Soda siphon

A siphon is a thick-walled bottle for carbonated drinks – most commonly water saturated with carbon dioxide, also known as soda water. It was invented in France in the 1820s, and a version similar to the modern one was invented in 1837 by Antoine Perpigua. The characteristic feature of a siphon is a closing mechanism, which, when opened, uses the pressure of the gas inside to push the liquid out, while maintaining the level of carbonation in the remaining water. Once emptied, the siphon required refilling, which was done at specialised points by trained personnel. Soda water in exchangeable glass siphons, such as the object described here, was extremely popular from the 1950s to the 1970s. In the following decade, metal siphons with replaceable cartridges appeared, which – although not as widely used – are still in use today. Iwona Karwowska