SB&C CO Aqua Bottle.

Theohiooutdoors

Tenderfoot
May 20, 2018
5
10
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Hello all. Nice forum you have here. I own an outdoor related forum and my membership is stumped on this one. I've read around on your site but just can't put all the pieces together. I do know thanks to you guys that the SB&C Co was a bottle supplier from 1881 to 1905 when they were purchased by the American Bottling Company but that's it.

I purchased this bottle for a buck at an antique flea market simply because it still had the original wire cage and stopper installed.

SB&C Co embossed bottom.
No other bottom marks
The only other mark is a small "19" on the right side of the bottle on the bottom rim.
9.5 inches tall.
Has a slightly recessed oval on what is presumably the front that is 3 inches wide and 2.5 inches tall.

I'm trying to figure out a probable date or date range. As well as potential contents. And while value is always in the eye of the collector a ballpark guesstimate on worth since I only gave a buck for it.
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Thanks for any help you guys can come up with.
 

epackage

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2010
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Hewitt N.J.
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That's S.B.& G.CO………….Streator Bottle & Glass Company, Streator, Illinois (1881-1905). The Streator plant eventually became part of the American Bottle Company, then later Owens Bottle Company, and finally part of the Owens Illinois Glass Company (Plant #9). “S.B.& G.CO.” is one of the most commonly seen marks on handblown beer bottles from the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is also seen on other bottles of the period, including pickle bottles, soda bottles and other containers.

As for value, you paid what it's worth, considering there is no label or embossing for the brewer/bottler.
 

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Theohiooutdoors

Tenderfoot
May 20, 2018
5
10
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Interesting. Thanks for the reply. Being aqua instead of brown is it mote likely a soda bottle?

I'm assuming the bottle had a label instead of being embossed like the schlitz example attached that someone else posted. The circle on the schiltz bottle is the same size as the one on mine, just without lettering.

Any idea when they moved the mold mark from the bottom to the lower side of the bottle? I'be seen a good number of them online but they all have the mold mark on the bottom.

schlitz1.jpg
 

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epackage

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2010
1,970
2,327
Hewitt N.J.
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Primary Interest:
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Interesting. Thanks for the reply. Being aqua instead of brown is it mote likely a soda bottle?

I'm assuming the bottle had a label instead of being embossed like the schlitz example attached that someone else posted. The circle on the schiltz bottle is the same size as the one on mine, just without lettering.

Any idea when they moved the mold mark from the bottom to the lower side of the bottle? I'be seen a good number of them online but they all have the mold mark on the bottom.
Your bottle was blown in a mold that could take a slugplate so it would have embossing like the pic you just added, if the bottler didn't want to spend the money to have molds cut a blank was bolted into the opening and you can still see the ring where the embossed slugplate would have gone, and then he would have used only a paper label to save money. There were many bottlers who used embossed bottles AND paper labels together, the paper label would go on the other side of the bottle from the embossing, and with his or her name embossed on the bottle they were pretty much assured their bottles would be returned to them, although sometimes nefarious bottlers would steal bottles from other merchants and place paper labels directly over the embossing to hide who the bottles belonged to and they wouldn't have to buy their own bottles.

With paper label only bottles there was a very good chance you wouldn't get your bottles back and you would end spending extra money buying new bottles since your original bottles could be stolen and used by any other bottler who also only used paper labels. There was no real change from moving the mold mark from the lower side of the bottle to the bottom, some glass houses always used heel marks, some always used base embossing, and some did switch from heel marks to base embossing, while others didn't have any markings at all, just a matter of preference...
 

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Theohiooutdoors

Tenderfoot
May 20, 2018
5
10
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wow thanks for the information buddy. I always enjoy learning about the older ways.
 

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