# Value of 1928 BIG CHIEF soda bottle?



## TheCaliKid (Jun 8, 2010)

Hey everyone, I found this BIG CHIEF soda bottle last weekend...............it has "BOTTLE PATD DEC29 1928" embossed near the bottom of the bottle. It is in excellent / mint condition - no nicks or scratches. 


 It also has "SANTA BARBARA CAL" embossed on the bottom. Can anyone give me a ballpark value? Also, how rare is this particular design in the BIG CHIEF lineup? Thanks much.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jun 9, 2010)

TheCaliKid ~

 Welcome to "The Club." If you haven't discovered it yet, you should soon realize this is the best bottle site on the internet, with a wealth of valuable information for both the novice collector as well advanced collectors pouring in on a regular basis. It's great to see another member from California like myself. West coast members seem to be as rare as some of the bottles posted here.

 Regarding you Big Chief deco/designer bottle, those are always great finds. But, for the most part, still considered by many to be fairly common. There are usually a ton of them on e-Bay, and typically sell in the $15.00/$20.00 price range. There are a multitude of variations, including both the embossed examples like yours as well as (ACL) painted label ones. I have about twenty of the acls, and am always looking for ones I don't have.

 In case you didn't already know about it, and happen to live in the vacinity, the annual San Diego bottle show is this coming weekend (Saturday, June 12th). I will be there myself, and although not a seller, I will be looking for soda bottles, especially ones with a western theme like cowboys and Indians, etc.  Let me know if you plan on attending, and I will buy you a root beer, (er, I mean root beer "to drink," and not a bottle to collect).  Lol  []

 Thanks for sharing,

 SODAPOPBOB


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## TheCaliKid (Jun 9, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  SODAPOPBOB
> 
> TheCaliKid ~
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> ...


 
 Thank you for the warm welcome,  		  SODAPOPBOB. Yes, this place is rather amazing, and I just found it yesterday. 

 As you stated, I have also noticed that there is a lack of West Coast members. But I think that is due to the fact that it is pretty hard to find old bottles out here. Last weekend I got lucky and by pure chance discovered a 3/4 mile section of old abandoned road - that's where I found the BIG CHIEF bottle. I was only able to walk about 1/5 of it, as it was very hot and I didn't have the time either. I plan on going back there this weekend. 

 It is only the second bottle I have ever found, so I'm a total newbie to this hobby. The last bottle I found on a dry lakebed 5 years ago. I have never done any digging. I don't think you could do any digging on an old road anyway - there's too much ground to cover and a metal detector won't help you. 

 Concerning my BIG CHIEF find, I like it very much. I found a picture of all the different styles, and I like mine the most. The ACL from the 50's is really sweet too, and they seem to fetch the most money. I did find a bottle exactly like mine on ebay, that wasn't in quite as good condition, and it went for $30.........but I will never sell mine. Not interested in that at all.


 Thank you for the kind offer, I live in Ventura. Back in the 1990's I lived in Romona and Poway, so I am familiar with the area. I am a born and bred native Californian, as are both of my parents. Finding a bottle in California that was made in California is special to me. Oh, and by the way, I guess you could say that I am a "big kid" because I will by 29-years old tomorrow!


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jun 9, 2010)

Cali ~

 See how this works?  You've only been around one day and you already have a shortened nickname. (Providing you don't mind, of course).

 By the way, Happy Birthday! But be reminded; it's like my 88 year old father says, "Birthdays are a lot of fun, but too many of them will kill you!"  Lol  []

 Here is a photo of my favorite Big Chief, and one to look for. It's from Ely, Nevada and dated 1956. I like it best because of the brightly colored label (most acl Big Chief's are red and white) and because it is considered "somewhat" hard to find. Plus this particular example is in almost pristine mint condition. My guesstiment would place the value at around $75.00. (Ely is a small gold mining town - population about 4000 -  in easter Nevada, and one of my favorite places to visit). 

