Happy Anniversay

[Bass Assassin]

Bob, that is ironic that they gave a bottle away and years later purchased a bottle.
Bottleopop, great information!

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

bottleopop Excellent reporting and well written. I just scanned these two pages from Norman Dean's 2010 book "The Man Behind The Bottle" and wanted to share them in order to read the account about Earl Dean's visit to the library in the author's own words. The use of cocoa plant doesn't appear to be so much of a mistake, but rather, as it says on page 24, "But no one has a clue what the coca and kola plants look like." So it appears they just used the next best thing, which was the cocoa pod. [attachment=Dean Book Page 23.jpg] [attachment=Dean Book Page 24 (799x1200).jpg]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Long story short ... Three days after visiting the library, Dean was able to successfully complete the concept sketch, and with hammer and chisel made the mold. And then on Wednesday, June 30, 1915, with only 30 minutes left before shutting down the molten glass tank, poured and molded a dozen or so of the first prototype bottles.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

On February 28, 2015, the Root families example of the prototype bottle went on display at the High Museum in Atlanta, Georgia where it remained until this past October. Also on display was the original concept sketch loaned to the museum by the Coca Cola Company. Notice in the attached pictures from the High Museum display the cards that indicate who owned what, with the bottle being owned by the Root family and the sketch by the Coca Cola Company. These are the two items that sold at the Julien's auction in December of 2011, with the Root family paying $240,000 for the bottle and the Coca Cola Company paying $228,000 for the sketch. [attachment=Coca Cola Prototyp...le High Museum.jpg] [attachment=Coca Cola Prototyp...ch High Museum.jpg]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Regarding Earl Dean's inspiration for the bottle, I especially like this paragraph from page 24 of the book ... "beverage fit for the gods" [attachment=Dean Book Page 24 (799x1200) (2).jpg]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Is there a "third" prototype bottle still out there somewhere? (From Page 32 of Norman Dean's book) [attachment=DEAN BOOK PAGE 32 (2).jpg]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Correction ... The information is a little unclear, but according to the book it appears it was Alexander Samuelson's son, Bill Samuelson, who donated the other prototype bottle to the Coca Cola Company and not a Root family member as I previously thought. Its the part where it says "... may have been passed down to Root's grandson, Chapman S. Root" that confuses me.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

After rereading the information from the book several times, the way I interpret it now is ... 1. Bill Samuelson definitely donated a prototype bottle to the Coca Cola Company in 1967, but it is uncertain if the bottle he donated was the one that Dean left in the office or whether it was one of the dozen or so that were originally produced. 2. The bottle that Dean left in the office for C. J. Root might have been the one that was loaned out to be photographed but was never returned. Thus leaving the Root family without a bottle until they bought one from the Dean family in 2011. 3. Earl Dean definitely kept one of the bottles that remained in the family until it was sold in 2011.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. If the so called "photographer" did keep one of the bottles, it might still be in the possession of his family, but who are afraid to admit it because it could easily be traced back as having been stolen. Of course the statute of limitations would have expired by now, but if the photographer's family does still have the bottle, maybe they are just waiting for the dust to settle before coming forward with it.

 

[Bass Assassin]

If a 3rd bottle is still out there, I don't really see how they could prosper from it. I would think a good attorney could win the case against them claiming it was taken without permission. Just speculation of course. Good stuff Bob