Starbucks Baltimore mug: Discovery Series
The Baltimore mug from Starbucks' Discovery Series sets the name in yellow over a green circle, with a colourful bird, a swan-shaped paddle boat and a maroon ship. A roller skater, a blue crab and a clock tower wrap around the other sides.
- Series
- Discovery Series
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Type
- Mug
- Released
- Not confirmed
- Capacity
- 14 fl ozstandard mug size
- SKU
- Not confirmed
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The Baltimore tower that survived the wrecking of its office
In 1967 the owners of the Bromo-Seltzer Tower offered it to the city of Baltimore, along with the office building at its base, at a modest price [1]. The office building was razed to make room for a new fire station, but the city's preservation commission prevailed upon the mayor to let the tower stand [1]. Captain Isaac Emerson, the inventor of the headache remedy, had built it in 1911, and at fifteen stories it was the tallest building in Baltimore until the 1930s [2]. Its four clock faces are 24 feet across [2]. Instead of numbers, the letters of his product, B-R-O-M-O-S-E-L-T-Z-E-R, mark the hours [3]. Until 1936 a 51-foot blue replica of a Bromo-Seltzer bottle revolved on top, lit by 596 lights that people could see from 20 miles away [3]. According to the Maryland Historical Trust, it came down after complaints about its lack of tastefulness [2]. The tall blue tower with the clock on the back of the Baltimore mug (10) may be this one.
The mug does not label its drawings, so connecting this one to the story is our reading.
What's on the mug
- 1Lettering
BALTIMORE in yellow capitals over a dark green circle.
- 2Bird
A bird with orange, purple and blue feathers spreads its wings at the upper left of the circle.
- 3Dragon paddle boat
A maroon paddle boat shaped like a long-necked dragon carries small figures above the lettering.
- 4Maroon ship
A maroon vessel with a yellow porthole sits at the lower left.
- 5Skyline
Blue and yellow buildings sit along the water below the lettering.
- 6Roller skater Side view
A skater in a blue helmet, yellow top and maroon skates strides across this side.
- 7Blue crab Side view
A blue crab with raised claws sits at the left of this side.
- 8Row houses Side view
A row of blue and orange town houses with lit windows stands at the centre of this side.
- 9STARBUCKS wordmark Back view
The vertical STARBUCKS wordmark runs beside the handle on this side.
- 10Clock tower Back view
A tall blue tower with a round clock face rises above yellow flowers.
- 11Sailboats Back view
Two sailboats with yellow and blue sails sit on wavy lines at the lower left of this side.
The photo does not show the base or the inside wall below the rim. Release year, SKU and any retirement status are not confirmed.
Collector notes
- The inside of this mug is light blue, which shows at the rim in all three photos and is not repeated in the artwork.
- The roller skater and the blue crab are on the Side view and the clock tower is on the Back, so the Front photo shows only the bird, the boats and the skyline.
Before you buy
The photo shows the bird, boats and skyline on the Front view only; the roller skater and crab are on the Side and the clock tower is on the Back. The inside of this mug is light blue. Only the Discovery Series carries Baltimore here.
