A single Empire Products Corporation advertisement
for NuGrape appeared in 1933 (EPCD 1933). The bottle replaced the
Dr. Pepper bottle's position in the upper right corner of the ad, but no
accompanying text touted the new product.
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The Bottles of the Empire Dynasty - Empire Products Corp. (Continued)
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| NuGrape
The NuGrape Company of America, Atlanta, Georgia, was organized in 1921 under the management of O. R. Randall. By the 1950s, the name had been changed to National NuGrape Company, but the home office remained in Atlanta. NuGrape is currently distributed by the Monarch Company of the same city (Riley 1958:264, 286-288; Beverage World 1995-1996 DATABANK, 254). |
A single Empire Products Corporation advertisement
for NuGrape appeared in 1933 (EPCD 1933). The bottle replaced the
Dr. Pepper bottle's position in the upper right corner of the ad, but no
accompanying text touted the new product.
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| E 14
Method of Manufacture: Machine Color: Colorless [Georgia Green] Size (in cm.): 19.4 (h); 4.8 (d) at waste; 6.0 (d) at widest points Primary Labeling Style: Embossed Finish: Crown Capacity: 6 oz. Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical with a thin embossed band that severely constricted the waist forming a "snowman" shape. Three embossed rings separated the upper "snowball" from the normally-shaped neck. A similar embossed ring encircled the heel. Front Description Shoulder: Three embossed rings Body: Upper "snowball:" the word NuGrape was embossed in script on the upper sphere superimposed over a seven-point star. A banner underlined the word NuGrape embossed with A FLAVOR YOU CAN TRUST. Below the star were the words, SODA. [One variation replaced SODA with IMITATION GRAPE] [A second variation replaced SODA with MIN CONTENTS 6 FL. OZ.on the front and TRADE MARK REGISTERED on the back; the lower "snowball" was bare except for the patent information on the back heel] Lower "snowball:" embossed, MIN CONTENTS 6 FL. OZ. Heel: Bare Back Description Shoulder: See front description Body: Same as front in upper "snowball." Lower "snowball:" embossed, TRADE MARK REGISTERED Heel: BOTTLE PAT'D MARCH 9, 1920 Base: Bare [Embossed - WACO, TEX] Manufacturer: Unknown Dating: [1932-1944] Although NuGrape was only advertised in 1932, it was probably offered by Empire from that time until just before Barq's Bottling Company began advertising the product in 1945. Collection(s): Willies F. Tarrases collection; author's collection.
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| Mission Beverages
Like most long-term beverage companies, Mission went through a variety of names and locations. The first products were offered by California Crushed Fruit from Los Angeles. After the initial success of Mission Orange in the beverage market, the Mission Dry Corporation was formed and became Mission of California, Incorporated of New Haven, Connecticut by the 1950s (Riley 1958:286-287). The Empire Product Corporation distributed Mission Beverages from sometime after the origin of Mission Orange in 1929 to probably about 1956.
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| E15
Method of Manufacture: Machine Color: Amber (almost opaque black glass) Size (in cm.): 24.4 (h); 6.7 (d) Primary Labeling Style: Paper Finish: Crown Capacity: 12 oz. Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical Front Description Neck/Shoulder: An orange and yellow paper label existed at one time but (except for one end) is missing from the example. A white and silver foil seal enclosed the upper neck and finish. Body: The paper label had an orange background with a drawing of a market scene, probably from the late Spanish Colonial period. The scene depicted the marketing of oranges. In the center of the label was an abbreviated square that proclaimed MISSION/DRY/Orange (script)/SPARKLING. The picture of a tan jug rested at the base of the square to the right of the words TRADE MARK REG./U. S. PATENT OFFICE. The word CARBONATED appeared at the bottom of the label. The bottom left portion of the label identified the company as CALIFORNIA CRUSHED/FRUIT CORPORATION/LOS ANGELES, CALIF., U. S. A./© 1929 C. C. F. CORP. The bottom right suggested SERVE ICE COLD/NET CONTENTS 12 FL. OZS./PRINTED IN U. S. A. Back Description Neck/Shoulder: Bare Body: Bare Heel: Embossed - IPG-in-a-triangle Base: Embossed - MISSION/ORANGE/DRY/REG. Manufacturer: Illinois Pacific Glass Corporation (1925-1930) Dating: [1929-ca. 1935] The copyright on the label, coupled with the end date of manufacture reduces the possible dates for this individual bottle to 1929 and 1930. Use of bottles of this type may have extended into the mid-1930s. Collection(s): Mike Morrison Collection, Las Cruces.
