# RARE? 1915 PURPLE AMETHYST COKE



## bamascavenger (Sep 30, 2007)

is this radiated/fake? or is it really rare?
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-1915-PURPLE-AMETHYST-HOBBLESKIRT-COCA-COLA-SC-COKE_W0QQitemZ180116270956QQihZ008QQcategoryZ13603QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem


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## digger mcdirt (Sep 30, 2007)

Zapped Radiated but not the original color they also have the hobbleskirt in Amber which they never were. To each his own but personally I don't like them when they are strange zapped colors. I had a friend come by here with a Purple straight side he wanted $35 for it and I passed.


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## Humabdos (Oct 1, 2007)

Funny how all his bottles look like that! What a rip off!


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 1, 2007)

I'm confused, I thought the 1915s only came in an ice blue and coke green. How many were clear to get zapped?


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## GuntherHess (Oct 1, 2007)

looks like it could have been purpled with a ultraviolet lamp, no way to really tell other than he has a lot purple bottles and some are very dark. He should be stating it in the auction to be honest. Still it seems like that bottle in clear would be pretty rare.


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## digger mcdirt (Oct 1, 2007)

Most clear ones are stock bottles with no city name . Stock bottles as a rule do not bring as much money since collectors collect by city/state. He is misleading people to believe that is a real color. The strange amber colors are also listed as rare in hobbleskirt they did not come in any real color other than clear aqua shades and a so called blue tint. But as long as people will take the bait there will be fishers out there remember what ole P.T. said.


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## capsoda (Oct 1, 2007)

Hey Terry, Nuked bottles other than clear that turn purple will have a grayish tone to them and will look sick. In my personal experance I have seen a few different colored Coke Bottles including a two tone blue and green on that Regie Lynch had displayes on his site.

 I personally saw an amber, not brown or grayish brown, coke come out of a bottle dump in 1973. It was dug by a good friend and bottle hound, Bill Mathews who passed away many years ago. It was medium amber and had a large X on the bottom. Now I'm not saying it is a production bottle because it is the only one I have ever seen but I doubt that anyone went to all the trouble to reproduce this bottle and bury it 5 or 6 feet in a bottle dump. The bottle now belongs to a guy who is a real Coke nut and has a museum quality and sized collection and thinks everyone is out to steel all his stuff or I would already have taken a pic of it.

 As for clear and blue, I have the proof. The clear bottle on the left is a Christmas Coke frome Pensacola, FL. It is really a very light aqua but know as clear.

 I don't think all the privys and dumps in the world have been dug yet so I can't say that there aren't other Coke bottles in other colors out there. I have heard tales of 7UP green and honey amber but haven't seen them.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 1, 2007)

> He is misleading people to believe that is a real color.


 
 Are you saying the color was something other than a clear bottle (containing manganese) that was turned amethyst using UV light?


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## digdug (Oct 1, 2007)

Hey Cap-in Cecil Munsey book from 1972 (Illustrated Guide to Coca-Cola Collectibles) he mentions a brown hobbleskirt used as an experimental bottle. I had never seen one -and still hadn't, but the one that your friend dug up sounds like one, what with the "X" on the bottom, etc.                I've seen the brown ones that have been radiadted as well as the purple ones too.  An Antique store around me sells them a lot. Someone has taken common Cokes with slight to heavy damage and zaps them to get extra $$$ out of them. Usually has them marked around $20 to $30.  And he also does not mention anything about them being altered.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 1, 2007)

The brown (not inclusing the X one) and really dark amethyst (almost black) skirted cokes were colored by exposure to high energy radioactive sources. These colors could never occur natually (like SCA glass) so I would assume they are fairly worthless to collectors.


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## capsoda (Oct 1, 2007)

I don't have a problem with irradiated bottles. Some people like the colors. I do have a problem with people claiming that they are rare and selling them to folks who don't know any better. This guy is the king of crap. He sells alot of  lajit looking stuff and it is pricey. All his bottles are super rare and many are nuked. He is a crook and he knows it. Don't buy anything from him because it will not be what he advertises. Beware of this seller. 

 I thought I had the Illustrated Guide to Coca-Cola Collectibles. Can't find it. May have to get another copy.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 1, 2007)

> is this radiated/fake? or is it really rare?


 
 so to the original question... 
 Is it irradiated? Probably. 
 Is it fake? It doesnt seem to be.
 Is it rare? It cetainly isnt common but a coke expert will have to say how rare it is.I doubt its $500 rare.


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## capsoda (Oct 1, 2007)

It is a real Coke bottle and it is probably nuked since that is his specialty and it is worth 3 to 5 bucks.


