# DATES of Owens-Illinois Glass Company BOTTLES



## jchesley

Hi there-
 Last fall, I began digging a garden in the far back yard of my house just off West Cliff Drive and Woodrow Ave in Santa Cruz, CA. I was about three feet down digging some roots out and came across about 20 bottles in various shapes/sizes (I also found old food cans that were so rusted out they fell apart when I picked them up). Some were totally in-tact, others were just pieces I found and taped together. Iâ€™ve spent a lot of time attempting to date them and looking up the history of this area of Santa Cruz. I even found a photo that shows part of our lot in 1927. At that time, there was nothing on this lot. So, Iâ€™m assuming that most of these bottles are from after that time. I was told that back in the day before garbage pick-up, people would designate various holes in the furthest part of the yard from their house and put their garbage in them. Please, if anyone knows anything about the history of the west side of Santa Cruz, let me know. 

 The largest medicine bottle I have is7" in tall by 2.75" wide. On one side at the top, it says "3viii". On the same side, there are measurements going down each side, the right in cc's the left in oz? The bottom says "OWENS" with the "O" in a sqaure. Thanks!

 The next five responses to this thread are pictures/descriptions of the other five Owens-Illinois Glass Company Bottles


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## jchesley

the next largest is 5.5" by 2" wide. On one side, it says "3iv". on the same side, there are measurements going down both sides. the bottom has a slightly curved "OWENS", and below that it has a "3 followed by the oval/diamond insignia then a 4". Looking for a date. Thanks!


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## jchesley

The next one is 5" tall by 1.75" wide. One side of the bottle has a 3 circled on it. The same side has measurement numbers on both sides all the way up the bottle. The bottom has "Illinois" curved and below that a "2 followed by the oval/diamond insignia, and a 0". Looking for date. Thanks!


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## cowseatmaize

They sound like sometime after 1929. The Roman numerals were a common mark of size. I remember them in the 70's for cough medicines I was prescribed also. Cork type might be earlier


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## jchesley

The next one is 4.5" tall by 1.25" wide. On one side it says "3ii", with measurement numbers going up both sides. the bottom says Owens "6 Insignia 9".


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## JOETHECROW

Jillian,...Welcome to the forum...Perhaps you could access Sanborn fire maps that show your neighborhood,...sometime you can do this through your local library and figure out just when things took place on your property....they tend to be very detailed and were updated every few years, starting usually before the turn of the century, so it's easy to understand when buildings were constructed, removed, etc....


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## jchesley

Thanks for the info. In fact all of the medicine bottles are cork not screw caps. Thanks for reminding me to mention that.


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## NYCFlasks

With the stopper finish, I would date the bottles to the 1920's.  There was a super piece in one of the hobby magazines awhile back, on dating Owens bottles, I suspect it was the Federation publication Bottles and Extras as they have had many well researched pieces on dating.


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## epackage

OWENS................. Owens Bottle Company, Toledo, OH (1903-1929) and it's successor [after the merger with Illinois Glass Company], Owens-Illinois Glass Company (1929-to date). Mark is confirmed on a clear druggist bottle with date code of 1947. Sometimes just the "O" of "Owens" is enclosed within a square. I don't know when this mark was first used during the OBC years, so will have to go with "1903-1929" until further info is uncovered. I believe the mark was used up into the 1950s or '60s by Owens-Illinois, but have no definite info on ending date. See "O in a square". 


 O in a square..........Owens Bottle Company, Toledo OH (1903-1929), also Fairmont, WV; Clarksburg, WV, and other plant locations. Owens Bottle Co. merged with the Illinois Glass Company of Alton, IL in 1929 to form the Owens-Illinois Glass Company. (Julian Toulouse stated this mark was first used in 1911, but according to U.S. Patent & Trademark Office data, Owens claimed first use was not until 1919! Take your pick on which date you will accept . See "OWENS


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## madman

http://www.sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/owensbottlecompany.pdf


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