Chapter 8b Bottles of the Magnolia Coca-Cola Bottling Company © Bill Lockhart 2000

San Antonio Brewing Association      Although these are not soda bottles, Carl Kirchner listed himself as sole distributor for San Antonio Brewing Association during the three years (1908-1910) when he was president (first-listed owner in 1908 before the firm incorporated) of Magnolia Bottling Company.  This was most likely one of the brands of beer distributed by Magnolia during those early years Lucky interview; (EPCD 1908-1910).

M 01  Method of Manufacture:  Two-Piece Mold  Color:  Amber  Size (in cm.):  19.0 (h); 6.1 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  ca. 7 oz. (est.)  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical  Front Description  Body:  Embossed with three X's in a horizontal row, surrounded by a fine circular chain with the words, SAN ANTONIO, embossed above the central logo in a downward-pointing arch and BREWING ASS'N in an upward-pointing arch below  Back Description  Body:  Bare  Base:  Embossed - AB  Manufacturer:  Adolphus Busch Glass Manufacturing Company (1904-1907)  Dating:  [1908-1912] Although I have not researched San Antonio Beer as such, the brew was probably offered by Magnolia from the company's inception in 1908 until about the time of Kirchner's death in 1912.  Collection(s):  Richard Chavez collection.    Rick Chavez

Houston Ice & Brewing Co.      The second brand distributed by Kirchner, and therefore probably by Magnolia, was that of the Houston Ice & Brewing Company.

M 02  Method of Manufacture:  Machine  Color:  Common Green [Colorless]  Size (in cm.):  19.5 (h); 6.0 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  ca. 7 oz. (the embossed 8 flu. ozs. is incorrect)  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical  Front Description  Body:  Embossed - a five-pointed star with a leafy blossom in the center.  A leafy design was embossed at each of the five indentations created by the star, each probably representing barley, malt, or hops.  HOUSTON ICE & was embossed above the star in a semi-circle, with BREWING CO. below.  Heel:  Bare [Embossed - 8 FLU. OZS.]  Back Description  Body:  Bare  Base:  Bare  Manufacturer:  Unknown  Dating:  [1908-1912] Because of the manufacturing technique (machine-made), bottles of this type were probably used later than those distributed by Magnolia Bottling Company from 1908 to at least 1912.  Earlier bottles may have used paper labels.  No earlier embossed styles have yet been found in El Paso collections.  Collection(s):  Robert Sproull collection; author's collection.

Hope's Flavors      Because the inception of the Magnolia Bottling Company occurred sixteen years after the invention of the crown cap, even the oldest Magnolia bottles contain the familiar crown finish that has remained the industry standard for returnable bottles.  By 1920, Hope's flavors came in "Grape, Cherry, Lemon, Sarsaparilla, Cream Orangeade, Root Beer, Strawberry, etc."  The firm also suggested that the customer "order a case today.  We mix it any way you may desire" (EPH 6/9/1920 7:1).  Magnolia also advertised Magco Ginger Ale which may or may not have been bottled in the same type of container.  The early bottles used for the Hope's brand carbonated fruit drinks were made with the two-piece mold process that used plate molds to produced a noticeable circular mold mark around the embossed letters identifying the bottle.  The earliest bottle type was tall and thin with a rounded base.

M 03  Method of Manufacture:  Two-Piece Mold  Color:  Common Green  Size (in cm.):  22.6 (h); 5.8 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed (Plate)  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  ca. 11 oz.  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical with a highly rounded shoulder and an equally rounded base with a small concave area in the center which allowed the bottle to stand upright.  The general overall configuration of the container, especially the rounded, indented base, is reminiscent of the Circle "A" Brand ginger ale bottles used extensively around the turn of the century.   Smith may have been inspired by such bottles and selected a similar design for Hope's brands.  Front Description  Body:  Embossed circular plate - MAGNOLIA (downward arch)/BOT. CO. (horizontal)/EL PASO, TEX. (upward arch)  Back Description  Body:  Bare  Base:  Rounded, concave, bare  Manufacturer:  Unknown  Dating:  [1908-ca. 1915] These were probably the earliest Magnolia bottles, beginning around 1908.  The Times suggested that Magnolia continued the Hope's flavors until 1936, but this bottle pattern was probably replaced much earlier than 1915 (EPT 11/28/1959 1:2; for a history of Circle "A" Brand ginger ale, see Ellis 1979:100-115).  Collection(s):  Becky Garrett Collection, El Paso Museum of History; author's collection.    Becky Garrett Collection, El Paso Museum of History