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## RICKJJ59W (Oct 1, 2007)

TV dinners are for nuking not bottles[]


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 1, 2007)

I found a clear 1915 no city in past auctions. It went for about $20 with the shipping. Do you think it'll get nuked? I doubt it. I think the majority of irradiated stuff was done years ago, not so much now. Well, the guy in Canada with the fruit jars.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 1, 2007)

Since 9/11 its probably isnt as easy to get close to neutron radiation sources.
 Homer Simpson cant take them with him to the reactor anymore[] 
 I guess they can still throw a couple on the MRE processing line.


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## appliedlips (Oct 1, 2007)

The answer is yes it has been irradiated.No,it was never clear to start with.Aqua glass that contains manganese that will turn colors also.They turn the same purples as clear bottles.There are alot of myths about the process that are not true.Cap mentioned browns,alot of newer post WW1 glass will turn shades of brown or amber,this will fade back to clear in time,purples will never fade or change back.Most bottles are not irradiated at nuclear generators and never were.The deep colors cannot be done with germicidal lamps at home.There are also alot of funky blue sodas(especially from the south)being sold as real.Irradiation can produce blues also.I have sold several irradiated purple hobbleskirts advertised honestly and they sell for $25-$35.I could make more so they definately aren't worth that kind of money.Doug


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## capsoda (Oct 2, 2007)

the blue one I have is from Maine or New Hampshire. I got it from a forum member who dug it. never seen one down here or I would have bought it. I saw two other blue ones the day they were dug while I was up in Maine. All were Nov 16, 1915 bottles.

 The purple ones will go back to there normal color if you put them in the a cold oven and set the temp for 200. Takes about three hours. I have done this with sodas and fruit jars. If you try it the bottle or jar must be free of dings, nicks and cracks. Try it on a low buck bottle until you get the temp right because all ovens are different.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 2, 2007)

> Aqua glass that contains manganese that will turn colors also


 
 I have tried this on a lot of aqua bottles and never found one that would change color, even the super light aqua ones. Not saying its not true but it cant be common. Wasnt the point of the manganese to turn the glass clear. I would think if it has enough manganese in the glass to turn purple then the glass would be clear to start with. A lot of clear bottles only seem to have a little manganese in them and dont turn purple much at all.  It seems that one with so little manganese that it isnt even clear would turn purple even less. 
 Just my non-scientific observations.


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## appliedlips (Oct 2, 2007)

Matt,

      1800's aqua glass readily turns not at the percentage of clear but a good amount.Hobbleskirts are tougher as there wasn't much manganese being used when they were made.In sun coloring it takes alot of manganese to get a purple,with nuking a little dab a do ya.Naturally occuring manganese or mixed batches produce enough to turn it at high levels.The insulator collectors have been nuking glass for 30 years by the thousands,finding clear insulators before 1910 or so is pretty tough.Most of the nuked insulators started aqua.I have turned quite a few aqua bottles so it does happen.Doug


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## appliedlips (Oct 2, 2007)

Here is one we can all agree would be very hard to find in clear.I assure you it was a medium aqua in color and never clear.It would have been worth quite a bit in clear and I would not have ruined it.I did this for my own enjoyment and don't intend on selling it.Most of the information on irradiation is put out there by the nay sayers and not the folks that have done it more than once.Most of the info online is false.


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## cobaltbot (Oct 2, 2007)

I know I blacklight check most of my bottles to see the potential for SCA.  I have one very aqua swamp root remedy that glows which is rare from my limited experience.  I always figured it had manganeze in it but also too much iron and that's why the aqua won out.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 2, 2007)

> Here is one we can all agree would be very hard to find in clear.I assure you it was a medium aqua in color and never clear.It would have been worth quite a bit in clear and I would not have ruined it.I did this for my own enjoyment and don't intend on selling it.Most of the information on irradiation is put out there by the nay sayers and not the folks that have done it more than once.Most of the info online is false.


 
 That's interesting. I agree there is a lot of false information out there that's why I like to discuss it on this board and experiment for myself. I'll have to try some more aqua bottles since I know it can be done. One thing I have not experimented with is the theory that SCA glass could be returned to clear using heat. I was always sceptical of that claim. The jar collectors in our bottle club did some experiments (since some jars are more rare clear than amethyst) and I think the results were all negative. Thanks for the good info.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 2, 2007)

Another question...when did they actually start putting manganese in the glass mixture? I'd always heard around the 1880s. Your flask is obviously made earlier. Was the manganese in that naturally occuring in the silica? 
 I expect like most changes in bottle making the transition from clear flint glass to manganese clear glass didnt happen in one year. Is there any record of when manganese was first purposefully used in glass in the USA? 

 edit..
 According to Bill's site , as early as the 1820s...
http://www.sha.org/bottle/colors.htm#Colorless


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 2, 2007)

Page 10 ABF:
 Oxide of manganese so used came to be called the glassmakers soap, doubtless because as Merrit said in his 1642 translation of Neri's _The Art of Glass_, "Manganese consumes all the natural greenness of glass".
 It goes on but 1642 was known I guess.


