Dodge bottle opener

[Dodgy6]

I picked up this bottle opener. I Should have been spending my hard earned pocket money on real parts for my real car but it was bright and shiney so I went for it.

Patent NOV 7 1911. Made in USA.

Hand stamped writing on the back.

I havn't turned up any info on Bennett's Motor Garage. And yes, I called the number but no answer.

[keiser31]

Interesting that the patent date is 1911 and that it does not say, "Dodge Brothers"! Probably not a Dodge Brothers item.

[Dodgy6]

Interesting that the patent date is 1911 and that it does not say, "Dodge Brothers"! Probably not a Dodge Brothers item.

Def not a Dodge Brothers item I would think too. But I put it up here for interests sake of an advertising item. And I do wonder about using "Dodge" and not "Dodge Brothers".

I am thinking it is a fairly generic car shaped bottle opener that this particular Dodge agent has utilised as a promo gimic for their business.

Anyone know what the small square hole in the centre of the front tyre might be for?

[Phil 32DL6]

Interesting that the patent date is 1911 and that it does not say, "Dodge Brothers"! Probably not a Dodge Brothers item.

It could be a stock promo item first available in 1911 but not personalized for that particular dealership until several years later. With limited space they may have eliminated "Brothers"...which would have been complete heresy to John & Horace! :eek:

[keiser31]

It could be a stock promo item first available in 1911 but not personalized for that particular dealership until several years later. With limited space they may have eliminated "Brothers"...which would have been complete heresy to John & Horace! :eek:

I would almost agree to that except it looks like it was stamped and not engraved...to me.

[1936 D2]

It looks like it was hand stamped! Quite uneven stamping pressure in different letters. Dealership probably bought up a bundle of them then had some poor kid sit there and stamp their advertising on the back for a penny a piece! :eek:

[Dodgy6]

It looks like it was hand stamped! Quite uneven stamping pressure in different letters. Dealership probably bought up a bundle of them then had some poor kid sit there and stamp their advertising on the back for a penny a piece! :eek:

I guess there must be some old timer out there with a story to tell!

"When I was a boy......"

[Guest 1930]

It could be a stock promo item first available in 1911 but not personalized for that particular dealership until several years later. With limited space they may have eliminated "Brothers"...which would have been complete heresy to John & Horace! :eek:

Almost surely this would be correct

[Dodgy6]

Just tidying up loose ends....

Got an E-mail back from the Castlemaine Historic Vehicle Society:

"This probably refers to CT Bennett who owned Central Motor Garage in Castlemaine in the 1920's, next to the Criterion Hotel. They were Dodge Agents."

So that's that.

[Guest 1930]

Nice to figure that out, now we only need to know what...Anyone know what the small square hole in the centre of the front tyre might be for?

[Dodgy6]

Nice to figure that out, now we only need to know what...Anyone know what the small square hole in the centre of the front tyre might be for?

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that!

So, you got me thinking Jason, and I did a little searching, (gotta love the internet!), and came up with this. This is pretty cool :cool:, (and I may be a little nerdy....),:

"NOTE: Many older bottle openers have a small square hole called a "Prest-O-Lite Key".

It was used to turn the valve on automobile gas headlights

from about 1910 through the early 1930's before electric headlights were widely used. "

Pretty cool examples here too:

Just For Openers for Bottle Opener & Can Opener & Corkscrew Collectors

[Guest 1930]

I had not thought about the gas, sorta late for that. I was thinking more along a wrench hole for your horn adjustment but I just looked at an original horn wrench ( which your came with originally by the way upon delivery ) and I see that it is 5 sided.

Maybe there is an explanation for your theory, sure looks like the other wrenches on that site.

