King Cola was the main product for the Virginia Beverage Corp. which was actually based in neighboring Roanoke, VA. They bottled the drink in Salem, VA. This is the bottle that would have matched your label.
King Cola was fairly wide spread with bottlers in Waverly Cave, VA, Edinburg, VA, Lynchburg, VA, Bristol, VA, Haysi, VA, Marion, VA and several others. Unfortunately they lost a Patent Opposition case with Coca-Cola, due to their not answering the Opposition notice No. 1972, on January 13, 1917. The brand obviously continued to produce into the late teens because they end up using a semi-deco bottle.
The name King Cola had a resurgence in the 1970's when a former Pepsi-Cola employee decided to create a rival drink. I'm not sure how long that lasted; however, it has no real connection to this incarnation.
At some point I'm going to get off of my duff and do an article on King Cola and Tenn-Cola. I've already done one on their Roanoke, VA brethren 3-C Nectar and Lemon Kola. I find it amazing that so many, unfortunately failed Coca-Cola imitators came from this one little city on the edge of Southwest Virginia. It's being just outside my collecting and research area inspires me to research them as well, due to very few sources being around about these brands.
The 3-C Nectar and Lemon Kola articles can be found in the articles section of my website.
Thank you for all the information and photos.
I've had that label for a while now and was curious about its history and if it was linked to Walter Mack/Pepsi Cola.
What year does that bottle date to (the one matching my label) . . . and do you know what would the bottle go for?
You wouldn't happen to have a extra?
Please let me know if you ever do that article I would like to read it.
You know what's crazy. I have one of those labels as well and it doesn't fit like that on that side. You would have to apply it to the other side in order for it to fit like that. Too bad because it looks much better like that. LOL!