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## Humabdos (Oct 2, 2007)

Here's a rare full Coke!! [][][]

http://cgi.ebay.com/OLD-Vintage-RARE-ROOT-Glass-Coca-Cola-Coke-Bottle-FULL_W0QQitemZ180165668531QQihZ008QQcategoryZ39500QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## bamascavenger (Oct 2, 2007)

HUMABDOS, WHAT MAKES THIS RARE? THE BOTTLE MAKER ROOT? DID THEY MAKE ALL COCA COLA SS BOTTLES? OR WHERE THE BOTTLE IS FROM AND THAT IT IS FULL? OPIONIONS? 500 DOLLARS WOULD BUY ME SOME GREAT CHEAPER BOTTLES. HEHE![]


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## Humabdos (Oct 2, 2007)

I was joking. Looks like he filled it yesterday[]. I'm not sure what it's worth I'm guessing maybe $20 ?


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 2, 2007)

*Isn't **"Property Of Coca Cola Bottling Co."** (non script) usually a flavor or water and not actually coke. That would make it ever rarer. I flavor bottle with real coke in it. WOW!!

 I'll buy it and nuke it. Two grand easy!!!
*


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## marjorie040 (Oct 3, 2007)

I can't believe we haven't heard from Bottlenutboy!
 Anyone know his whereabouts?


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## capsoda (Oct 3, 2007)

Spencer (Bottlenutboy) has gone preppy on us. He has gone and started a college education.

 Way to go Spencer!!![]


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 3, 2007)

What about this, do you think it was altered?
Brown Mason


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## epgorge (Oct 3, 2007)

It doesn't look irradiated to me, if that is what you are asking. It is tough to say from a picture. It is a very nice color though. We will have to wait and see what the jar people say.

 To each their own on the irradiating but, I cringe when I find a rare or uncommon bottle, irradiated. It is just me. SCA I like but the deeper furnace look I just don't find the appeal with it. Fair, at best.

 Joel


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## appliedlips (Oct 3, 2007)

Matt,

     I think the early aqua stuff that turns is from naturally occuring manganese.I have found several glasshouses in which stuff turns at a higher percentage.The flask shown was blown in Zanesville and alot of their stuff turns or glows.Alot of 1858 jars in aqua will turn as will some cone inks.I have purple umbrella inks,a squat soda,cathedral peppersauce,and other traditional aqua bottles.Alot of the hutches turn from aqua to other colors.Aqua insulators are known to and do turn cobalts,olive greens,yellows,I have had a couple bottles turn light shades of blue but not cobalt.Heat will not effect the purple color,but will quickly change the ambers back,sometimes revealing a purple color underneath.Greens and browns are not permenant and if you produce one,selling it is dirty.It will change back to the original color.Doug


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## CALDIGR2 (Oct 3, 2007)

30 years ago, when I worked at a nuclear power plant, we would take various bottles, wrap them in plastic bags, and drop them into the spent fuel pool for 15 minutes. YOWZA! Instant dark purple from the radiation from the fuel rods. I did it solely for the entertainment of myself and others and did not profit from it in any way. 

 BTW, I did dig a clear 1915 hobbleskirt at a local dump. It is the only one I've seen and it went to a SoCal collector.


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 3, 2007)

30 years ago I protested a nuclear power plant and came back blue. It was about 10 degrees out.


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## capsoda (Oct 3, 2007)

30 years ago I....uuuummmm........aahhhh.....uuuuummmmm....What were we talking about???   [8|]


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## capsoda (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey Eric, That fruit jar looks like one of those Messican repops to me.


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## #1twin (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey Warren,  Your starting to show your age with these type post[][][]  Just don't tell them that I am older than you............whoops, did I say that in writing???? LOL [][][][]

 Marvin


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## marjorie040 (Oct 4, 2007)

Spencer (Bottlenutboy) has gone preppy on us. He has gone and started a college education. 

 Way to go Spencer!!![] 
 Ditto's!! we'll have to wait for the winter break!


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## georgeoj (Oct 4, 2007)

When I see these Burnt Brown jars advertized, I always take the term Burnt Brown as a description of condition. Note that there is no mention of the jar as being old. Also, the sold as is with no return should make anyone take a long second look, even if they are expecting a new jar.
 George


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

Yes there were clear 1915 Cokes with the cities embossed on the bases.  Here is a clear SCA from the Laurens Glass Works that is embossed Swainsboro, Ga. I have found several 1915 clear hobbleskirts , but most were broken.


