SAN DIEGO, CA. BOTTLE SHOW (June 12, 2010)

[SODAPOPBOB]

General Interest ~

I have been researching my "ColaRootBeer" bottles, and just received this very helpful and courteous message from San Diego collector, Mike Bryant. Now I'm really on the prowl for the variations I don't have! I post this information primarily to emphasize how educational and helpful attending bottle shows can be. Everyone I spoke with last Saturday was extremely helpful. I really would like to join a bottle club, but personal circumstances make it almost impossible. I plan to take Mike up on his invatation one of these days, and will post photos of the ColaRootBeer bottles I don't have. {Thanks, Mike}

Mike's message :

I have three variants of the San Diego Cola Root Beer bottle. Two are white labels, each being a different size (one is a 9 oz and the other 12 oz). I also have a 12 oz that has a three color label, brown, white & blue, and is pretty hard to find. They all date to the 1940's. I tried taking a picture for you through my glass display case, but it didn't come out. You will have to come over some day and see my collection.

 

[TheCaliKid]

I'd love to see some pictures of your collection.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Here's a sampling of some of my favorite bottles. This particular group are "Big Chief's" from various parts of the country. Most were distributed by Coca Cola bottlers, and contained various fruit flavors like grape, strawberry, lemon, etc. I have more, but these are the only ones I have readily available photo of.

SPB

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

This next group are from Mike Bryant's web page, and are some of the rarer San Diego only bottles. I'm still looking for both the "Country Boy" and the "Don Diego," but they are almost impossible to find, and I have only come across broken pieces of them. To buy either in excellent shape (if you could even find one for sale) they would run about $300.00 each.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

CalifKid ~

Here's a bottle I found along old Hwy 80, and is one for you to watch for as well. It's a "Bum's Root Beer" from Los Angeles - 1941. It's the only one of it's kind I have ever found, (or seen, for that matter). I know it has to be rare/hard to find. So keep your eyes peeled for this one. When I first saw it (under some brush) I thought at first it was just another ordinary beer bottle, and "almost" didn't even bother with it. But then I noticed a hint of yellow paint, and was pleasantly surprized by what it turned out to be. Now I check every brown bottle I stumble upon, because you just never know! [] I'm still not sure what it's worth, but I wouldn't part with it for less than $200.00! (And would probably pass on that because I like it so much). But if you want it for $300.00, I'll "think" about it. Lol [:-]

SPB

 

[TheCaliKid]

Bob -

Thank you for posting these pictures, great stuff. I especially like the Big Chief bottles, are any of those roadside finds by chance?

At this point I don't leave any stone unturned, because like you said, you never know.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Bob too ...

Only two of the Big Chief's are "roadsides." I can't recall this second which ones, but I do know I found one of them along old Route 66 near Oatman, Arizona. Great country, but very, very rocky and dry. It's amazing the bottle even survived being tossed. Oatman is famous for it's wild burros in the area that walk around the "ghost town" and love to be fed raw carrots they sell to tourist to feed them.

SPB

 

[TheCaliKid]

Yeah that's pretty amazing that a bottle could survive a throw onto hard rocks........must have been that thick glass back in the day!

BTW, my name isn't "Bob" lol, that's just a moniker I use to when signing for crap online, I really hate filling out all the boxes for everything you do online.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

CalifKid ... a.k.a. "Not Bob"

I may have to change the title of this thread to ...

"BOTTLE HUNTING IN THE SOUTHWEST"

That way I/we won't get into trouble by getting off-topic. But I have always felt if the thread owner doesn't mind, then it shouldn't be a problem.

With that said ... go to Google Earth and search "Oatman, Arizona." There are a ton of photos there of the town itself and it's famous burros. But of particular interest here is found about 1 1/2 miles to the Northeast. Be sure to stay on the narrow Route 66 that winds to the east, and look for a posted photo entitled, "Old Mother Road." It was near that very corner where I found the Big Chief bottle, (plus a few other "common" brands). And, no ... the thick glass isn't what saved it. There are Mesquite and Ocitillo plants sparsely scattered in this region, and it was partially buried under a Mesquite bush where I found it. Right near there I also found an old rusty sign from the 1920s of 30s, that reads "Wal-A-Pai Auto Court - Kingman." It has an arrow on it that at one time pointed to the east where Kingman is located about 30 miles away. The motel is still there (under a different name now) but has been abandoned and at risk of being torn down by the city of Kingman. I took the sign to the museum in Kingman, and although the curator dearly wanted it (one of a kind as far as he knew) I had just found it and was not interested in giving it up at the time. That was about three years ago, and I still have it. But it is so rusted the paint is just barely legible.

Now ... as long as your on Google Earth, search "Desert View Tower, California" and it should take you to the landmark that is east of the town of Jacumba, and is the eastern most line of the San Diego county. The Desert View Tower is on old Hwy 80, and the road temporarily dead ends there. (Some photos). This is the farthest east that I will usually go on local hunts, as from this point the freeway drops directly into the desert and El Centro beyond. No way am I going down into that country unless I have to. I have found some pretty good stuff over the years between Jacumba and the Tower. In fact, I think I have picked it clean to the bone by now. When I last checked, the Tower was still for sale for "One million" and although a dying landmark that was built in the 1920s, it would make a great bottle museum if someone had the time, money and interest to develop it.

Anyhoo ... that's my San Diego (Bottle Show) story, and invite anyone visiting the area to look me up and I will buy you a Rootbeer. []

SPB

 

[TheCaliKid]

Bob -

We should just start a new repostitory thread titled "BOTTLE HUNTING IN CALIFORNIA", and add all our new roadside finds to it. Show those East Coastie diggers that we get down and dirty too (and get prickled to death lol) []

My brothers girlfriend lives in Arizona, way up in the extreme northeast corner of the state. She actually lives on the reservation outside of Fort Defiance. Was out in Arizona two months ago, but probably won't be gong back anytime soon.

I'll check out those places on Google Earth when I just a good sized chunk of time. I'll bet you have made any future generations of bottle hunters in San Diego county very disappointed! (lol, just kidding man)


BTW, I have some more questions.........how long have you been collecting? How many bottles total do you have? And, could you post pictures of you favorite roadside finds?