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| At least two major variations and one sub-variation of the post-1934 Mission Beverages ACL bottles are know that fall into roughly the same time period. |
| E 16
Method of Manufacture: Machine Color: Colorless Size (in cm.): 7 oz. - 22.2 (h); 5.8 (d) [10 oz. 24.4 (h); 6.2 (d)] [32 oz. - 29.7 (h); 9.0 (d)] Primary Labeling Style: White and Black ACL [one example with only white ACL] Finish: Crown Capacity: 7 oz. [9, 10, 12 & 32 oz.] Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical with embossed rounded vertical ribs extending from upper body to the shoulder then sloping to the right to curl around to a final embossed ring around the center of the neck. Variations (including 32-oz.) had an abbreviated continuation of the ribs on the heel. Front Description Body: A white ACL, round-cornered square enclosed a somewhat round black background with white lettering with a logo of a mission followed by the words MISSION/BEVERAGES/Naturally Good (script). Stenciled across the top of the white square was the message BOTTLED BY QUALITY BOTTLERS EVERYWHERE and across the bottom with UNDER LICENSE OF MISSION DRY CORPORATION. [in the white ACL only variation, the black circle is replaced by a clear space] [32-oz. - A black, round-cornered square surrounded a white circle. The upper section of the black area stated MISSION in white letters (downward arch) with UNDER LICENSE OF/MISSION DRY CORPORATION (upward arch) in the lower section. The white circle contained the mission logo/BEVERAGES/_________/BOTTLED BY/QUALITY BOTTLES/EVERYWHERE] Heel: Embossed - NET CONTENTS 7 OZS. [CONTENTS 9 OZS.] [CONTENTS 10 OZS.] [NET CONTENTS 12 OZS.] Back Description Body: White ACL - Naturally (script)/Good (script)/EMPIRE PRODUCTS CORP./EL PASO, TEXAS [32-oz. - white ACL - within a white-outlined oval, Tested and Approved/SERIAL NO. [star] 4346/by/Good Housekeeping/Bureau/Conducted by/GOOD HOUSEKEEPING MAGAZINE. Below the oval, Naturally/Good (slanted script)/CROWN BOTTLING CO./MANKATO, MINN. Heel: Embossed - NET CONTENTS 7 OZS. [32 oz. - Embossed - NET CONTENTS ONE QUART] Base: Embossed - G1140/3 I-in-an-oval-superimposed-on-a-diamond 6/1 [MISSION DRY CORPORATION/L-G/194-3/56] [MISSION DRY CORPORATION around the rim and B-in-a- circle] [MISSION DRY CORPORATION/[I-in-an-oval-superimposed-on-a-diamond]/Duraglass in script] [32 oz. - MISSION DRY CORP. (downward arch)/G1381/9 I-in-an-oval- superimposed-on-a-diamond 0/1] Manufacturer: Owens Illinois Glass Company (1929-1954) [Liberty Glass Company (1946- 1954)] [Brockway Glass Company (1925-[present)] Dating: [1936-ca. 1956] Bottles of this sort probably date from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s, about the time of the sale of Empire to Grapette in 1956. The 32-ounce bottle was probably made in 1940, but it is unknown whether quart sizes were used in El Paso. The earlier bottles, labeled with EMPIRE PRODUCTS CORP., were probably only used during the first few years of ACL bottle availability. After that, the local identification was probably dropped. Collection(s): Bill Ethridge collection; El Paso Coliseum collection; Lawrence Angus collection; Mike Morrison Collection, Las Cruces; Viola Salas Collection, Alamogordo; author's collection.
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| Another version used blue and white ACL lettering. |
| E 17
Method of Manufacture: Machine Color: Colorless Size (in cm.): 22.2 (h); 5.8 (d) Primary Labeling Style: Blue and White ACL Finish: Crown Capacity: 7 oz. Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical with embossed rounded vertical ribs extending from upper body to the shoulder then sloping to the right to curl around to a final embossed ring around the center of the neck and an abbreviated continuation of the ribs on the heel. Front Description Neck: Smaller version of body logo without the mission, ©, or OF CALIFORNIA Body: A white ACL rectangle that arched downward at the top and upward at the bottom. A blue rectangle was superimposed over the white one with a white mission at the top center. White lettering identified the company as MISSION©/OF CALIFORNIA. Back Description Neck: Same as front Body: White ACL - Naturally Good (script)/IN ALL FLAVORS/CONTENTS 7 FL. OZS./MISSION ORANGE BOTTLING CO./BIG SPRING, TEXAS Base: Embossed - MISSION DRY CORP./NET CONTENTS 7 OZS. around the outer circumference and L-G/17-2/58 in the center Manufacturer: Liberty Glass Company (1946-1954) Dating: [ca. 1955-ca. 1968] Bottles of this type were probably in use from the mid-1950s to the late 1960s. These bottles may not have actually been used in El Paso. Collection(s): Mike Morrison Collection, Las Cruces.
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| 76
At some point Empire Product Corporation carried a drink named only by the numerals 76 in an italicized configuration. |
| E 18
Method of Manufacture: Machine Color: Forest Green Size (in cm.): 20.3 (h); 5.7 (d) Primary Labeling Style: Red and White ACL Finish: Crown Capacity: 7 oz. Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical Front Description Neck: A white ACL horizontal oval stenciled to allow the green glass color to show through in the form of a 76 Body: A white ACL rectangle with red horizontal bars across top and bottom. The top red bar contained the word, Drink, in white script, followed by a red 76, flanked by a single star on either side in the white area. Below the 76, T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. was stenciled into the white enamel. The final red bar proclaimed REFRESHING (star) DELICIOUS in italicized capitals. Below the logo in fine print was the message BOTTLED UNDER AUTHORITY AMERICAN 76 CO. CHICAGO in red. Back Description Neck: Same as front Body: A red ACL line drawing on white background of three marching cartoon minute-men with fife and drums with the message, Get in the Spirit! above and DRINK 76 below. Red ACL lettering below proclaimed, CONTAINS CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR/AND CITRIC ACID. FLAVOR DERIVED/FROM LEMON AND LIME OILS./CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ./BOTTLED BY/EMPIRE PRODUCTS/EL PASO, TEXAS Base: Embossed - I-in-an-oval-superimposed-on-a-diamond and Duraglass in script (after 1940) Manufacturer: Owens Illinois Glass Company (1929-1954) Dating: [ca. 1940-ca. 1950] Very little historical information exists, but Bates' (Bates et al 1996a:S-7) information suggests a usage during the mid- to late 1940s. All bottles found at the El Paso Coliseum site, however, cannot have postdated the construction of the Coliseum in 1942. Probable dating, therefore, is from about 1940 to about 1950 Collection(s): Bill Ethridge collection; El Paso Coliseum Collection.
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| Table
of Contents
Chapter 5e - The Bottles of the Empire Dynasty - Empire Bottling Co. and Grapette |
