INCLUDED)
AGE (CIRCA)
COMMENTS (OTHER)

What it's all about . . .

I have uploaded a basic database of over 1600 American Pontiled Sodas to this site's server and now update this database online. It includes items I've cataloged from 30 plus years of shows, hundreds of auction catalogs & reference manuals, and from the web. I still have written notes and references to add to the database, which has several hundred more entries to go before it becomes the "add unlisted sodas as they surface" database I hope to finally be working with.

^{After
many years of prognostication, I recently scripted the free BETA
database HERE.}

In the future, I will create a secure, advanced Premium version of the database that has many more features, and will probably charge a small fee like $7.95 for a username and password to the interface (to help defray the thousands of hours and dollars spent compiling and updating this info.) Once you have paid, you will have a LIFETIME ACCESS account, which means that you will never need to buy a "second edition" or "updated list". I expect that 20-30 unlisted examples will be added per year, or more.

Features and Limitations of the BETA version:

The "search" function will query all records for things like a city or bottler name, just like having an index of dozen's of reference manuals all in one search. You'll be able to query certain fields like "provenance" to create a refined search by city for example, or even a really specific search like blue, open pontil sodas.
Images will not be present in the first version, but some better images of rarer sodas will be linked to in the Premium version.
The only entries that are smooth based are those definitely of pontil age (mostly ten pins and torpedo's).
Duplicate or incorrect entries may exist - this is an incomplete and imperfect list, as is any, but it is constantly corrected and updated. I will purge duplicates in the Premium version.
Certain fields use different terms to describe the same thing. For example, an open pontil soda could be listed as "OPEN PONTIL" or "O.P." Or, I might list a TOP as a "SARATOGA" top for one bottle, but a "TAPERED COLLAR W/ RING" for another. The problem is, you can't generate a list of all sodas that have this type of top without knowing and entering both terms. This occurred over the years as descriptive terms changed, or the resources had different descriptions, and it really needs to be standardized (terms will be standardized in the Premium version).
In many cases there will be a variant that is ever so slightly different in the embossing, punctuation, plate mold or lettering shape/size. When this happens, as it often does, rather than create a whole new listing, I comment this in the listing. Same goes for colors.
Rarity and value ratings are subject to change, especially values. Some of these listings go back almost 15 years and the value then is much different than today. Annually updating every value of a database of thousands of entries would be tedious to say the least, but I still prefer to show estimated values, rather than delete this field. The premium version will have updated values.
I do not plan to ever make an unrestricted (user modifiable) database in any format available for sale, because it could be modified to contain incorrect or unauthorized entries and then distributed or made available - which would then impact the integrity of this authorized version. At the present time, I cannot allow access to the raw database due to similar reasons, plus the fact that the entire table could be deleted by one mistaken mouse click.
I do not plan to publish a paper bound version of this database at any time (it would defeat the purpose of creating it), however, in the Premium version, users will be able to print the entire database at any time (or any number of specific query results in a printable format).

I still think there are hundreds of unlisted pontiled sodas in private collections all over the country that have have only been seen by a select few. Anyone who significantly contributes to the project by submitting a list of rare sodas that includes 5 or more examples NOT YET IN THE DATABASE will be granted free lifetime access, as well as access to the beta version. Send your list to me HERE.

The APS (American Pontiled Sodas) Database what's this ?

The APS (American Pontiled Sodas) Database ^{what's this ?}