Need some help on this bottle please

[d2]

On the front label it has: "Alkalize with Chaser. Chases hangovers. Bottled by authority of The Chaser co. Memphis Tenn."
On the back it has' " a refreshing drink " Lithiated.lemon
I was told that this wound up being 7 UP. Anyone know if this is true? Also anyone have a clue as to it's worth? Thanks...d2

 

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[diggummup]

I don't think it was the predecessor to 7-Up but up until 1950 7-Up did contain lithium citrate, a mood stabilizer.here is a little info on it-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51992558@N00/5574488378/
http://www.vintagevending.com/chaser-lithiated-glass
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51992558@N00/5574431232/

Nice bottle.

 

[d2]

Thanks alot for the info...d2

 

[creeper71]

I do believe that is 7UP

http://www.snopes.com/business/names/7up.asp

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

D2 ~ (How's R2 doin' these days?)

There is no connection between "Chaser" and "7up" that I know of. I am 99.9% sure that one will not be found ... other than they were both Alcaline/lithiated beverages. There were numerous lithiated-type beverages back in the day, (they were a popular drink) and many were copycats and/or knock-offs of others.

But I do know there are variations of the "Chaser" bottle, (see below) and that the one you have is considered extremely rare, and possibly quite valuable to the right collector.

The one like yours with the embossment on the shoulder is the earliest one from that brand, and rarely found in good condition. Later they changed it to "Chases Thirst" instead of "Chases Hangovers." Plus they eventually replaced the little "devils/demons" with a greyhound dog to suggest the "chasing" aspect. They were made in both Chattanooga, as well as in Memphis, Tennessee.

I would be real interested in knowing the date on the base. It will most likely be a two-digit number, and from the 1930s. Look for a 38 - 39, etc. Or it might look something like this ... 21 <(I)> 8 ... for 1938

The earliest 7up bottle (also shown below) is dated 1935. It is one of only a very few acl (painted label) soda bottles from that year. The acl process wasn't introduced until around 1934. As yet I have never seen a painted label soda bottle from 1934. The only 1934 acl I know of is a milk bottle by "Kolb's" dairy.

I hope this helps. And please let us know if you intend to sell your "Chaser." I am certain you can get top dollar for it, and will speculate to say at least $100.00, and possibly even more.

SBB

 

[diggummup]

D2 ~ (How's R2 doin' these days?)

There is no connection between "Chaser" and "7up" that I know of. I am 99.9% sure that one will not be found ... other than they were both Alcaline/lithiated beverages. There were numerous lithiated-type beverages back in the day, (they were a popular drink) and many were copycats and/or knock-offs of others.

But I do know there are variations of the "Chaser" bottle, (see below) and that the one you have is considered extremely rare, and possibly quite valuable to the right collector.

The one like yours with the embossment on the shoulder is the earliest one from that brand, and rarely found in good condition. Later they changed it to "Chases Thirst" instead of "Chases Hangovers." Plus they eventually replaced the little "devils/demons" with a greyhound dog to suggest the "chasing" aspect. They were made in both Chattanooga, as well as in Memphis, Tennessee.

I would be real interested in knowing the date on the base. It will most likely be a two-digit number, and from the 1930s. Look for a 38 - 39, etc. Or it might look something like this ... 21 <(I)> 8 ... for 1938

The earliest 7up bottle (also shown below) is dated 1935. It is one of only a very few acl (painted label) soda bottles from that year. The acl process wasn't introduced until around 1934. As yet I have never seen a painted label soda bottle from 1934. The only 1934 acl I know of is a milk bottle by "Kolb's" dairy.

I hope this helps. And please let us know if you intend to sell your "Chaser." I am certain you can get top dollar for it, and will speculate to say at least $100.00, and possibly even more.

