7up BOTTLES ~ OUTSIDE THE BOX

[SODAPOPBOB]

Back to the swimsuit bottle design ...

In the newspaper article I posted about Hamblett Grigg, it said that Grigg's art style was similar to the type of art by a well known commercial artist at the time, whose name was John Held. This Wikipedia link will tell you about John Held and the attachment is one of his magazine covers from 1925 - except his swimsuit people don't exactly look like Ham Grigg's swimsuit girl ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Held,_Jr.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

And, yes, I honestly believe that Hamblett C. Grigg designed the 1935 7up swimsuit girl label! But whether I will ever be able to prove it is another matter.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Speaking of Hamblett Grigg, here are two pages from two different yearbooks, both titled "The Beacon" from Cleveland High School in St. Louis, Missouri.

1. 1922 - Junior

2. 1923 - Senior

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

This link is to a yearbook website and opens on the 1923 issue of "The Beacon." Except that you have to pay to join and see the full images - which I have not done but it will be a good reference for future researchers. It would be interesting to see some of Ham Grigg's artwork that is supposed to be scattered throughout the book.

Note: You can take a peek at the pages without paying, but the images are too small to read.


http://www.e-yearbook.com/sp/eybb?school=20187&year=1923

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

I'm still searching for information related to Hamblett Grigg, who we know joined his father's company in 1929 at the age of 24. There are still a lot of gaps I need to fill, especially between 1923 and 1929, which I'm assuming is when he went to college, even though I have yet to find confirmation that he actually attended college. But I was able to find this page from his senior year in High School in 1923 when he was 17 years old. For comparison I'm including a 1969 picture of him when he was 63 years old.

[ 1923 Yearbook ~ The Beacon ~ Cleveland High School ~ St. Louis, Missouri ]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

It seems more than coincidental to me that Hamblett Grigg joined the Howdy Company in 1929 and during that same year his father's "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" was suddenly changed to "7up Lithiated Lemon Soda" had it not been for Hamblett's influence.

Nor do I think it's a coincidence that almost out of nowhere we suddenly find these three design images appearing at or near the same time that Hamblett joined the Howdy Company. Not to mention the similarity between the three design images.

1. Newspaper Ad - 1931
2. Sign - Exact date unknown but certainly early 1930s
3. Bottle - 1935

 

[dbv1919]

I think you have it right sodapopbob, I'm still looking for one of those '35 bottles. Tough to find.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

dbv1919

Thanks - I'm working on it. The 1935 bottles with the large 7 show up on eBay occasionally but I've never seen one while the listing was active - its always after they have sold. I expect one in excellent condition would get a lot of attention and sell for $???


I have been looking for these 7up trademarks for several days now and was excided when I stumbled onto them. I wish they had more information, but am happy with this for the time being.


1931

WORD MARK: 7 UP

CARBONATED, NONALCOHOLIC, NONCEREAL, MALTLESS BEVERAGES.
SOLD AS SOFT DRINKS.
FIRST USE: 1931.
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 1931



1936

WORD MARK: 7 UP

CARBONATED, NONALCOHOLIC, NONCEREAL, MALTLESS BEVERAGES.
SOLD AS SOFT DRINKS.
FIRST USE: 1936.
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 1936

DESCRIPTION OF MARK:
THE DRAWING IS FINED FOR THE COLORS EMERALD GREEN WHITE, AND AN ORANGE HUE OF RED.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S.

Where it says "An Orange Hue Of Red" on the 1936 trademark is the first time I have seen an official reference to the color and it should settle the debate once and for all as to the intended color on early 7up bottles. I say "intended color" because on some bottles its definitely a true shade of red.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

For example ...


I own both of these bottles. The one on the left is 1937 and the one on the right is 1945. Notice the two different colors ...