COCA COLA QUESTION / QUANDARY

[SODAPOPBOB]

I know I'm jumping the gun on this one, but I'm so excited it couldn't wait!

I stumbled into an antique shop today, and lo and behold they had a late 1800s or very early 1900s wooden Coca Cola case that was used to transport "Hutchinson" Coca Cola bottles. It had a wood lid with metal hinges and metal closing clasp. I have never seen anything like it. It is as original as it gets, and on a scale of 1 to 10 I would give it a 7.5. Inside the case it has a lower shelf that has 24 small holes used to place the Hutchinson bottle "tops" into. Thus allowing them to be transported upside down as was the norm for Hutch bottles back then. Many of you are familiar with these cases even without seeing photos of them.

And this brings me to part of my quandary. I took photos of the case with my cell phone, but at present I am unable to download the photos until I get the proper cord or whatever else I need to do it. But I am currently working on that.

In the meantime I was hoping some of you may be able to help me establish a value on it. If I get a shot at it I don't want to pay too much. Plus, the dealer just got it in a couple of days ago and has not even priced it yet. They said they wanted to do some research of their own first, just as I am doing here.

I will get the photos posted as soon as possible. Otherwise all I can tell you about it at present is ...

1. It is a solid piece made of wood slats.
2. It has a hinged lid and metal closure.
3. It has original red paint overall with white lettering that reads ...

Return Bottles When Empty To

The Inland Coca Cola Bottling Company - Boise, Idaho

4. On the inside it is stamped by the company who made. Which reads ...

McFerson & Foster Co. - Evansville, Indiana

5. It has cut-out hand holes on both ends.

If this is something you are familiar with please let we know what you think something like it would be worth? Even some speculating would be welcome at this point. I will post photos of it just as soon as I possibly can. The dealer said it would take him at least until Monday before he came up with a firm price on it. And here is the clincher ... "He doesn't even know what it is yet!" []

Thanks to all who take an interest in this and especially to those of you who choose to comment.

SODAPOPBOB ... a.k.a. "Wild Goose Chaser" ???

 

[TJSJHART]

BOB, CAN YOU SEND PICTURES IN AN E-MAIL TO YOUR PUTER ? JUST AN IDEA.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

TJSJHART ~

I send internet messages to my e-mail all the time. But the photos of the case I have are on my cell phone. At present I don't even have the necessary cord I need to attach my cell to my computer.

Were you referring to the above or something else? I am wide open for suggestions. But whatever I do it will likely have to wait a couple of days. Plus, cell phones and I don't exactly agree with each other. Too many dang "options" [] (But I will figure it out eventually).

I also wanted to mention I have been searching the internet and so far I can't find zilch on the exact box. Lot's of "similars" from the 1930s and 40s, but nothing as old as the turn of the century. I'm not kidding you, my heart dropped to my stomach when I saw it!

The best part is the dealer told me he couldn't find anything out about it on the internet. He thinks it's something from the 1940s. Hmmm ... that should work in my favor (I hope). ???

Mucho Grasis'

SPBOB

 

[celerycola]

These so-called "Hutchinson" cases with the holes in the bottom were not exclusively for Hutch bottles. When crown bottles came into use bottlers continued to buy and use this type of case because it was easy to make sure they received only their bottles back by glancing over the bottle bottoms where their trade mark was embossed.

When Coca-Cola published their Standardization Guidelines in 1928 they pictured the new color scheme on a case with the holes.

I've seen these cases marked Coca-Cola priced from $50 to $200. The lid on this one is a nice feature and so is the non-standard color scheme. Is Coca-Cola in script or block?

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Celery ~

Thank you for the helpful information. The idea of transporting straight-sided and/or contour bottles up-side-down is new to me, but I acknowledge your expertise in this regard.

The script is cursive as shown in my sketch below, and is white atop the overall red of the box itself.

Another curious aspect is that the metal latch on the lid snaps shut and has a small hole in it where a paddlock might have gone. Plus, because of the latch (that protrudes up about 1/2") it seems unlikely that another box of the same type could be stacked on top of it. The bottom is flat with no cavity or anything else to accommodate the latch if one box were placed on top of another.

The dealer (who doesn't know yet what the box was used for) speculated that because of the locking latch it might have been a salesmen's box of somekind.

I sent the images from my cell phone to my brother's cell phone. He is working on it now to try and download the images from his phone to his computer and then send them back to me in an e-mail.

In the meantime I am trying to research the dates involving the "Inland Coca Cola Bottling Co." of Boise, Idaho. If I can determine when they started their operation it might help establish an appx. date.

If you have any information on the Boise bottler, I would very much like to know about it. So far I have not been able to find any dates for that particular bottler.

I will post photos of the box just as soon as my brother and I can figure out how to do it.

Thanks again,

SPBOB

Sketch I did from my 1 1/2" cell phone screen.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

I still have not found any dates for the Boise, Idaho Coca Cola Bottling Company. But I researched the McFerson & Foster Co. and discovered they were a box factory in Evansville, Indiana and that they were established in 1883 and closed in 1962.

I also discovered there was an Owens-Illinois glass plant in Evansville ... but no dates on that yet. The image below is an old sketch of the glass plant.

SPBOB

 

[splante]

nice crate...a lot of cases usally have a date stamped inside somewhere, If you get it for a decent price i would go for it. The 50 to 200 range celery suggest seems pretty good for early coke items

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Splante ~ Thanks

I haven't mentioned this yet, but I know the dealer is going to want "at least" $100.00 for it.

Something that continues to puzzle me about the upside-down part is it "appears" that straight-sided and/or contour bottles would flop around somewhat and bang into each other. Whereas Hutchinson bottles might fit a little more snuggly. This is pure speculation of course, but still a valid point in my un-educated opinion.

I'm hoping to go back over there later today (if the dealer will allow me) and experiment by trying various bottles (I have all three. A non-Coca Cola Hutch - and both a straight-sided and contour Coca Cola) and see how well they fit into the holes and how much clearance remains above them when the lid is closed. But I admit I'm not sure this will actually tell me anything specific as I suspect the "clearance" aspect will work for all three bottles. But the "flopping around" aspect may be another story. I think it really depends on the true diameter of the 24 holes, etc.

If and when I do get back over there, I will be sure to look for any dates. Plus I will take my camera along for some descent photos. I'm just waiting to hear from my brother about the cell phone images before deciding what to do.

SPBOB

P.S. I just this minute decided to call the dealer and see what they might have come up with so far. I will report back shortly if I am able to get ahold of them.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

I just called the dealer and they said it would be okay for me to try my little experiment. So unless my brother gets the photos to me real soon, this will be the last you hear from me until I get back from the antique shop.

However, the dealer reminded me that he has another individual (and possibly more than one) who are also interested in purchasing the box. So things could get a little tricky - meaning it might end up being a "Best Offer" situation.

I hope my research and attempts to purchase it are not in vain. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. If nothing else - at least this is a good (true) treasure hunting story. [] I just wish I knew for certain how old the box is and what it's worth? That's the $64.00 question!

SPBOB

 

[RED Matthews]

Hi Bob; I was impressed by your illustration of he Evansville O-I plant. That picture has to be before 1900 because there is no Robinson Ventilators on the building. Thanks - because I keep collecting old glass factory pictures. Red Matthews