SBB

Good info SODABOTTLEBOB. I was thinking this may be a early bottle and worth a buck or two, but I was waiting for someone such as yourself to make that claim, being as how I am not a serious collector and most of my info comes from web research. Thanks for the added information. D2 please let us know the date code numbers on the base.

 

[d2]

Guys, thanks a lot. Theinfo just keeps getting better and better. On the bottom is written: Contents 6 1/2 oz Memphis Tenn. This is around the inside rim of the bottom and in the middle is: 3 <0> 7
1.

I have another one thats not in as good of shape that has the same numbers except the 1 is 2. Thanks for the info. Y'all are great. I have some more bottles I may be posting befor long if y'all dont mind helping me out some...d2

PS: R2 is fine

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

1937 ... That's a nice early one, and in great shape too. The other numbers are as follows ...

SBB

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

D2 ~

Another interesting aspect to this is that during the early 1930s competition among various soda brands was fierce. And the primary reason that 7up (and numerous other brands) gained widespread popularity was not because they taste better, but rather because of advertising. Whoever had the most foresight and money to invest in advertising was typically the brand that made it through this so called blitz of competetion, and are the brands that we know and enjoy today. Had it not been for the fact that Coca Cola branched out of Georgia and poured everything they had into advertising, they likely would have fallen to the wayside like so many others. There are at least 10,000 documented and known brands of soda pop that came and went over the years. "Chaser" is just one of them. One thing that makes "Chaser" especially interesting is the fact that mid-westerner's are some of the most passoniate collectors in the entire country. I know of one collector in that area who has been digging and collecting bottles for thirty years. He claims that he has only seen two "Chaser" bottles like the one in question during that entire time. Thus the extremely rare designation. The variations with the greyhound on the label are considered common by comparison.

Your "Chaser" bottle also falls into a category like the amber 7up below. Like the one I posted earlier, this amber example is also dated 1935. It too is considered extremely rare and in great shape would value somewhere in the $500.00 price range. Only one city (San Diego, Ca) in the U.S. made this "standard 7oz" bottle, and it is highly sought after. I don't have one (yet) but hope to one of these days.

The reason I mention all of this is because if "Chaser" had taken the bull by the horns early on and advertised agressively, they might have been the "lemon-lime" choice flavor of today instead of "7up" and "Sprite." Of course, "Sprite" is a Coca Cola product.

SBB

{Amber 7up - 1935 - San Diego, Ca.}{Followed by my little buddy named "Sprite" - 1942}

 

[d2]

SBB, these were given to me by a friend that was tearing down an old liquor store. After reading the information that y'all have so graciously provided my wife says "Tim, I think there were a couple more of those bottles in those boxes" Thinking I am just fixing to be a millionaire I tear off to my shop and sure enough as I look into the first box I see two more of them. Not in near as good shape but I will post a picture in a few. Thanks for any and all info that you all have given. Pictures in a few...d2

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

D2 ~

If you intend to sell any of them, I may be interested in purchasing one. But please remember, they are only worth about five bucks each! Lol (Don't I wish?) The earlier, "embossed shoulder" ones are the most valuable. I will see what I can find on the value of the "greyhound" examples.

Thanks,

SBB

 

[d2]

4 Chasers...d2

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

D2 ~

Great lineup! Thanks.

I'm still searching around for some solid values. But based on past experience with numerous other soda bottles, I can tell you that one in crappy shape is typically only worth about 1/10 of one in near-mint condition. Meaning, if the third bottle from the left is worth $100.00, then the two on the ends are only worth about $10.00.

But let's wait on speculation like this ... because your best bottle might be worth a lot more. Even as much as ... (to be continued).

SBB

 

[d2]

Your killin me, Smalls. Thanks for the info and cant wait till I get back home tonight. Maybe you will have posted some more info...d2

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

I am well known for hijacking and bombarding forum threads, so please don't think anyhing of it. It's just my nature. Besides, I'm bored and just waiting for my daughter to arrive so we can go shopping.

