20

The Lawrence Tap

The Lawrence Tap is an October 17, 1876

American patent by William and Richard

Bentley of New York City. To use it:

“

Force

Tap straight through the cork without

turning it, tip bottle to the glass, turn the

button towards you, let flow the quantity

required; quickly turn button from you and

the remainder will retain all its effervescent

quality. Don

‟

t let the gas escape.

”

The button

is marked THE LAWRENCE TAP and the

top is marked BENTLEY

‟

S PAT. OCT. 17.

1876.

Inside the Lawrence Tap box is a flyer advertising Ricksecker

‟

s Skin Soap, Tar

Soap, Face Powder, Tooth Powder, Draft, and Dog and Animal Soap. None of

these would have an apparent need for a Lawrence Tap.

Why mix wine taps and medication? Here

‟

s what

A New Idea

said about

Ricksecker in 1880:

“

We look upon Mr. Ricksecker as one of the most

enterprising men in the drug sundry trade. He has a host of neat and reasonably

priced articles in this line, of his own introduction.

”