The Seltzer Man - Reprinting a Children's Book by Ken Rush

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The Seltzer Man Add-ons Spotlight: Mugs

One of the wonderful and unique aspects about this campaign is that Ken Rush has provided us the original art to The Seltzer Man so we can make related merchandise to extend his vision and the story of seltzer beyond the bookshelf.

This update will focus on the mugs. We have taken three of the most evocative scenes from the book and wrapped them around a mug you can use for your daily coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

This first mug captures the quiet poetry of New York at dawn—the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges stretching across a soft, glowing skyline, with the Statue of Liberty just visible in the distance. At the center of it all, a classic seltzer delivery truck makes its way along the waterfront, part of a daily ritual that once defined the city. It’s a moment suspended between past and present: industry, movement, and memory. A perfect mug for anyone who loves New York not just for what it is, but for what it has been.

The second mug option is bright, lively, and full of motion, this scene places the seltzer truck in the middle of a bustling summer day at Coney Island—complete with carnival rides, food stands, and families enjoying the moment. It’s a reminder that seltzer wasn’t just delivered—it was part of the rhythm of everyday joy. There’s a warmth here that feels almost cinematic: a snapshot of a city alive with possibility, where something as simple as a bottle of seltzer could be part of a perfect day.

The third mug option is fantastical take on the seltzer man’s daily journey, the familiar delivery truck lifts off the streets and sails through the sky, trailing a constellation of siphon bottles in its wake. Below, the city fades into the distance—while above, the clouds themselves seem to hold a secret: the faint, watchful presence of Eli, his face emerging softly from the sky. This design transforms a routine delivery route into something mythic. It’s a tribute not just to the work, but to the legend—where memory, imagination, and history blend into something larger than life.

Add on a mug when you reserve your copy of The Seltzer Man. Or add all three! 

One of the wonderful and unique aspects about this campaign is that Ken Rush has provided us the original art to The Seltzer Man so we can make related merchandise to extend his vision and the story of seltzer beyond the bookshelf.

This update will focus on the posters.

Each limited edition poster is based on one of a number of pages from the book.

When you go to your add-ons you can select one or more of any of the following 8 images:

One of the wonderful and unique aspects about this campaign is that Ken Rush has provided us the original art to The Seltzer Man so we can make related merchandise to extend his vision and the story of seltzer beyond the bookshelf.

This update will focus on the jigsaw puzzles.

Each jigsaw comes in a box with a page from the book on the cover and, inside, 300 pieces that together create an 11X17 picture. Enjoy spending hours exploring the journeys through Brooklyn of the oldest seltzer man in America.

When you go to your add-ons you can select one or more of any of the following:

This will be both fun for your home and make unique gifts. 

You can add them when you order or when it is time to complete fulfillment. 

This weekend at the sold-out Brooklyn SeltzerFest, Ken Rush took the stage to accept the Spirit of Eli Award, an award initiated in 2025 to honor Eli Miller. Eli's brother handed Ken the award, a siphon bottle glass-etched with a portrait of Eli. Barry Joseph, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum, interview Ken, who then read The Seltzer Man to the audience.

When he was not on stage, Ken ran a booth singing autographs, prints, and creating fresh siphon art. Below, in fact, is a video of him teaching anyone how to draw a siphon.

You can watch it here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DV_E5h0jUA1/

We had a glitch on Sunday and could not spread the word as widely as we wished about this campaign. But already know about it! Please check it out, help spread the word, and keep the story of seltzer from going flat. 

Be among the first to watch a new video combining archival footage of Eli Miller, a new interview with Ken Rush and Brooklyn Seltzer Museum's Barry Joseph, original art work from the book, and AI-enabled animations to describe this full project and why it is so important to preserve seltzer history.

To check it out, go here. Please share within your networks.