OWENS-ILLINOIS MARK 4285G ~ WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR?

[SODAPOPBOB]

Red ~

Thanks for stopping by. Please let us know if you come up with anything.

Much appreciated.

Bob

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

SquirtBob / Anyone ~

So far the dates on the 4285G Los Angeles bottles range between 1938 and 1945. Do you have any 4285G's that date earlier or later than this? I don't!

Los Angeles / 1938 to 1945 / Green / 7 ounce / 4285G / What's the connection?

Thanks

Bob

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

The following is based on having personally examined approximately one-hundred various Owen-Illinois painted label (acl) soda bottles from my collection. All three of the bottles referred to here were made at Los Angeles, California plant number 23.

Henceforth, I intend to refer to the (for example) 1234-G embossed base marks as ...

STYLE CODES

By "Style" I am referring to the bottle's specific size / shape / general appearance.

By the time I was half-way through my examination I could spot a particular style/code without even having to pick up the bottle. As you can see in the picture below, the similarities are unmistakable. Each of these three bottles is a different brand that was bottled in a different city, but were made in different years. And yet, all three bottles have the same exact STYLE CODE which, in this particular case, is 7806-G

It is my opinion the same STYLE CODE on these three bottles is not coincidental but rather is a specific designation assigned to them to identify size / shape / general appearance. Consequently, I am now of the opinion that "all" Owens-Illinois STYLE CODES were specifically assigned to specific bottles.

However, because I only have Los Angeles bottles available in this style, it still needs to be determined whether or not the same STYLE CODE for them was used at different Owens-Illinois plants in different cities and states.

The (identical other than acl label) bottles pictured below are as follows ...

Reminder: All three bottles are base marked with 7806-G
Note: All are Non-Duraglas

Purity ~ Bottled in Globe, Arizona
23 <(I)> 50 (1950)
10 ounce
Clear Glass
7806-G

Home Pack ~ Bottled in Los Angeles, California
23 (I) 60 (1960) ... Note this is the newer O-I mark without the diamond.
10 ounce
Clear Glass
7806-G

Mt. Lassen ~ Bottled in Susanville, California
23 <(I)> 46 (1946)
10 ounce
Clear Glass
7806-G

I thought it was particularly interesting that the same 7806-G style code for these three bottles was used continuously between 1946 and 1960. ( 14 years )

Please examine your own Owens-Illinois acl's and see if come to the same conclusion as I have.

Thanks

Bob

[ Of particular interest please note the same shoulder and neck rings ] [ 1950 ~ 1960 ~ 1946 ]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

PS ~

Here's a quick example of ...

OWENS-ILLINOIS STYLE CODE 4441-G

Left to Right

1944 Royal Crown ... Los Angeles, Ca. Plant #23
1944 Cleo Cola ... Oakland, Ca. Plant #20
1953 Royal Crown ... Los Angeles, Ca. Plant #23

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

PS ~ PS

Although we may never figure it out completely, it would be interesting to know if the style codes have specific meanings or if they are just random numbers created by some "mould department guy" way-back-when? I lost count of the different numbers I've seen, but they are numerous and seem to be random with no particular rhyme or reason or sequence. ???

Bob

 

[RED Matthews]

Hello Bob and others on this thread. I know that when a bottle layout is established it is given a number in the engineering and sales department. From there that number is included in the embossed information on the bottle made to that specification drawing. If anything is changed the number will be changed to the new spec. For example 2992 was a certain mold design for a beer bottle job. I have no listing for what other companies did to identify their numbering systems. RED Matthews

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Red ~

Thank you so much. You just confirmed what I was literally in the process of typing below when your reply appeared.

Bob

Reminder / Speculation ...

Bottle "styles" are created on paper drawings first by bottle designers or artist. The codes/numbers "might" be related to the original artist renderings which are then marked and filed accordingly.

 

[epackage]

I have this ACL layout sheet for a Paterson bottler Bob and as you can see on the layout sheet and the card they give a "Bottle/Mould" designation as #320, and the card has the dimensions. While it doesn't name the bottle making company I have to assume whoever they used had similar designations just like you mention here. Whether or not the bottles had the numbers 320 embossed on them I don't know because I don't have an actual ACL from Mystic, but I think it helps show that certain bottle styles had numbers assigned to them by the glass makers...

 

[epackage]

The card...

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Jim / epackage

Thanks. Great stuff!

If I understand correctly what it's saying in the top-right corner under "Warning," it sounds as if the term "Color Printed" is referring to the ACL (painted label), and that the Mystic label was intended for a specific bottle "style." Is that the way you interpret it?

It's too bad we don't know what glass manufacture it was intended for. I'm going to research Mystic and see if I can find out. Better yet, maybe a member has one and can tell us.

Bob