BIG CHIEF SODA BOTTLES ~ EARLIEST & LATEST ~ EMBOSSED & ACLs

[SODAPOPBOB]

Great stuff, especially the root beer stand. Merchandising at its best.

sandchip I thought you might enjoy these additional pictures of the Kansas City root beer stand ... 1. Side view ~ Date unknown2. Old photograph ~ Marked on the back w/ August 22, 1940

 

[Robby Raccoon]

The green and one next to it are pretty neat-looking--so many variations!
As for the stand... that is not something you see every day, and might give little kids either wide-eyed wonder, or nightmarish terror. Heh.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

This morning I purchased the 1958 embossed Big Chief / Crome / Coca Cola / Clinton, Missouri bottle and paid a total of $47.24 for it. I suppose I could have waited a few days and possibly got it for less, but I didn't want to mess around with bidding and possibly risk not getting it. The main reasons I decided to purchase it are ...

1. I strongly suspect that 1958 might be the latest date for an "embossed" Big Chief.
2. It appears to be in excellent condition.
3. I researched other sales for the same bottle but 1958 is latest date I could find. There were quite a few I found that were dated earlier but the one I bought was the latest.

Note: The Coca Cola Bottling Company in Clinton, Missouri used to be owned and operated by Carl A. Crome, who was the bottler of my Big Chief bottle. I did some research on Crome Bottling but couldn't find a date when they ceased operation but I did discover they were in business during the early 1920s to at least the late 1950s when my bottle was produced.

3. Bill Porter's book list several Coca Cola hobbleskirts for Clinton, Missouri starting with 1915. But for the 6 1/2 Ounce hobbleskirt, which were issued between "about 1958 and 1965" Bill has placed the letter "U" in the space which indicates a 6 1/2 Ounce hobbleskirt is either unknown to exist or might never have been made.

4. I'm betting the Crome Coca Cola bottling franchise went out of business in the late 1950s and that my Big Chief bottle was one of the last to be made by them, and possibly the last embossed Big Chief to be made by anyone. ??? (This is the main reason I bought the bottle).

Side Note: Carl A. Crome was born in 1883 and died in 1960 at the age of 77

Here's a picture of the bottle again plus a picture of the old Coca Cola Bottling building in Clinton, Missouri.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Neat bottle, cool building!

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

1. Here's a portion of the Missouri listings from Bill Porter's Coca Cola book. Notice the "U" for the 6 1/2 Ounce Clinton bottle. 2. Also from Bill's book showing the issue dates for the various hobbleskirts. Especially notice the issue dates for the 6 1/2 Ounce bottles. 2. Rarity definitions from Bill's book.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. Please be sure and let me know if an "embossed" Big Chief ever turns up that's dated later than 1958. That way I can pull out what little hair I have left, not to mention screaming out loud "what the heck was I thinking when I paid good money for the second or third latest embossed Big Chief." []

 

[Bert DeWitt]

Okay thanks for all the info I will keep my eyes open!

 

[iggyworf]

Thanx for all the great info!!!!!!!!! I will now add big chief bottles to my searches.

 

[squirtbob]

Hi Bob, I wonder if you could get any Big Chief answers from this listing on ebay. Large Big Chief Soda Bottle Collection (186 total)

 

[MikeRose]

I found two new contenders for the earliest embossed Big Chief bottles. Both bottles were made by Root Glass and both have the December 29, 1925 patent date. The bottles are similar in style but not identical. Notice that the Raton, New Mexico bottle has a ring around the neck whereas the Natchez, Mississippi bottle does not. The Natchez bottle is a 9 ounce but the Raton bottle does not indicate a size. But irregardless of their likeness, both are marked with ...

ROOT 27


1. Natchez, Mississipi ~ 9 Ounce ~ No Ring

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rare-natchez-miss-embossed-root-big-chief-soda


2. Raton, New Mexico ~ Size Unknown ~ Has Ring ~ Also marked with 4253 A

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/big-chief-raton-new-mexico-western-embossed


3. Notice the original patent image has the neck ring, which might be an indication of the earlier bottles


(Continuing to search for a 1925 or 1926, if they exist - In the meantime we have a new update)


Earliest Embossed Big Chief = 1927
Earliest ACL Big Chief = 1939

Good day all! I'm new to the forum and was helping a friend find information about a bottle he purchased at an auction.


It looks like a Root 8" Big Chief bottle with the single neck ring, but with nothing embossed below it and it has "Coca-Cola Bottling Company Salina, Kansas" on the bottom. We've not been able to find anything about bottling Big Chief in Salina (we live about 20 minutes south of Salina), and we've not seen any 8" bottles online that look like this one.

We think it's pretty old, but we're not sure. If anyone has any info on the bottle they'd be willing to share, we'd sure appreciate it!

Have a great day!
Mike