The next bottles were smaller and more similar to other El Paso soda bottles of the time.

M 04  Method of Manufacture:  Two-Piece Mold  Color:  Solarized Amethyst; Common Green; Light Blue; Colorless  Size (in cm.):  21.1-22.1 (h); 5.7-6.0 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed (some with plate)  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  ca. 8 oz.  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical with slightly rounded base  Front Description  Body:  Embossed (plate mold) - MAGNOLIA (downward arch)/BOTTLING CO. (horizontal)/EL PASO, TEX. (upward arch) [variation 1  - period below the "O" (i.e. after TEXAS) rather than following it] [variation 2 - TEXAS with periods after both CO. and TEXAS.] [variation 3 - same as variation 2 but no plate mold]  Back Description  Body:  Bare  Heel:  I. G. Co. 422 (all I. G. Co. variations have the same mold number) [variation 3 - 1116 ROOT 9]  Base:  Bare  Manufacturer:  Illinois Glass Company (1880-1900) [Root Glass Co. (1901-1932)]  Dating:  [1908-ca. 1915] Bottles of this type were probably used shortly after the inception of the company in 1908 (although later than the original bottles-above), and were likely replaced by machine-made bottles around 1915.  Although Toulouse (1972:264-268) suggests that the mark was used between 1880 and 1900, it was either used later in producing a bottle for a company that did not exist prior to 1908, or the mark was also used by some other company.  Collection(s):  Becky Garrett collection, El Paso Museum of History; Willie F. Terrazas collection; John Gross Collection; Rick Chavez collection; author's collection.    [David Cole]

Another style was used during the same period.

M 05  Method of Manufacture:  Two-Piece Mold  Color:  Georgia Green  Size (in cm.):  19.5 (h); 5.9 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed/Paper  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  ca. 7 oz.  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical  Front Description  Body:  Bare for paper label  Heel:  PROPERTY OF MAGNOLIA BOTTLING CO.EL PASO, TEX. (no space between CO. and EL)  Back Description  Body:  Bare  Heel:  Bare  Base:  Bare  Manufacturer:  Unknown  Dating:  [1908-1915] Because the contents of the bottle are uncertain, it must be dated from the inception of the company in 1908 to the change in the company name to Magnolia Coca-Cola Bottling Company (as well as the change to machine-made bottles) in 1915.  Collection(s):  El Paso Coliseum Collection; author's collection.

The next style was also used during the same time period.

M 06 Method of Manufacture:  Two-Piece Mold  Color:  Georgia Green  Size (in cm.):  19.2 (h); 6.0 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed (plate)  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  6.5 oz.  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical  Front Description  Shoulder:  Embossed - REGISTERED/6½ FL. OZ. [variation - bare shoulder]  Body:  Embossed circular plate - PROPERTY OF (downward arch)/MAGNOLIA (horizontal)/BOTTLING, CO. (upward arch) [note comma after BOTTLING] [one variation has the plate mold upside down] Back Description  Shoulder:  Bare  Body:  Bare  Base:  Embossed - EL PASO, TEXAS [variation - El Paso/2/TEXAS]  Manufacturer:  Unknown  Dating:  [1908-ca. 1915] Bottles of this type were probably used between 1908 and 1915.  Collection(s):  Willie F. Terrazas collection; author's collection.    eBay 1999

A paper label bottle was used after the switch to machine-made bottles but prior to the proprietary bottle style that appeared in 1926.

