Help with Hobbleskirt ID

[hemihampton]

I have a subscription to newspapers .com so probably seen 50 different coke ads from 1917. BUT, Did not see that February Hobbleskirt ad. I suspect the Morphy Bottle was a test bottle & not a test market bottle. The difference is one sells to public & one don't. I say this because I am extremely familiar with the way (after extensive research) they did the Test Cans & test market on the first Beer Can in 1933 to early 1935. Ones that sold to the public in test market cans were not required to be returned & destroyed like a prototype mock up test can or bottle would be. Just my opinion. LEON.

 

[SODABOB]

Thanks, Leon

One thing is absolutely certain: Various bottlers advertised and sold the new hobble-skirt at least as early as October of 1916. There would be no logical reason for them to advertise it if the bottles had not already been produced. If you go back to the Tampa, Florida ad that I posted earlier it literally says, "We have just received 172,800 of these new bottles." Even though I did some considerable searching, the only reference I can find that uses the terms "Trial' and/or 'Test' is the Evansville, Indiana article from September of 1916. However, I don't know if that was the beginning, middle, or end of the trial. Like I said, the information from the Morphy auction may or may not be accurate. As near as I can tell, they got their information from a retired/former employee of the Root Glass Co. However, even that is suspect because if the person was still alive when the bottle surfaced (2019?) then that person would have been well over 100 years old. Or maybe it was a family member who had the bottle. Who knows? I don't!

Speaking of advertising, check out the attached article for the Columbus Coca Cola Bottling from November of 1916. It not only shows the bottle, but they also inserted a photo of the plant. If they weren't selling the hobble-skirt bottle at that time, then I don't know who was.

More later.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Speaking of Evansville, Indiana ...

 

[hemihampton]

One of your articles said test or trial period for a year. when that started or ended, And where is the question, could of been numerous cities & numerous Bottling plants? Usually a test or trial is followed up with some sort of Questionnaire, evaluation, study to see if the results are good & favored or well received? hmmm, still more research needs to be done to answer these questions? LEON.

P.S. I noticed the bottle cap in your one 1916 hobbleskirt ad said 1915 on it?

 

[SODABOB]

Now that we have a little more information, this might be a good time to take another look at this Coca Cola letter that is dated July 27, 1916, and signed by Charles Rainwater ...

Now I'm heading for Douglas, Georgia. See y'all when I get back.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

This is worth a looksee ...

OLD LARGE HISTORIC PHOTO OF DOUGLAS GEORGIA THE COCA COLA BOTTLING PLANT c1920 | eBay

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[SODABOB]

The Douglas, Georgia bottler apparently registered a contract ...

DOUGLAS GA COCA COLA BOTTLE NOV 16 1915 RARE | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DOUGLAS GA COCA COLA BOTTLE NOV 16 1915 RARE at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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[SODABOB]

Leon

I saw the bottle cap with 1915 on it but just assumed it was connected with the Trademark. I looked around but couldn't find an actual cap like that.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Hmmm ... Douglas, Georgia / Laurens Glass Works / 1917 / I Wonder?

 

[SODABOB]

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