Another 7up Thread ... But Different

[jblaylock]

What stands out to me, other than the shape is the legs. Notice there is more of a bend in the legs of the orange swimsuit girl.

 

[iggyworf]

I am trying to look up info on the Holland Michigan 7up bottling co. Without a ton of luck, but discovered a few things. Started by 'Phillip Brooks' in his basement, they bottled 7up in 1936. Not in 7up bottles but in prohibition beer bottles. Quote from this atricle I found:

"Started by entrepreneur Phillips Brooks in 1936 out of his Holland home and a factory basement rented out at night to bottle the lemon-lime soda 7-UP, Brooks couldn’t afford pop bottles so he bought beer bottles from the Prohibition-diminished Berghoff Brewery of Chicago for his first runs."

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/09/hollands_former_beverage_ameri.html

So at least this bottler was using 'generic' type bottles other than 7up bottles. I could not find a pic of any of those types of bottles. Not sure if this info will help us, or is even relevant to our quest but I thought I would see if this helps.
Here are some pics of the plain green 7up bottle I have from that bottling co. I know I have seen a few of these before. At the most it is probably only 1938 or newer. 7 oz.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

iggy

I haven't had time to fully research the Holland, Michigan 7up bottler or Phillips Brooks, but I did see one reference that said the company was established in 1934. If accurate, then they definitely used a paper label bottle of some type. I noticed your bottle was made by Reed Glass. Even though I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to decipher Reed marks, please tell us what markings are on your bottle as it might provide us with some clues.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

In the meantime ...

Compare the Slenderizing Lady on the mystery eBay bottle to the one on the 1970s reproduction decal. They are similar but not identical. Notice ...

1. The decal lady is standing upright

2. The paper label lady is bending backwards
(This is the most 'bent' slenderizing lady I have ever seen)

3. The placement of the bubbles
(Notice the paper label lady's hand is touching a bubble that almost looks like a beach ball)

Paper Label




Decal

 

[iggyworf]

7up embossed on only one side of the neck, on the bottom, 7up co Holland Mich. Reed Glass co mark with a very faint 'L 1' on the bottom. That is all the markings the bottle has.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

iggy

Thanks

But I think you'll agree we need to learn more about Reed Glass marks. Your probably right that the bottle dates no earlier than 1938, but other than that I have no clue what the L 1 stands for. Maybe 1941?

Regarding Phillips Brooks ...

I took a quick look on Ancestry.com and discovered ...

Born: 1893
Died: 1977

The Holland, Michigan directories list him as an Insurance Salesman with 'Visscher-Brooks Insurance' between 1929 and 1934 (The 1935 directory is missing) and it isn't until the 1936 directory where he's listed as a 'Seven-up Disrtibutor.'

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S.

Of the jillions of Paper and ACL 7up labels I have been looking at or am aware of, the Slenderizing Lady on the paper label eBay bottle is the only one I can find that shows her actually touching a bubble. I don't know if that's significant, but I find it interesting!

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Here's another/better picture of the eBay paper label. Notice its almost detached from the bottle ...

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Regarding the bottle cap on the eBay paper label bottle ...

I posted this letter in previous threads but still don't know much about it other than the individual said it was dated 1928 and that the boxed area says ...

For 1929

Apparently it has something to do with announcing the official introduction of 7up in 1929. What I find most interesting about it is the circled 7up logo at the top and its similarity to early 7up bottle caps, such as the one on the eBay paper label bottle ...

If anyone knows of a way to make the letter readable, please do so and share it with us. The information it contains could possibly help rewrite the early history of 7up.

The letter has "The Howdy Company" on it.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S.

I didn't ask the eBay seller if there is anything printed on the edge of the cap, and I don't plan to ask him. But it would be very interesting if there is something printed on the cap, such as the bottler's name and/or location. Or just about anything for that matter!