Putting a Spin on The Bottle
How the Coke bottle came to be.
I got another check in the mail today and it made me think about the man I used to work for not all that long ago. For some time I was the news director for a pair of stations in central Florida. They were owned by the Chapman J. Root Foundation and I sometimes wondered about where my paycheck came from. It came from Mr. Root, of course, but he didn’t make his fortune from broadcasting even though he owned many other radio and TV stations around the country. He had something else up his sleeve. For 20 years he held the patent on the six-ounce coca-cola bottle.
image via wikipedia
In 1915 Root ordered his supervisors to design a soda bottle so distinctive people “…could tell it from others in the dark.” They went to work and decided the bottle should look like two of the ingredients in Coke–the coca leaf and the kola nut. The problem was no one knew what those items looked like. They finally located a photograph of a cocoa pod in an encyclopedia and a man named Earl Dean came up with a design that won Root’s approval.
image via widipedia
A few were made and a patent was issued but the prototypes never got into production because the middle was too fat–the bottles were too unstable for the conveyor belt. It was back to the drawing board and the result was the small Coke bottle that went on the market in 1916 and is still in use today and for many years was the only size Coca-Cola bottled.
Dean was given the option of a $500.00 bonus or a lifetime position with the company. He passed up the money. Root sold his patent to Owens-Illinois in 1935.
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27 Comments
Diverseblogger, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Very informative piece! It sure is nice to see the “Original” Coca-Cola bottle. My Aunt actually has one that she has been saving for a while… Great article
Hugo La Rosa, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Now we know something more about the illustrious shape of the Coca Cola bottle. Great informative article. Thank you; it’s certainly a little historical vignette!
Christine Ramsay, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Gosh! You learn something new every day. Thanks for the info. Ken. Nice work.
Christine
Darla Smith, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Very interesting article.
Toni Love, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
You I was going by the bottling company in Georgia and guess what? I was wondering about how the bottle got its shape.
Thanks, very informative work.
Zappy, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Ken,
Top Notch A !!!
Pioneer Innovative wealth in informative alluring attention getter.
Great Article!!!
Back in the day a Patent solid as steel. Now adays any Patent can be modified. Too bad long ago you didn\’t meet Jamie and Steve: Ken the first writer as the BIONIC News Director. I\’m getting a coca-cola jewelry concept be careful with that lethal weapon (Pen) or should I say typing keys in your hand. Deep! Deep history information buster indeed. Great write!
Zappy
Marie Antoinette, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
I love the coca cola bottle, it looks great with fresh flowers from the field on top of a farm table! This article makes a mundane topic, an interesting one.
Collette Edwards, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
your writing is great as always as well as informative, You could write about anything and make it seam interesting with your talent, Thanks for my daily lesson 
emmahaynes, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Very interesting can’t believe you worked for the guy!
mzmax100, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Interesting article, original and unique. A well through out research and presented well with some appropriate images.
Way to go!
Lostash, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Great one Ken! Another piece of Americana explained.
teddybear55, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
great article Ken. It was interesting to find out how the coke bottle came to be since I am a coke drinker. I always loved those cute little eight ounce bottles when I was a kid.
Mystify, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
I bet he was glad he didn’t take the 500 dollars! Excellent work Ken as usual a highly enjoyable and worthy read!Always learn something different from you,gotta love that!!
Elizabethabbott, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
One notch above Paul Harvey is it? I think so!!! Thanks for this article. Interesting and unique.
Phill Senters, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Great story! Very interesting.
Cynthia Bartlett, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
interesting article.
B Nelson, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
Both myself and my husband enjoyed reading this. We never knew how the shape was decided on.
Ever notice how drinks in glass taste better… dang.. those bottles really were works of art.
Sarah Sullins, posted this comment on Sep 10th, 2009
I always get to learn something new when I read your articles. Thank you. I thought this was pretty cool.
lindalulu, posted this comment on Sep 10th, 2009
Nice article ken.
Ruby Hawk, posted this comment on Sep 10th, 2009
A bit of history I didn’t know. Thanks Ken, for adding to my knowledge. You didn’t say how much Root sold his bottle for but I will bet it was a pretty penny.
PR Mace, posted this comment on Sep 12th, 2009
Great story, Ken. I have heard this before but it has been a while. Oh and I am a Pepsi girl.
riccardof, posted this comment on Sep 13th, 2009
This was a fascinating article–I liked your wikipedia illustrations.
sunshine926, posted this comment on Sep 15th, 2009
A creative piece.
Jane Jane, posted this comment on Sep 17th, 2009
that original bottle seems nice, sad it didn’t work.=)
lillyrose, posted this comment on Sep 17th, 2009
WOW 1916 the first bottle! Its very strange or I am very strange and perhaps It was leading up to this article but I have been thinking about that bottle once or twice this year, we don’t see them here really but I was thinking about the coke advert that had all the people singing ‘all around the world’ I think, or was it ’sing, sing a song’ yep I think that was maybe it. Anyway less of my mumbling. Thanks for your greatness x
revivor, posted this comment on Sep 18th, 2009
B is certainly right – it tastes so much better from glass!!
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nadinesimone, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
You certainly know how to sell your works. Even Factual Information that could appear in any old encyclopeadia, is made a joy to read, when penned by your good self.