Moxie Mystery ACL Bottle

[SODABOB]

Even though the exact date(s) of this page from an Owens Illinois catalog is not currently known, it is estimated to have been published between 1933 and 1936. The reason for the uncertainty is that catalogs of this type had removable pages that could be removed and/or added as needed. The main reason I'm showing it is to confirm that Owens Illinois definitely made Moxie bottles in the 1930s - with this particular example being a 7 ounce. If you look on eBay and other auction sites you will likely find lots of them from the 1930s and 1940s.

However, what you likely will NOT find is one of these 7 Oz. Moxie bottles made by Owens-Illinois that has an ACL - which is another mystery to be researched and possibly solved.

 

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To clarify what I said about not finding an Owens Illinois Moxie ACL, I forgot about this one on eBay that's dated 1942 ...

https://shorturl.at/qNOU8

There were also some Moxie ACL bottles made by Owens Illinois in the 1950s. But they have the Moxie guy on the label like these on eBay

Owens Illinois 1950s Moxie ACL Bottles eBay

https://shorturl.at/jQY37

https://shorturl.at/DJMOX

Check out this Moxie article published in December 2023. Use the > symbol to turn the pages and the + symbol to enlarge it.

Pages 34 thru 45

https://issuu.com/fohbc/docs/ab_gc_nov_dec2023

 

[SODABOB]

Here's a brief summary of what has been discovered thus far about my Moxie bottles ...

1. The 22N bottle with the black ACL is a fake - but still the only example
2. As of 1923 Moxie bottles were made exclusively by American Bottle Co.
3. The 7 Oz. Kid Moxie bottles were introduced in 1926.
4. Owens-Illinois acquired the American Bottle Co. in 1929.
5. The Newark plant (AB-OI) continued to operate until 1930.
6. The earliest known ACL soda bottle is a Jumbo Cola - 1934.
7. My 7 Oz. Moxie bottle is possibly marked 26N.*

*Although it still remains to be determined ...

1. If it is indeed marked 26N
2. If it is indeed a real ACL or a fake

By the way, the latest USPS update said my bottle should arrive tomorrow.

See ya'all tomorrow

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

While doing some additional research on my Reynoldsville Moxie bottle I discovered another mystery. The mystery is whether it is connected with Antonio Marinaro. He is the only bottler and/or distributor I can find from Reynoldsville that handled Moxie. He was also connected with Whistle in Reynoldsville. The Moxie ads run from 1938 to 1941. The one here is from 1940. Although it's impossible to tell if the bottle in the 1940 ad has an ACL or a paper label, 1940 was within the right time-period for ACL soda bottles.

The ads are 1923-1938-1940

 

[SODABOB]

I received my Moxie bottle today and ...

1. It's in near-mint almost pristine condition (Uncirculated)
2. I'm 99.9% certain the ACL is real and not a fake
3. I'm 100% certain the base mark is 26N*

*Made by the American Bottle Co. / Newark, Ohio / 1926

However, I don't know and can only speculate at the moment as to who applied the ACL and when.

My best guess is that it was leftover inventory of the American Bottle Co. when Owens-Illinois Glass purchased them in 1929. At some point in the 1930s the Reynoldsville Bottling Co. placed an order with Owens-Illinois for some 7 Oz. Moxie bottles and Owens-Illinois used what they had in stock and applied the ACL before shipping it (and other bottles like it) to Reynoldsville. Due to it's pristine condition Reynoldsville Bottling likely never used it.

I will take some photos of it this weekend and hopefully capture a good image of the 26N.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Bottom Line?

1. 1926 Bottle
2. First issue Kid Moxie 7 Oz. Bottle
3. 1930s-40s Applied Color Label (ACL)
4. New Old Stock (NOS) Uncirculated

 

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Extra! Extra! Read All About It! 1926 Kid Moxie newspaper ad

 

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General Interest / 1927-28

 

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Comparison with 1941 Glenshaw ACL / M Ring-code

Adams Bottling Works New Kensington PA

https://shorturl.at/nzBZ1

 

[SODABOB]

In Search of ...

Earliest Moxie bottle with an Applied Color Label (New Stock). As it stands now the 1941 Glenshaw bottle I just posted a link to is the earliest one I am currently aware of. I might even submit an offer and see if I can acquire it. According to Rick Sweeney's 2002 ACL book, 7 Oz. Moxie ACL bottles are considered Rare.