DATING OWENS-ILLINOIS BOTTLES

I bought a case of Dragon soda bottles and when I was cleaning them I paid attention to the codes on the base. They were all made at Plant #9, Streator, Ill. Date codes were 2. 3. 4. 5. 46. and 47. Mostly 5.

Here is the 5. bottom from 1945

Here is the 46. which looks like the 4 was added as an afterthought.

And here is the 47. which also looks like the 4 was added later. What I conclude from this is that the Streator plant used single digit date codes on the Dragon bottles until 1946 and then switched to two digit codes. The dot may be a date indicator which they just kept on using after going to two digits.

Picture didn't upload, sorry.

here is a closeup of the dragon. These bottles are embossed DRAGON BOTTLING CO. SAN ANTONIO, TEX around the base. I'm going to offer some for sale in the BUY, SELL section if anyone is interested.
Jay

Jay ~

Thanks for the great pictures and information. Here is a copy/pasted quote from Bill Lockhart's article that may help to explain in part the weird 4 placement ...

"In several cases, the initial 4 has been added as an afterthought, frequently slightly out of alignment with the other digits associated with the logo. Occasionally, a mold engraver forgot to change the code."

Another thing that crossed my mind about your Dragon bottles is the absence of Duraglas that typically started appearing on Owens-Illinois bottles around 1940. It appears like they used an earlier mold (pre-acl / pre 1940) and then just changed the numbers. Which is an entirely different aspect to all of this, and one that could become a study unto itself.

Another thing I noticed is that the 1945 bottle has a dot after the bottom 1. whereas the others don't. But exactly what that indicates, I am not sure, unless it's as Bill Lockhart indicated and it is a quality control mark of some kind. But all things considered, and employing Ockham's Razor again, I'd say there is no question that your bottles are 1940s examples, and in some small sense chalks up one point for the dot theory. Especially when you take into account that 24 out of 24 bottles have the dots.

When I stop and think about all of this, it blows my mind that something that appears so simple can actually be so complicated. After all, archeological researchers have been studying things like the pyramids for years, and they seem to have a fairly good understanding on them, and those dudes are like 3000 years old. And yet a handful smart guys like us seem to have difficulty even figuring out something as simple as a bunch of old soda bottles that are no more than about 60 years old. It's crazy. Maybe we should start doing carbon dating and forget about all of this code stuff. Lol []

Thanks again,

SODA "PYRAMID" BOB

Hey fishnuts ~

There is an interesting and somewhat cotradictory aspect to my last post that I bet you will catch in an instant. I avoided it intentionally because I am a little confused about it myself and was hoping you might share your insight on it. I will look forward with anticipation to your next reply regarding it.

SPBOB

ORIGINAL: SODAPOPBOB

I am not sure, unless it's as Bill Lockhart indicated and it is a quality control mark of some kind.

Click to expand...

ORIGINAL: SODAPOPBOB

and in some small sense chalks up one point for the dot theory.

Click to expand...

When I stop and think about all of this, it blows my mind that something that appears so simple can actually be so complicated.

Click to expand...

I have an IO medicine bottle that does not follow the date code norms. I have been meaning to post a pic for an explanation. I will get around to one of these days.