John G. Epping Bottles

[SODAPOPBOB]

Josh: If I were to take a wild guess, I'd say ... 1. Epps-Cola was available between about 1917 and about 1923 2. Epps-Kola was available in 1924 only I can't account for the 1930 Epps-Kola baseball team, but I don't think it necessarily means that Epps-Kola was being bottled at that time. I noticed in the 1930 baseball articles that ... 1. The Epps-Kola team was from Louisville 2. The Epping team was from Lexington

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Hey, Josh: Check this out! You will recognize the picture below as the one you posted earlier. Now open this link where you will find the same picture ... http://kdl.kyvl.org/catalog/xt702v2c8t1s_4944_1 Using the + feature, zoom in on the rear portion of the last truck on the right. Just to the left of the 7up you will see three Epps-Kola wood crates. I'm not sure if the photograph was taken in 1938 as it indicates, but because of the 284 Walton Ave address, its definitely the Epping bottling plant in Lexington and not the one in Louisville. Of course this doesn't confirm they bottled Epps-Kola in Lexington because the crates could have been transferred there from Louisville. Nor does it confirm Epps-Kola was bottled in the 1930s because the crates could have been reused for years. But I still think its fun and interesting to see the Epps-Kola crates regardless of the location or date.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Just for the fun of it, I created this close up of the Epps-Kola crate ...

 

[jblaylock]

Wow, I've been really busy the past couple of days and didn't expect all this information. I'll check all my bottles tonight. I'll say this about McCabe Bottling, I found there was an operation in Madison Indiana, about 50 miles from Louisville. This would seem to indicate the Epps-Kola deco bottle would likely been from Louisville and not Virginia. January 1922: The Beverage Journal

https://books.google.com/...ng%20works&f=false

 

[jblaylock]

Ok, so I have some additional information and bottles. I stopped by my local bottle hotspot, this guy digs and has TONS of bottles, mostly local. He had a deco Epps Kola without McCabe on it. It was in rough shape, but for only $4, I bought it. Epps-Kola w/ McCabe:

On the Heel has: McCabe bottling Works - Trademark Reg. 2351EG24One the base: Patent Pending, 6 Fluid OZS, around a large "M" Epps-Kola w/ John G. Epping:

On the Heel: John G. Epping - Louisville KY. If there is a glass mark, I can't make it out due to the conditionOn the Base: Trademark Reg, CON 6 1/2 FL OZ. I also picked up another Epps-Cola bottle that is identical to the other one previously posted.And he had this one also, which is a green version of the other I have.

I'm not sure where this leaves us with Epps-Cola and Epps-Kola. Seems odd to have the name Epps-Cola, and to start using the bottle style with the rectangles on the bottom, switch the name to Kola, use a stript & block lettered bottle and a deco bottle, then go back to the rectangles....or did he continue using the rectangle bottles for flavors other than Epps-CKOLA? Because this mystery is complicated enough, I'm not going to post the Wainscott Bottle I also bought that has similar rectangles to the Eppings on it. If you know eastern/Kentucky soda history, Wainscott & Eppings were major players in nearby markets.

 

[jblaylock]

Ok, so I only thought the Epps-Cola I grabbed today was the same. It's actually different. Original posted. Epps-Cola, light aqua blue, shorter, higher rib, wider font, large "E" on the bottom

Newest pick: Epps-Cola, taller, light green, tighter font, large "E" and small "2" on the bottom. I can't make out all the glass mark, 845EGR...

The pair:

Not that this answers any other questions about bottle style and Epps-Cola vs. Epps-Kola

 

[jblaylock]

How about we throw another cog in the wheel. I'm starting to wonder about the business plan of Mr. Epping. Was he a savy business man, or an unsure man who couldn't make decidion. The 3 John. G. Eppings bottles I have.Left = bottle I originally postedCenter = Green newly acquired bottleRight = I've actually had this one for years, just stored away.

So I was trying to arrange a little display at my house of the Eppings bottles and I pulled out the bottle ont he right. It appears similar to the lefthand bottle, but on further inspection, it's not. Left Bottle = Graham bottle, glass mark: 1650EG24, Large "E" on the bottom

Center/Green Bottle: No glass mark, on the bottom Large "E" and small 24N

Right bottle: on the heel 3309F ROOT 23, large "E" on bottom

I'm not sure what to think about Mr. Epping now.....

 

[sunrunner]

this is what a love about this hobby. there is so much to look in to , like this , all this info and this is just for one bottler .

 

[jblaylock]

all this info and this is just for one bottler .

Is there a thing as too much info. I found one mention from "The Encyclopedia of Kentucky" of Epps-Cola, but no year was mentioned. That lead me to Herman Epping. That didn't turn up much, only this obit from American Bottlers Vol 31. Seems like the business went on as Mrs. H. Epping and Sons

I guess he was the Big Boy bottler

 

[CreekWalker]

Wow, great local bottles! I love the green embossed one! As a Pepsi fan , if you were to add p and I to Epps , you would have Peppsi!