M 07  Method of Manufacture:  Machine (Owens Ring)  Color:  Common Green  Size (in cm.):  19.3 (h); 5.9 (d)  Primary Labeling Style:  Paper (not present on sample)  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  7 oz.  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical  Front Description  Shoulder:  Embossed - CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ.  Body:  Blank (space for paper label)  Heel:  Embossed - 0S1413R/PROPERTY OF MAGNOLIA  Back Description  Shoulder:  Embossed - CONTENTS 7 FL. OZ.  Body:  Blank (space for paper label)  Heel:  Embossed - BOTTLING CO.EL PASO,TEX (no space between CO. and EL)  Base:  Concave, indented - no markings but Owens ring  Manufacturer:  Unknown  Dating:  [ca. 1915-1926] This bottle was likely used from the change to machine-made bottles about 1915 to the proprietary bottles that followed in 1924 or 1926 (see below).  Collection(s):  Author's

Hope's Lime, Orange, and Lemon flavors were advertised in 1924 in distinctive square bottles.  The ad showed the bottles bearing the word MAGNOLIA embossed on a design background at the shoulder-neck area and suggested, "Ask for and Get HOPE'S LIME IN SQUARE BOTTLES" (Lockhart & Olszewski 1995:76-77; Paul & Parmalee 1973:25-26; advertisement in the Richard Chavez collection from 9/9/1924).  Other generic, square-bodied Coca-Cola Soda Water bottles have been found in the area, although they are not labeled with the Magnolia name.    Magnolia ad, 9/9/1924 - Rick Chavez Collection

M 08  Method of Manufacture:  Machine  Color: Georgia Green [Colorless; Georgia Green]  Size (in cm.):  19.5 (h); 6.0 (d) shoulder & base; 5.0 (d) square body section  Primary Labeling Style:  Embossed  Finish:  Crown  Capacity:  6 oz.  Overall Bottle Design:  Cylindrical at base and shoulder with square body section and hexagonal neck/shoulder leading to rounded neck.  Each of the hexagonal neck/shoulder panels was embossed with a magnolia blossom. [generic - same but generic bottle is embossed with stars on the shoulder panels]  Front Description  Neck/Shoulder:  Embossed - Magnolia blossoms [generic - stars]  Shoulder:  Embossed - SODA WATER/MAGNOLIA COCA-COLA [generic - SODA WATER/PROPERTY OF COCA-COLA]  Body:  Square  Heel:  Embossed - 1865EG28 [1865EG25] [generic - 1865EG28]  Back Description  Neck:  See front  Shoulder:  Embossed - MAGNOLIA/BOTTLING CO. CON. 6 FL. OZ. [generic - SODA WATER/BOTTLING CO. CON. 6 FL. OZ.]  Body:  Square  Heel:  Embossed - PATENTED JUNE 1, 1926 [bare] [generic - PATENTED JUNE 1, 1926] [generic - bare]  Base:  Embossed - EL PASO/TEXAS [generic - bare except for Owens Ring]  Manufacturer:  Unknown  Dating:  [1926-1936] These elaborately designed "proprietary" bottles became popular in the early 1920s and remained so until the mid-1930s when they were replaced by the simplified glass design required to allow room for the newly applied process of baked enamel (ACL) lettering.  Hope's flavor bottles of this design may be dated from 1926 (patent date) to the termination of Hope's brand in 1936.  The 1924 ad in Rick Chaves' collection is clipped from a newspaper and may be misdated.  For the generic bottle, a national end date has not been determined.  Like the Magnolia bottles, these could not have been used beyond 1936 in El Paso.  Collection(s):  Robert Sproull collection; El Paso Coliseum collection; Mike Morrison collection; author's collection.    Mike Morrison Mognolia Blossom on Shoulder

Table of Contents Chapter 8c - More Bottles of Magnolia