Lot # : 1535 - COCA-COLA Root GLASS BOTTLE ~ HATTIESBURG, MISS.

SHIPPING AVAILABLE > Standing 7.5" tall, measuring 2.25" in diameter, a pale aqua glass soft drink soda bottle featuring cast relief stylized script lettering at the lower base reading ~ COCA-COLA, along with HATTIESBURG, MISS.. in block letters to the opposite side ~ To the underside base, cast block letters read ROOT, identifying the manufacturer. CONDITION REPORT > As discovered, not cleaned or altered ~ Cloudiness to the from the shoulder, to the neck and mouth ~ Expect typical and minor elements relative to age, handling, material and early production methods ~ Otherwise, a sound example. History Relative to the Root Glass Company The straight-sided bottles were embossed with the classic script logo, featuring "Coca-Cola" written in Spencerian script were often identified by their embossed labels, which included the name of the bottler and the city where they were produced. Root Glass Company was one of the key producers of these bottles, and its work set the stage for a major transformation in Coca-Cola's bottle design. The turning point for Root's involvement came in 1915 when Coca-Cola sought to distinguish its brand from numerous imitators by developing a distinctive bottle. At that time, many other soda brands used similar straight-sided designs, leading to consumer confusion. In response, Coca-Cola launched a design competition among glass companies to create a bottle that would be uniquely associated with the brand, even when broken or shattered. Root Glass Company won the competition with its contour bottle design, which became known as the “hobbleskirt” bottle because of its hourglass shape resembling the silhouette of a hobble skirt, a fashion trend at the time. The design, created by Root's team—consisting of Alexander Samuelson, Earl R. Dean, and others—was inspired by the curves of the cocoa pod, a nod to the Coca-Cola name. Root's design was both practical and visually striking. The contour shape made the bottle easy to grip, and its distinctive profile allowed consumers to recognize it by touch in the dark. The bottle also provided greater strength against breakage compared to the straight-sided designs, which was important for transportation and handling. The contour design was patented by Root in November 1915 and officially introduced to the market in 1916. The bottle’s design became one of the most recognizable packages in the world. Root Glass Company's success with the contour bottle design cemented its legacy in Coca-Cola history, and the company produced many of the early examples of this new bottle. The bottles bore the "ROOT" embossing on the base, identifying the manufacturer, along with the patent date, which often appears as "NOV. 16, 1915." While Root Glass Company continued to produce Coca-Cola bottles for several years, the company's story took another turn in 1932 when it was acquired by the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a major player in the glass industry. Even after Root's acquisition, its contribution to Coca-Cola's branding endured, as the hobbleskirt bottle became synonymous with the Coca-Cola brand worldwide. Today, the early Root Glass Company Coca-Cola bottles, particularly those featuring the 1915 patent date, are highly sought after by collectors. Their significance lies in the role they played in defining the visual identity of Coca-Cola, transitioning from a generic glass bottle to one that became a symbol of the brand’s authenticity and heritage. These early bottles are a testament to the ingenuity of Root’s designers and the lasting impact of their work on the history of beverage packaging. History ~ Hattiesburg, Mississippi Coca-Cola Bottling Company The Hattiesburg, Mississippi Coca-Cola Bottling Company has a history that dates back to the early 20th century, during a period when Coca-Cola expanded rapidly throughout the southern United States through a network of local bottlers. This expansion was instrumental in bringing the popular beverage to small towns and rural areas, and Hattiesburg played a key role in serving the southeastern Mississippi market. The Hattiesburg Coca-Cola Bottling Company was officially established in 1906. It was part of the broader trend of local entrepreneurs obtaining bottling rights from The Coca-Cola Company, which supplied syrup to regional bottling franchises. These bottlers mixed the syrup with carbonated water and distributed the finished product in bottles, making the drink more accessible to people who lived outside major cities where fountain sales were predominant. The Hattiesburg plant began as a small operation, bottling Coca-Cola in straight-sided bottles, which were typical before the introduction of the contour bottle in 1915. These early bottles often featured the name of the city embossed on the bottle, making them distinctive to collectors today. The bottles produced in Hattiesburg would have had the city name “Hattiesburg, Miss” embossed on them, helping to identify the origin of each bottle. As demand for Coca-Cola increased, the Hattiesburg bottling plant grew, moving to larger facilities over the years to accommodate the rise in production. The plant served not only the city of Hattiesburg but also surrounding communities in Forrest County and other parts of southern Mississippi. The bottling plant was critical in providing employment opportunities for local residents and played a significant role in the local economy during its peak years of operation. Like many local Coca-Cola bottlers across the United States, the Hattiesburg operation adapted to changes in packaging, from the straight-sided bottles of the early 1900s to the iconic contour bottle and later, to modern packaging formats like cans and plastic bottles. The shift to the hobbleskirt contour bottle in 1916 was a significant moment, as it helped standardize the look of Coca-Cola nationwide while retaining the local connection through embossed city names on the bottles. By the mid-20th century, the Hattiesburg bottling company had become an established part of the community, often sponsoring local events, supporting sports teams, and engaging in charitable activities. This was common practice for Coca-Cola bottlers, who sought to build strong relationships with their communities while promoting the brand. In more recent decades, many local bottling operations like the one in Hattiesburg were consolidated into larger regional bottling groups to improve efficiency and streamline production. This shift was part of the broader trend in the beverage industry to centralize operations. Today, Coca-Cola products in the Hattiesburg area are distributed by larger bottling groups, but the legacy of the original Hattiesburg Coca-Cola Bottling Company remains a part of the city’s local history, reflecting its role in the growth of the Coca-Cola brand in the American South.