The Coca-Cola Company is one of the most successful and recognizable brands in the world. Its iconic logo, red and white color scheme, and refreshing taste have made it a favorite beverage for over a century. What many people may not know is that the company's history is intertwined with the history of its famous glass bottles. In this blog post, we'll take a look at the evolution of Coca-Cola bottles including some rare designs which are highly desired among collectors and surprisingly valuable.
History of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia. The drink was initially sold at soda fountains and was dispensed into glasses. The first bottles of Coca-Cola were actually filled at the fountain and sold to customers who wanted to take the drink with them. These bottles were not standardized and were often recycled from other drinks.
In 1899, the Coca-Cola Company began bottling its product for sale outside of soda fountains. At first, the bottles were simple straight-sided bottles with a paper label. These bottles were difficult to transport and prone to breakage, so the company began looking for a better solution.
In 1915, the Coca-Cola Company launched a competition to design a new bottle. The company wanted a bottle that would be distinctive and easily recognized, even if it was broken. The winning design came from Earl R. Dean, a bottle designer for the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Dean's design was inspired by the shape of a cocoa pod, with a distinctive contoured shape and raised lettering on the glass. The bottle was also designed to be easily recognizable in the dark, with a distinctive curve that could be felt even when the bottle was not visible.
The new Coca-Cola bottle, dubbed the "hobble-skirt" bottle because of its distinctive curves, was an instant success. It became an icon of American culture, appearing in movies, advertisements, and even becoming the subject of art and literature.
During World War II, the Coca-Cola Company produced special bottles for the military. These bottles were made of plastic, rather than glass, to reduce breakage during transportation. The bottles were also smaller than the standard 6.5-ounce bottles, to save space on ships and in field rations.
After the war, the Coca-Cola Company returned to glass bottles. In the 1950s, the company introduced the King Size bottle, which was 10 ounces instead of the standard 6.5 ounces. The King Size bottle was designed to appeal to teenagers, who were becoming an important demographic for the company.
In the 1960s, the Coca-Cola Company introduced the Contour bottle, which was an update of the hobble-skirt bottle. The Contour bottle had a slightly narrower waist and a more pronounced curve at the bottom. It also featured a more modern label, with a white wave on a red background.
The Contour bottle became the standard Coca-Cola bottle for many years, but the company continued to experiment with new bottle designs. In the 1990s, the company introduced the fluted bottle, which had vertical ridges in the glass. The fluted bottle was designed to be easier to grip and to give the bottle a more modern look.
In the 2000s, the Coca-Cola Company introduced the PlantBottle, which was made partially from renewable plant materials. The PlantBottle was designed to be more environmentally friendly than traditional plastic bottles.
In recent years, the Coca-Cola Company has continued to experiment with new bottle designs. In 2015, the company introduced the "One Brand" strategy, which unified all of its Coca-Cola products under a single brand. As part of this strategy, the company introduced new packaging that featured a red disk on a white background, with the product name.
Rare Designs
Now we have looked at the history of the iconic Coca-Cola bottle designs throughout the years we will now look into some of the rare and valuable bottle designs which are worth looking out for!
One of the most sought-after Coca-Cola bottles among collectors is the Hutchinson bottle, which was used from 1899 to 1902. These bottles have a wire and rubber stopper and a straight-sided shape, and they were produced in limited quantities. A Hutchinson bottle in good condition can sell for several thousand pounds at auction.
Another rare Coca-Cola bottle is the amber-colored Straight Sided bottle, which was used from 1900 to 1916. These bottles have a distinctive embossed logo and were produced in limited quantities, making them highly sought after by collectors. A Straight Sided bottle in good condition can sell for several hundred to several thousand pounds.
The 1915 Root Glass Company Coca-Cola prototype bottle, which was designed by Earl R. Dean, is another rare and valuable Coca-Cola bottle. Only a few of these bottles were ever produced, and they were used for testing and marketing purposes. In 2011, one of these bottles sold at auction for over £110,000.
The 1923 Coca-Cola Christmas bottle is another rare and collectible bottle. These bottles were only produced for a limited time and are highly sought after by collectors. A 1923 Christmas bottle in good condition can sell for several hundred to several thousand pounds.
The 1955 Coca-Cola prototype bottle, which was designed by Raymond Loewy, is another rare and collectible bottle. These bottles were never put into production, making them extremely rare. In 2015, one of these bottles sold at auction for over £92,000. It's worth noting that these prices are based on past sales and are subject to change based on market demand and other factors.
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