iggyworf
Well-Known Member
Here is a 7up bottle I got back in Jan 2020. With the help of non other than SodaBob aka SodaPopBob. It's a paper label that he and now I believe to be the earliest PL 7up made. Bob did some good research on this label and bottle. He has one as well. I will quote a lot of Bob's findings(with his kind permission). It is a Root bottle possibly dating to 1932. And we believe the label dates 1931. Notice in the upper right of the label where it says 'Drink After Eating-Before Retiring-On Arising-' No other labels we have seen have this on them. I have seen another bottle on ebay with this label, but it is in poor condition. And with Bobs research of the Squeeze Bottling works, he has come to that conclusion. Although not 100% for certain of course.
My bottle
'SodaBob':I looked around some more and still can't find another one like it from Kokomo - Based on some research I did when I got mine, I determined that the label and slogan MIGHT be one of, if not the VERY FIRST paper label that 7up ever used. I'm attaching a couple of pictures of my bottle/label - which still has what appears to be the original cap. As it stands now, our labels with that particular slogan are the only known examples that I am aware of.
Bobs bottle
Sodabob: Jan 9 2020, I have been at this most of the day and ranking the Kokomo, Indiana / Squeez Bottling Works / Paper Label / 7up Bottle as ...
Extremely Rare ~ Only Known Example !!!
SodaBob Jan 9 2020, The plot thickens ...
I just concluded some fairly extensive research and discovered that ALL of the following bottlers were located at ...
1041 South Union Street in Kokomo, Indiana ...
1929 to 1937 = Squeeze Bottling Works
1937 to 1940 = Dekle Coal & Beverage Co
1940 to 1947 = Dekle Double Cola Bottling
1947 to ???? = Tom Joyce 7up Bottling Co
I did some double checking and this should be accurate within a year or two. If so, then the Kokomo 7up bottle that's currently on eBay(the one I was able to get) is likely no later than 1937 - with the embossed 32 on the heel looking pretty good for a possible 1932.
SodaBob jan 10 2020, Hopefully your bid on the Kokomo bottle will nab it. Even though the paper label might not be original to the bottle itself (which is almost impossible to determine and confirm) the paper label is what I consider to be extremely rare and the only known example I am aware of after spending a couple of hours looking for another one like it. The one I own is a six ounce and has Tyler Bros. on the paper label, but no location. The only embossing on the bottle is the number 8 on the base, and no way to know for certain if the bottle and the label are original to one another.
SodaBob jan 10 2020, One thing I can tell you if you don't already know, is that between about 1929 and 1934 when the 7up company first got going, Charles Grigg instructed his franchisees to use ANY bottles they could get their hands on, which included both amber as well as green bottles. At that time the company was disorganized and had not figured out the bottle supply issues yet. It wasn't until they introduced their first ACL bottles in 1935-36 that they (sort of) got organized. This early disorganization explains the white and orange swimsuits, as well as other variations such as embossed neck rings, different slogans, etc.
My bottle
'SodaBob':I looked around some more and still can't find another one like it from Kokomo - Based on some research I did when I got mine, I determined that the label and slogan MIGHT be one of, if not the VERY FIRST paper label that 7up ever used. I'm attaching a couple of pictures of my bottle/label - which still has what appears to be the original cap. As it stands now, our labels with that particular slogan are the only known examples that I am aware of.
Bobs bottle
Sodabob: Jan 9 2020, I have been at this most of the day and ranking the Kokomo, Indiana / Squeez Bottling Works / Paper Label / 7up Bottle as ...
Extremely Rare ~ Only Known Example !!!
SodaBob Jan 9 2020, The plot thickens ...
I just concluded some fairly extensive research and discovered that ALL of the following bottlers were located at ...
1041 South Union Street in Kokomo, Indiana ...
1929 to 1937 = Squeeze Bottling Works
1937 to 1940 = Dekle Coal & Beverage Co
1940 to 1947 = Dekle Double Cola Bottling
1947 to ???? = Tom Joyce 7up Bottling Co
I did some double checking and this should be accurate within a year or two. If so, then the Kokomo 7up bottle that's currently on eBay(the one I was able to get) is likely no later than 1937 - with the embossed 32 on the heel looking pretty good for a possible 1932.
SodaBob jan 10 2020, Hopefully your bid on the Kokomo bottle will nab it. Even though the paper label might not be original to the bottle itself (which is almost impossible to determine and confirm) the paper label is what I consider to be extremely rare and the only known example I am aware of after spending a couple of hours looking for another one like it. The one I own is a six ounce and has Tyler Bros. on the paper label, but no location. The only embossing on the bottle is the number 8 on the base, and no way to know for certain if the bottle and the label are original to one another.
SodaBob jan 10 2020, One thing I can tell you if you don't already know, is that between about 1929 and 1934 when the 7up company first got going, Charles Grigg instructed his franchisees to use ANY bottles they could get their hands on, which included both amber as well as green bottles. At that time the company was disorganized and had not figured out the bottle supply issues yet. It wasn't until they introduced their first ACL bottles in 1935-36 that they (sort of) got organized. This early disorganization explains the white and orange swimsuits, as well as other variations such as embossed neck rings, different slogans, etc.
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