I've seen the so-called "Big Chief" head on many bottles that are not actually Big Chief bottles (Indian River Soda Water, Quality Brand, CC Soda, etc.) so I think this was just a generic design that may have been developed for the Big Chief flavor sodas but was used generically for many others as well. There is one of the Quality Brand bottles basically identical to this but from elsewhere in Kansas that comes in emerald green-a pretty bottle!
Hello, I have the same exact Quality Brand bottle (Hutchinson, Kan.) that resembles the same dimensions and looks as the 1925 style Big Chief bottles that are actually embossed with "Big Chief". I'm wondering if you found out anymore information regarding this Quality Brand bottle. I have three and ready to put on ebay. I'm sure they are rare / scarce Big Chief bottles and would like to price then accordingly. Please send me any more information, I will do the same. Thanks and have a great day!
The bottle Makers Mark 9 <(I)> 8 is for the Owens-Illinois Company which came into existence in 1929. Which tells us that the 8 is for 1938. The 1925 is for when the bottle design was patented. The 9 represents the O-I plant in Streator, Illinois.
I collect Big Chiefs (mostly ACLs), and someday hope to start a discussion about them. The earliest Big Chief ACL I am aware of is 1937. I'm not certain about the earliest fully-embossed Big Chief, but 1922 comes to mind. As for the typical 'Big Chief' image (such as the one on the bottle in question), I seem to recall that it might have been created by the same guy (James Earle Fraser) who also designed the Buffalo/Indian Head nickel in 1913.