Old Dutch Brand Lager Beer Cone Top Can

Metropolis Old Dutch Cone Top

The Old Dutch Brand Lager Beer cone top can issued by Metropolis Brewery, Inc. of New York, New York, is an important piece of mid-twentieth-century Manhattan breweriana. Manufactured by the Continental Can Company, this high-profile container features Continental's signature "Cap-Sealed" side panel branding.

Regulatory Markings and Provenance

This can features the mandatory "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) statutory notice printed on the label. This federal requirement on domestic malt beverage packaging ended in 1950, clearly defining its era of circulation. Because Metropolis Brewery was active in New York City for a relatively brief chapter in the city's post-Prohibition brewing history, cans displaying the Metropolis New York mandatory are particularly sought after by metropolitan and East Coast collectors.

Design and Variations

The label showcases traditional Old Dutch heraldic motifs, centered around bold brand typography and an ornamental crest. The Old Dutch brand name appeared across various affiliated packaging lines in the greater New York area. Known variations exist across the brand's production runs, displaying differences in city mandatories, corporate designations between Brooklyn and Manhattan facilities, and subtle changes in the manufacturer copyright text along the seam.

Given the brief operating period of Metropolis Brewery and the rich history of New York City's commercial brewing industry, this container remains a key representative of post-war canned lager packaging.