Maybe youd want to get ahold of some of those collectors and un-veil your holy grail of bottle openers so we can all re-tire early

[Guest johnhorace]

With a patent date of 1911, this seems to predate the organization and capitalization of Dodge Brothers Inc (July 17, 1914) to build motor cars, as noted in "The Dodge Story". This source and others on the WWW make no mention of their company name while they were building parts for Ransom Olds and while they were making most of the parts for Ford prior to that date (Ford parts production by the brothers' company ended July 15, 1914). Perhaps there is another explanation for the Dodge name on this item, since it seems to be advertising the Bennett Garage.

[Phil 32DL6]

With a patent date of 1911.... Perhaps there is another explanation for the Dodge name on this item, since it seems to be advertising the Bennett Garage.

See post #4.

[1936 D2]

It's a generic opener patented in 1911 when gas lighting was still popular on some brands. Hence the "square". The "Dodge" connection is only made via the hand stamping on the obverse side. I think some of you responders are reading too much into this "opener" advertising item. If these had been mass produced for this Dodge dealer, the stamping would have been more even. I suggest the garage owner could buy as many blanks as he wanted, stamp whatever he wanted on the back, and give them out as advertising for "fill ups", etc.

Somewhere there may be some of these for Maxwell Dealers and Durant Dealers, and Whatchamacallit Dealers, etc.

[1936 D2]

BTW: The site "Just For Openers" puts a value range on your opener from $35 to $150 apparently depending on quality. It is listed as #A013. There is also a similar yet plainer design listed in their photo sets as #A052 which values at around $9 to $75 as I recall.

Interesting. Who would of thought. ;-)

[Guest johnhorace]

See post #4.

Thanks- I Missed quote #4 (sorta 'splained it all).

[MikeC5]

Are they related somehow to Castlemaine brewing?

[Dodgy6]

I had not thought about the gas, sorta late for that. I was thinking more along a wrench hole for your horn adjustment but I just looked at an original horn wrench ( which your came with originally by the way upon delivery ) and I see that it is 5 sided.

Oh brother......something else I don't have yet for my car.....

[Dodgy6]

BTW: The site "Just For Openers" puts a value range on your opener from $35 to $150 apparently depending on quality. It is listed as #A013. There is also a similar yet plainer design listed in their photo sets as #A052 which values at around $9 to $75 as I recall.

Interesting. Who would of thought. ;-)

You guys are the best. I didn't think to look further, (I have now!). It seems there may be nerdier people on here than me....

So, I paid $30 shipped. I'm rich, rich, rich I tells ya!!!

[1936 D2]

Only when you sell it. Right now you are out $30 !

[Dodgy6]

Are they related somehow to Castlemaine brewing?

Castlemaine brewing in Brisbane, (now Castlemaine Perkins and ownded by the Lion Nathan Group), was so named because:

"In 1877, brothers Nicholas Fitzgerald and Edward Fitzgerald bought the site of a failing distillery and created a brewery, which they named after an existing brewery that they owned in Castlemaine, Victoria in the Victorian goldfields.<SUP> </SUP> They began to brew beer there in the following year and the brewery continues production to this day. Castlemaine Perkins is the home of the XXXX beer brand." {Wiki}

So loosely related in that it is named after the town in which Bennett's Garage was located.

I grew up not far from the XXXX Brewery in Brisbane, and if the wind was blowing right you could smell the hops. Not an unpleasant smell!

[Dodgy6]

Only when you sell it. Right now you are out $30 !

I forgot to mention I am taking offers.....

Opening bids can start at......let me see.......

......

$150!!!!!

[1936 D2]

... and if the wind was blowing right you could smell the hops. Not an unpleasant smell!...

Just like Milwaukee not far from me. I think I usually smell the yeast. The whole area smells like a bakery - or what driving through a loaf of bread would be like!

[MikeC5]

I have had the pleasure of visiting Brisbane for several weeks a few years back and the XXXX brewery was certainly a landmark for me. I like how it is strategically located right next to the Broncos Rugby stadium! Now that's what I call reducing transportation costs... I'll bet they have a beer pipeline going over there... I did get to see the Broncos play (and win). Go Broncos!