(Yeah, right! That sounds like fun. But please don't tell her I said that).

Anyway ... Here's an example of a crappy looking bottle that I purchased recently. I actually paid $75.00 for it. But that's okay, because I have already been offered $150.00. I wouldn't sell it for $250.00. It is an extremely rare San Diego, Ca. soda. I know collectors who are willing to pay upwards to $1,000.00 for one in prestine mint condition. But the odds of one like that ever turning up are about a-million-to-one. It is a must have for local collectors, and a very good example of when rarity outweighs condition.

This may very well be the case with the embossed "Chaser" bottle. But there I go speculating again. If I keep this up I may need some foot-in-the-mouth toothpaste later on.

SBB

{"30 Below" - circa 1938}

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

d2 ~

When you get a minute, how'z about a few more pics of the embossed Chaser bottle. Ideally I would like to see another clear pic of the front, plus a larger one of the back. And a focused pic of the base would be great too. I am still doing some detective work, and the pics will help.

Thanks a lot ... no hurry.

Bob

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

d2 ~

I was able to communicate with a couple of Tennessee collectors. Based on their combined opinions they claim the best of your "Chaser" bottles (the older one with the embossed shoulder) is worth about $25.00 in it's present condition ... and about $50.00 for one in mint/near-mint condition. And possibly more to the right collector who just has to have one for his collection. They are definitely scarce in such good condition. One collector said he has only seen a few of them during his thirty years of digging and collecting Tennessee bottles.

I still think you can get $100.00 for it. But you would have to find the right collector to accomplish that.

SBB

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

d2 ~

I wanted to share this "Chaser" glass that I won on e-bay today. With shipping the total came to $19.60. The seller didn't know much about it and in his details described it as 1940s or 50s. But I honestly think it's from the late 1930s because it has the word "Hangovers" on it, which was a term they dropped, as evidenced by the labels on your bottles. I just hope the bidder I was bidding against wasn't you. I didn't mention this earlier because I didn't want to draw too much attention to it. When it arrives I will check it out and let you know if there is anything of interest about it to share.

Thanks to you I am now a "Chaser." The only problem is I rarely catch anything. Lol.

SBB

[ Notice that it refers to the little devils as "Imps." ]

 

[d2]

Wasnt me and that is sweet. I like it...d2

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

d2 ~

I figured it was time for a little update. I have been a busy beaver since my last post. For one, it looks like I'm becoming a "Chaser Collector" afterall. First, I bought the glass. And then just yesterday I was looking on e-bay to see if you listed your bottle yet when I came across the cardboard sign shown below. I bought it because the "Buy It Now" price was set at what I considered to be a steal. I won't disclose what I paid for it just yet as I may want to sell it myself in the near future. But based on everything I know about such things, I'd say it is a $100.00 sign all day long. The seller described it as being in 'like new' condition and that it came from an old store in the midwest. It was also described as weatherproof and suitable for either indoor or outdoor use. But I have to wonder what could be done to cardboard to make it rainproof?

By the way, if you haven't done so already, now might be a good time to list the best of your four bottles on e-bay. I might even bid on it myself now that I'm Mr. Chaser Collector. Plus, I think there may have been just enough recent interest generated about it to possibly make it a hot item. Please let us know if/when you put it on e-bay.

Thanks,

SBB

The seller didn't know for sure, and described the sign as possibly being from the 1960s. But I still think that any Chaser item with the word "Hangerovers" on it is from the late 1930s, and possibly only a single year of 1937. I have seen a picture of a confirmed 1938 bottle, and the word "Hangovers" had already been dropped from the label by that time and replaced with "Thirst." It now appears they only used the term "Hangovers" on their very first bottle, which is like the 1937 example that you have.

1st picture ... Cardboard Chaser sign - 24" x 18"
2nd .............. Manufacture info (closeup) on lower left front.
3rd ............. Hanging instructions and weatherproof info from back.