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SODABOB

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And then in 1943 a fire literally burned the Waterloo, Iowa plant to the ground!


[ The Courier ~ Waterloo, Iowa ~ February 17, 1943 ]


Sturdy Bilt The_Courier_Wed__Feb_17__1943_ (2).jpg


Sturdy Bilt The_Courier_Wed__Feb_17__1943_ (3).jpg


Following this I'm going to focus on the 3-1-3 California 7up crates and see if I can determine exactly who made them and when and where.
 
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SODABOB

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For starters, here's the link again to the original 2017 thread ...

https://www.antique-bottles.net/sho...-7-bubble-variation!&highlight=bubble+pattern


Where the following can be found regarding the 3-1-3 California 7up crates ...

Page 1 ...
Post #14 - Los Angeles = Marked 6-60
Post #17 - Bakersfield = Marked 1-59

Page 2 ...
Post #22 - San Bernardino = Marked 6-58
Post #22 - San Diego = Marked 8-65

Page 4 ...
Post #73 - Los Angeles = Marked 6-73

However, none of the above mention anything about "Flour City Box" or "Sturdy Bilt" - Which I intend to focus on this time around.
 

SODABOB

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I just now found this and thought it was worth sharing. It might even put a cap on things as far as I'm concerned. The reason I say that is because ...

1. Notice the 8 1952 on the side
2. Notice what the description says about the inside

If the bottler or Sturdy Bilt or whoever painted the side of the crate indicates that the 58 on the inside also represents 1952, then who am I to dispute that? In other words, I believe this crate was made in 1952 and that the second number inside also indicates 1952. Hence, I am strongly leaning toward the distinct possibility that all of the second numbers on Sturdy Bilt crates are indeed dates. Here's the link and description for you to take a look for yourselves and see what you think ...

But first a question ...

Why would anyone mark the outside with 1952 if the inside mark (52) didn't also represent 1952?



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1952-vintage-wood-crate-box-rock-52478363



Description : Copy/Pasted

[FONT=&amp]It is green with yellow print. On each side is ROCK SPRING [FONT=&amp]BEVERAGES 24 SMALL 8 1952. JACOB RIES BOTTLING [/FONT][FONT=&amp]WORKS, INC. SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA. U.S.A.[/FONT][FONT=&amp]On both ends is $1.00. In side is stamped in red STURDY BILT [/FONT][FONT=&amp]MADE BY FLOUR CITY WOODEN BOX, INC. MPLS., MINN. 8 - 52.



[/FONT]
Sturdy Bilt Crate 8 1952 8 2 Rock Springs.jpg


Sturdy Bilt Crate 8 1952 8 2 Rock Springs inside.jpg



[/FONT]
 
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SODABOB

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Hey, iggy/Rich

Because I consider my last post a possible game-changer, I'm going to suspend any further searches for the time being so I can digest the 52 = 1952 possibility. I acknowledge its not conclusive, but I also believe it to be pretty strong evidence in support of the second numbers being year of manufacturer indicators.
 

SODABOB

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But before I take a break, here's a partial list of some of the 3-1-3 Los Angeles crates I have already seen and how they were marked, with most of them being the large crates (LG) and one being a small crate (SM) ...

LG = 1-68
LG = 6-72
SM = 6-67
LG = 9-73
LG = 6-69
LG = 1-73
LG = 1-70
LG = 6-73
LG = 6-61

Notes:

1. Not all of the 3-1-3 Los Angeles crates start with the number 6

2. If the second numbers turn out to be the year of manufacturer, then not a single one of the Los Angeles 3-1-3 crates I've seen correlates with the 3-1-3 bottles. The lowest second number in my last list is 61. If its a year date, then its a solid 20 years after the 3-1-3 bottles were produced!


​?
 

iggyworf

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Hey, iggy/Rich

I hope you don't mind my bombardment of post, but you know me when I'm on the trail of something. Its way to early to confirm anything, but I'm leaning toward ...

1. The 3-1-3 7up crates were made by "Sturdy Bilt"

2. The 6 represents "California"
3. The two-digit numbers represent ? (Dates ? )

No Bob, i don't mind at all. I just quickly read thru your posts and good work. My comp is down for the count, but I hope to have another one soon. I am on my girlfriends laptop right now. I tried to correlate the first number with states but came up blank. But found a LA crate with a different one and another state with a 6. I might not be back right away to provide some help but asap.

Thanx for all the time and input. I will try to search for more 3-1-3 bottles.
 

SODABOB

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Rich

Thanks

We look forward to hearing from you just as soon as you resolve your comp problem. I have been through that myself (and still am to some degree with a weak wifi connection).

The attached snippet is cropped from the newspaper article I posted in #59. Notice what it says about hundreds and hundreds of "drink cases" that bear the name of a city and that the "model" is checked before production. I'm not sure if they mean the cases were just tagged with the brand or bottler's name on it or if it means the box factory actually painted them. But because it says "hundreds and hundreds," I suspect the box factory not only constructed them to certain specifications, but also painted them as well. After all, how many different types of drink cases could there be? Surely not hundreds and hundreds. If fact, I can only think of a handful of different types. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is, if the factory had "models" they used, this leads me to suspect they might have used the same "model" year after year. Hence the possibility of a 1940s model still being used in the 1950s or even later. Maybe, just maybe the cases in question were "modeled" in the early 1940s and were still being used in the 1960s, with only slight changes such as the way they were stamped (Month and Year) ???

[ The Baxter Bulletin ~ Mountain Home, Arkansas ~ June 6, 1968 ]

Sturdy Bilt Baxter_Bulletin_Thu__Jun_6__1968_ (1).jpg
 

SODABOB

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This snippet is from the same article I just referred to - June 6, 1968

Notice what it says about the "busy season" being "December to September." That leaves out October and November; which would be represented by the numbers 10 and 11. But why the busy season included all but two months of the year, I don't know. Maybe, just maybe, the majority of the Los Angeles and other California soft drink crates were scheduled to be produced only during the month of June. Hence, why so many of the LA and other California crates that start with the number 6. I realize this is not conclusive, but I gotta wonder why none of my resent list of Los Angeles crates do not start with the numbers 10 or 11. So, with that said, I'm going to continue my search for Los Angeles crates and see if I can find any that start with the numbers 10 or 11. It could turn out to be a wild goose chase - but ya never know!

Sturdy Bilt Baxter_Bulletin_Thu__Jun_6__1968_ (5).jpg
 

SODABOB

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P.S.

One thing seems certain ... If the second numbers indicate years, then any crate made at the Jonesboro, Arkansas factory would not be stamped with a second number lower than 55, because that's when the Jonesboro plant was established. I will keep that in mind during any additional searches.
 
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SODABOB

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Here's a little reminder of the three different start-up dates ...

Minneapolis, Minnesota = 1912

Waterloo, Iowa = 1932-33

Jonesboro, Arkansas = 1955
 

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