Applied color labels (acl) - hand painted labels & machines

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SODABOB

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One way to determine whether or not hand painted/stenciled bottles exist is to try and figure out when the first stenciling machines became common. Even for the big glass makers like Owens-Illinois and Thatcher, I have to believe the introduction of stenciling machines was a gradual process and didn't occur overnight - just as the transition from fully embossed bottles to ACLs was a gradual process for the bottlers who used them.

Take for example the following machines - which were invented by individuals listed as "Assignors" to the Owens-Illinois Glass Company. I'm still searching for earlier examples because it appears that by the time these two machines were invented the ACL process had advanced considerably. But even with that said, they give us a peek at what was going on at the time, and might provide clues to earlier bottle stenciling machines.

This first example was ...

Filed for in 1938
Granted in 1941

STENCILING MACHINE OWENS ILLINOIS 1938 1941 (1).jpg

[ Notice the label in this cropped portion - and that it appears to be a beverage bottle ]

STENCILING MACHINE OWENS ILLINOIS 1938 1941 (2).jpg

This next example was ...

Filed for in 1941
Granted in 1942

I especially like this one because its the earliest I could find that addressed the shoulder ACL application.

STENCILING MACHINE OWENS ILLINOIS 1941 1942 SHOULDER (1).jpg

[ Notice the 'tilt' feature in this cropped portion ]

STENCILING MACHINE OWENS ILLINOIS 1941 1942 SHOULDER (2).jpg
 

SODABOB

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The image below is cropped from the 1939 Julian Toulouse article. Notice that none of the ACLs pictured have a shoulder ACL. Now I'm wondering when the first/earliest shoulder ACLs were produced.

Hey, iggy/Rich

You're the 7up guy among us - when did the ACL shoulder emblems first appear on 7up bottles? I'm thinking around 1938, but I'm not certain. If the shoulder ACLs did start around 1938, they might tie-in with the 1941-1942 shoulder stenciling machine I just posted.

Toulouse ACL Article 1939 (5).jpg
 

SODABOB

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After considerable digging I may have hit pay-dirt with this one. Its another bottle stenciling machine and the earliest one I expect to find. Based on the detailed description associated with it, its primary function was for round surface bottles of various shapes and sizes. Here's a copy/pasted portion of the description. You can read the entire text by using the link. Notice the inventor was an 'Assignor' to the Hazel Atlas Glass Company ...

https://patents.google.com/patent/U...ciling&q=machine&oq=bottle+stenciling+machine



UNITED STATES 2014,372 PATENT office 2,014,372 METHOD of AND APPARATUS FOR STENCILING GLASS OR OTHER CERAMIC CONTAINERS HAVING CURVED SURFACES Barry S. Brickell, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, Wheeling, W. War, a corporation of West Virginia.


Application May 4, 1933, serial No. 669,445



The stenciling of bottles, jars, and other containers made of glass or similar material, does not involve any serious problem if the bottles or jars have a plane surface upon which the word or design is to be stenciled. Just the contrary is true in the stenciling of bottles, jars, tumblers and similar glass containers having curved surfaces upon which the word or design is to be applied. This problem is encountered in the stenciling of all round bottles and jars, oval bottles and jars, round or oval tapering bottles and jars, and in fact in all glass containers which have a curved surface, whether such curved surface extends lengthwise of the glass containers, or transversely of the container, or in all directions as in the case of containers having convex or spherical surfaces to be stenciled; and herein after when a curved surface is mentioned it will be understood to include any and all curved surfaces of glass containers, as distinguished from containers having flat or plane surfaces. It will also be understood that the present invention relates solely to the stenciling of curved Surfaces as distinguishing from the printing or other decoration of curved surfaces; the problems being entirely distinct. After the words or designs have been applied to the articles they are fired in the usual manner.

Filed 1933
Granted 1935

Stenciling Machine 1933 1935 Hazel Atlas (2).jpg

Stenciling Machine 1933 1935 Hazel Atlas (3).jpg

The bottles in the machine appear to be 'Bluing' bottles

Stenciling Machine 1933 1935 Hazel Atlas (4).jpg




 
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SODABOB

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New Word / Term ...

ACL originally stood for Applied Color Lettering ( And then changed to Applied Color Label )

My New Word / Term is ...

SACL for Stencil Applied Color Label

or if you prefer ...

SACL for Silkscreen Applied Color Label



 

SODABOB

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[ Just fooling around ]


But, then again, maybe its a Hazel Atlas ink bottle ...

Stenciling Machine 1933 1935 Hazel Atlas (5).jpg

Hazel Atlas Ink Bottle Base.jpg
 

SODABOB

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[ Weekend Homework ]

Do you consider the word "Bitters" on this Hazel-Atlas bitters bottle as an Applied Color Label?


Angostura Bitters

Hazel Atlas Bitters Angostura.jpg


Base w/ 10 K-278


Hazel Atlas Bitters Angostura Base.jpg


I'll post more about these bottles next week, but I can tell you now that I do consider them as having an Applied Color Label. I have seen them with black, blue, and red lettering.

I'll be back. Have a great weekend - be sure and finish your 'homework' :rolleyes:


Bob
 

bottle-bud

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Here is a picture of a worker at a pyroglaze machine. From the Star-Gazette of Elmira N.Y. Dated June 20, 1954

pyroglaze machine.jpg
 
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SODABOB

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bottle-bud

Great find - but a little confusing. I had to save and zoom the newspaper clipping in order to read it - which was no problem, but was surprised to discover it said the guy was "Hand-feeding" the bottles into the machine. I would have thought that by 1954 they had automatic machines. But apparently not - at least not at that particular plant. So I guess I/we need to dig a little deeper and figure out the 'Hand-fed' machines vs the 'Automatic machines.' Not to mention whether the 1954 machine in the clipping applied the Pyroglaze paint electrically/air pressure or just how it was applied. ???
 
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SODABOB

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ACL or something else?

[ From a Hazel-Atlas bottle marked with 3-K-278 ]

Hazel Atlas Bitters 3  K 278 Front.jpg

Hazel Atlas Bitters 3  K 278 Base.jpg
 
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SODABOB

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I have found numerous examples of the Hazel-Atlas bitters bottles - all of which appear to be identical in size and shape. The only distinguishable difference is the markings on the base. All have the K-278 on them. But the first numbers range between 2 and 10. I have not found a 1, nor anything higher than 10.

Here are examples of those that had acceptable pictures of the base ...

2-K-278

Hazel Atlas Bitters 2  K 278 Base.jpg

(The 3 is shown in my last post)

5-K-278

Hazel Atlas Bitters 5 K 278 Base.jpg

6-K-278

Hazel Atlas Bitters 6 K 278 Base.jpg

10-K-278

Hazel Atlas Bitters 10  K 278 Base.jpg

Next Question:

Are the first numbers (2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10) Date Codes, Mold Numbers, or something else?
 
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