So, where did that little vintage milk bottle come from? And, what is wampum anyway? As any avid beachcomber will tell you, we never reveal our sources. Truly, it is a spoken (yes, spoken) rule that sharing fruitful beach locations is a major no-no in the beachcombing community. That said, I can share that I found that little pint-sized glass milk bottle on a beach in one of the five boroughs of New York City.
The bottle says Hegeman on one side and Hamilton on the other and dates to the 1953. At the time, Hegeman Farms Dairy was situated in Ridgewood Queens and sold three brands of milk, including Hegeman, Hamilton, and Cato. Milk was delivered from green and white Ford trucks with folding doors, and their logo bore the phrase “Another Customer For Milk.” Above the slogan was the image of a stork flying over roofs with a linen-wrapped baby in its bill.
Wampum derives from “wampi,” the Algonquin word for white. Wampum was the name given to pieces of the hard-shelled clam or quahog shell native to the Western part of the North Atlantic. With beautiful and distinct purple and white patterns, wampum was used for belt and jewelry making and also served as a form of currency amongst Native American tribes. Needless to say, it was considered very valuable. After years of being tossed around in the sea and smoothed to near perfection, each quahog piece found on the shore has a unique size, shape, and design. Like most beach finds, wampum is most striking when it is glistening with salt water, but a dab of baby oil will do the trick when you get your pieces home.