SEEKING ROUTE 66 COCA COLA HOBBLESKIRT'S

[SODAPOPBOB]

~ IN SEARCH OF ~

Some of you may know by now that along with various soda bottles I also collect Route 66 memorabila such as postcards - maps - toys - glasses - ashtrays - felt pennants, and just about anything along these lines that was once available in Trading Post and Souvenir Shops along the old 2,255 mile route. You may also know that Route 66 used to stretch from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, with no less than 300 towns and cities along the way, which is a huge number of towns, with an endless variety of items to seek out and collect. My meager collection of several hundred items pales in comparison to some collections I have seen and heard about.

However, this current search of mine involves Coca Cola (embossed only) Hobbleskirt bottles that had bottlers in at least 34 of the Route 66 cities and towns that were located specifically on the old highway itself. The list below comprises seven of the eight states the old route passed through, with the exception being Kansas where the highway just skirted the corner of the state and had no Coca Cola bottler in that particular area.

If this search of mine produces only a handful of bottles, then I will consider the venture a total success. Which is a lot easier than searching through the e-bay listing for Coca Cola bottles, which currently stands at 11,693. Even then, many of the listings don’t say in their title where the bottle is from, thus requiring me to open hundreds of individual listings just to find out. Needless to say, it can be a total nightmare trying to find even one bottle on e-bay, and something I have pretty much given up trying to accomplish.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has a Hobbleskirt (any year or patent) from any of the following towns or cities. However, I really should point out that the larger cities like Los Angeles - Oklahoma City - Chicago - Albuquerque - etc., will be the ones that I am least interested in, simply because of their more readily available abundance. It’s the smaller towns that are my primary interest, but I will certainly consider the larger cities as well, especially if they are the 1915 or 1923 bottles. In most instances I prefer bottles in excellent condition (unless rare) which have little or no case-wear. I am probably asking too much here, but I thought I would give it a shot anyway.

Thank you in advance, and I hope to be hearing from many of you soon. Probably the best thing is for me to purchase them outright, and not complicate this any more that it already is. As for determining values, we can work that out between us on a fair and reasonable basis. PM’s are recommended, but not required. If this works out I would like to share the experience with as many members as possible.

Wow! I really didn’t expect this to be so long-winded. Especially when all I had to say was …

Hey! Does anyone have any embossed Coca Cola Hobbleskirt bottles from any of the following Route 66 towns that they want to sell? Lol []

~ * ~

~ LIST OF ROUTE 66 STATES/TOWNS THAT HAD COCA COLA BOTTLERS ~

(Does not include alternate alignments of highway that varied over the years).

STATES/TOWNS OF INTEREST TO ME

ILLINOIS ~
Bloomington - Chicago - Joliet - Springfield

MISSOURI ~
Joplin - Lebanon - Lincoln - Litchfield - Springfield - St. Louis

OKLAHOMA ~
Clinton - El Reno - Miami - Oklahoma City - Sapulpa - Sayre - Stroud - Tulsa - Vinita

TEXAS ~
Amarillo - Shamrock

NEW MEXICO ~
Albuquerque - Gallup - Tucumcari

ARIZONA ~
Flagstaff - Holbrook - Kingman

CALIFORNIA ~
Barstow - Needles - Los Angeles - San Bernardino

Not every bottler above made all five of the different variations. The majority will be the D-Patent - 6 oz - and 6 ½ oz bottles. But I would be interested in hearing about anything you have.

Thanks again,

SODAPOPBOB

It’s been said … “If you’ve seen one Hobbleskirt, you’ve seen them all.†But we know that just ain’t true! The difference is on the base. Please check’em out and let me know. Thanks

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

There is an interesting story associated with a Kingman, Arizona, D-Patent bottle that I recently purchased. The owner of the antique shop where I purchased it in Kingman allowed me to scrounge through some old boxes in the shop's backyard where I found it. And when I took it to the counter to pay for it, they guy said he couldn't believe I actually found a Kingman bottle in the boxes. He said it had always been his most popular bottle during the 37 years he had been in business, and thought that all of the ones he had were already sold. He added that he didn't realize he even had it, and that the last one he sold was several years prior. He said it was my lucky day, especially after having already told me that any bottle I found back there would only be $5.00. He said the other Kingman bottles sold for $15.00. But he didn't whine one bit, and let me have it for the $5.00 as promised. So I thanked him and walked away a happy camper with an almost mint bottle dated 1947. []

SPBOB

{Whole Bottle}

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

{Base}

 

[jvharp]

I think I may have one or two you wish to obtain at home. Right now I'm 300 miles from home working but should be home Sunday and I will look.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

jvharp ~

Thanks for the reply. I will look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, are you "300 Miles From Graceland?"

Thank you ... thank you very much! []

SPBOB

 

[grime5]

hey bob i probably have 9 or 10 of those cities your after dont think they are in mint condition though
ill bloomington ,chicago, springfield
mo lebanon ,springfield, st louis
okla miami ,okla city
texas shamrock
new mexico alblequrque. tucumcarie
calif los angeles.san bernadino

if intereste just let me know and i will make sure of what i do have. later greg

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

grime5 ~

For starters, please tell me about the Tucumcari, New Mexico bottle. I.E., Patent info under main script - date - condition - glass maker if known?

As for the others, please single out the ones in the best condition and we'll go from there. I'm sure you understand my primary interest in near-mint bottles, especially on the more easy to get one's from the larger cities and towns.

Thanks a lot!

Bob

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

grime5 and all other eventual participants ~

I may be jumping the gun here, but as the subject of pricing will eventually be a factor here, I figured I might as well address it now. I use Bill Porter's pricing formula (and he has something like 30-plus years experience in the hobby) and have found it to be the most fair and accurate one I know of. I can post the entire formula later if necessary, but for the time being I will just use the Tucumcari, New Mexico bottle as an example. The formula is really quite simple, and works something like the following. (Note: The formula varies depending on the patent date, and various other factors like rarity and condition).

The following formula is based on a D-Patent Tucumcari bottle in Mint condition.

1. Condition: Absolute Mint! = factor of five ........ 5.0
2. Times a factor of one ..................................... x .1
3. = $5.00
4. Times a "Rare" factor of five .......................... x .5
_______
= $25.00

This could be a real mess if it doesn't post properly, but I will give it a shot anyway, and try to fix it if the edit timer doesn't mess me up. But assuming it comes out okay, the bottom line is that top dollar for this particular bottle would be "appx" $25.00. The same bottle in a lesser condition would price less accordingly.

Personally, I fell this formula to be "right on," but also realize and acknowledge that others may have their own personal formulas and opinions.

(Footnote: I'm really screwed if grime5 says the bottle is exactly like the example shown here, but was going to let me have it for $5.00! But that's okay, because if I can't be fair and honest, then I have no business even messing with this. But on the other hand, if grime5 says he wants $100.00 for it ... well, then that's a horse of a different color. Lol []

Sincerely,

"Honest Bob"

Note: I need the 1. 2. 3. 4. for possible editing. It's the easiest way for me to correct each line.

 

[grime5]

bob they are down in my building.will check them first chance i get. the way i price them is going to break you up. $3.00 for d-patents and $2.00 for 6 and 6 1/2 bottles.you will find my name in bills book if you look on page 7 the 7th name. been collecting these hobbleskirts for over 30 years too. i bought 75 cases from a guy about 4 months ago so i got lots of duplicates.will get to them fast as i can but right now working 7 days a week. thanks greg

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

GG5 ~

Sounds good. According to Bill's list of names you are "Important People." I like it! I sure wouldn't want to deal with someone who was "Un-Important." Lol []

Thanks.

SPBOB