 I too look for bottles along old roadways, and seem to find a lot of them about a foot down under layers of oak tree leaf mold. I think motorist used the trees as targets, but would often miss the tree entirely, thus leaving the bottles buried under decades of falling leaves. It's like they just layed there waiting for me to come along fifty-plus years later and pick them up. The only thing I don't like about this type of hunting/digging is the "stink" ants that call these Live Oak trees home. I hate those little boogers - and they bite too - but I seem to be immune now to their stings. And as far as general digging is concerned, it seems a lot of the ground in Southern California is like concrete, and requires a jackhammer to bust through it.

 Take care, and good hunting.

 SPB


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jun 9, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: SODAPOPBOB
> 
> Cali ~
> 
> ...


 
 Hmmm ... I have no idea how this quote/duplicate happened ... but I am unable to delete it. Sorry 'bout that ... ???

 SPB


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## TheCaliKid (Jun 9, 2010)

No, I don't mind at all. Thanks, it is a strange feeling to realize your about to hit 30.......the only good thing about growing older is the wisdom you acquire.

 That is a very nice Big Chief bottle you have there. Speaking of ghost towns, I was just in Randsberg, Ca a few weeks ago. There was a lady there running an antiques shop and she had some nice bottles in there. Unfortunately I didn't have any cash on me at the time. 


 I hear ya on looking in the leaves..........are you sure you haven't been smelling those stink bugs? I took this picture of one a few weeks ago:









  This road that I am looking on was so remote back in the day, that I suspect that people would stop from time to time and just have a picnic right there on the side of the road. I am really hoping to find some complete bottles the next time I go.



 Here are some pictures of the road:


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## TheCaliKid (Jun 9, 2010)

Oh, I forgot to mention that I am primarily interested in American soda bottles from 1920 - 1950. This is what I hope to find out there.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jun 9, 2010)

Cali ~

 I'm familiar with stink "bugs," (like the one in your photo), but I was afraid to use the term used for the "ants" I was referring to. But now, after doing some research, I've discovered they are actually called ...  Note: My computer automatically **** blocked out a four letter word that starts with a P and ends with two Ss.


 Pissants, Piss Ants
 Small, Nuisance Ant Infestations
 Odorous Ants, Piss Ants, Sugar Ants.

 The photo below shows one doing it's thing. And these are the little boogers I run into around oak trees by the thousands. But I have learned to "rake" the leaves away, opening up about a ten foot circle for digging, and this seems to keep them at bay somewhat.

 The photos of the old road are great, and exactlty the kind of places I seek out for old bottles. At times I literally get on my hands and knees to get to them. But be careful, especially this time of year, because I came face to face once with a big ol' rattlesnake doing this. I usually limit my "under the brush" hunting from around Thanksgiving thru Easter when these critters are hibernating. Last, but not least, I know of at least three rattlesnake dens where, in the late spring and early summer, you can go there and find dozens of rattlers warming themselves in the morning sun. It's quite a rush to experience this, but something I haven't done in over twenty years, and likely will never do again.

 Sorry this turned into a critter colum, (especially on your first day) but, as you already know, in this part of the country it goes hand in hand with bottle hunting.  []

 Take care,

 SPB


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## TheCaliKid (Jun 9, 2010)

The ants where I am going are very big, and they bite too. But I have never encountered any that smell. 

 I am well aware of bugs, ticks, snakes, and other creatures that might cause me harm - I was a chainman on a land survey crew for several years, and we hiked into some fairly god-forsaken country. We ran into rattlesnakes too, and they pretty much leave you alone unless you are looking for trouble. One time my partner came literally face-to-face with a very large black bear.....that was a little scary. 

 Concerning the brush - the trees are mostly Gray Pine, while the scrubs are mostly sage/yucca/coyote brush, etc. I don't think that there is much Live Oak out there. The Gray Pine on average grows to be 30 - 40 feet tall.........and the ones growing close to the sides of the road will be a good age marker. I am going to have to be thinking like a detective out there, if you know what I mean. 

 I plan on starting in the morning, before the cold-blooded creatures get moving around. I will be armed with my rile while I am out there just in case.  I will let you know if I find anything.


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