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

Another view in sunlight.  This bottle has a slight amethyst tint.  It was found on the top of a dump that was covered by trees.


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

The colors of the 1915 hobbleskirts vary from clear to coke green, and there is also the ones with the aqua/bluish tint.


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

I have identified three different glass manufactures of the 1915 hobbleskirt.

 CHATT


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

LGW


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

And ROOT


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

There are also those extra thick base 1915 hobbleskirts, like this Chatt.


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## capsoda (Oct 8, 2007)

Great lookin set of Cokes Buster.


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## logueb (Oct 8, 2007)

Thanks Cap,   Just lucky to be living in that Cola belt. You would think that there would be a lot  of the 1915's and 1923's  around, but the majority that made it to the dumps were probably damaged when they were tossed.  Do you remember as a kid , picking up every soda you could find for the deposit?   Get out that Radio Flyer little red wagon and go up and down those dirt roads till you filled it up. Back then every bottle was cash.  The ones that the store owner wouldn't buy usually met a terrible fate.  BB gun, sling shot, etc.


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## capsoda (Oct 8, 2007)

Yup, I remember. We would take them up to Pates Grocery (no convenient stores yet) and cash them in so we could get a bag full of penny candy. Those were great times mostly.


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## cobaltbot (Oct 8, 2007)

Those are some  sweet old cokes buster.  I'm going to take the blacklight to mine and see what glows.


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## DJFALLS (Oct 8, 2007)

Love those Cokes.  I remember the wagon full of bottles also.  If I was doing that I was usually farther away from home than I was supposed to be.  Remember cutting coupons out of publications and bringing them to the store for cash?


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## bigghouse (Oct 9, 2007)

some guy told me if u lay the white bottles out on tiles in the sun they with turn that color

 anna


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## logueb (Oct 9, 2007)

Anna, If I placed the clear coke in the sun for 80+ years, it still would not turn the color of the coke in the first pic that started this thread.  Most of the SCA glass that I have seen has more of the pinkisk tint rather than that darker purplish tint.  That altered stuff just totaly turns me off.  Just give me the ol sca done the old fashioned way.


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## GuntherHess (Oct 9, 2007)

I'd have to respectfully disagree with that since I ahve found SCA glass in old dumps that was that shade or even darker. I think it just matters what combinations of iron vs manganese the glass contains. I dont think its unreasonable to think that >100 years of sunlight might = a few days UV lamp exposure.


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## logueb (Oct 10, 2007)

Matt, Your point is well taken, and I agree that I have seen various shades of sca colored glass.  The point I was trying to get across to Anna was that of placing a clear bottle in the sun and expecting instant results. I believe that it takes a long time in the sun to achieve a color change.  It would be great if there was some type of standard that one could use as  a guide to determine if a bottle was naturally sca or altered. I have seen a lot of the Whitmore and Durkee's salad dressing and clear medicines lately for sale  that I believe were altered because of the very dark purple.   I have several of the clear ones and home and have been thinking about placing them on top of the shop building and checking every few weeks to see if there is any color change.  If the heat breaks them, there is no loss.  
 I went back and read the first post and the ebay posting.  He was very clever not to mention sca in his ad.   "Beautiful purple amethyst" bottle is what he advertised.
 Personally, I believe this was an altered bottle.


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## bottlenutboy (Oct 10, 2007)

here are a couple pieces of very dark and original SCA ss cokes that i found pretty recently, these were dug in Cedartown, GA


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## GeorgePMR (Aug 11, 2022)

Thank you so much for this, totally new to collecting.  Just canceled my bid on a purple Tampa Florida bottle.  I was wondering why a brown one supposedly from the 50's and in mint condition has the re-issue 1989 Christmas markings.  I guess things have gotten much worse here in the future from this post lol









						PURPLE-AMETHYST COCA-COLA HOBBLE-SKIRT BOTTLE NOV.16,1915. LGW 26  TAMPA,FLA.  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for PURPLE-AMETHYST COCA-COLA HOBBLE-SKIRT BOTTLE NOV.16,1915. LGW 26  TAMPA,FLA. at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com
				




so any brown ones are totally fake as well?









						1923 Amber Christmas Coke bottle**EXTREMELY RARE**  | eBay
					

The 1923 Coca-Cola bottle, a.k.a. the Christmas bottle, was the first to renew its exclusive new design patent.



					www.ebay.com


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## CanadianBottles (Aug 11, 2022)

GeorgePMR said:


> Thank you so much for this, totally new to collecting.  Just canceled my bid on a purple Tampa Florida bottle.  I was wondering why a brown one supposedly from the 50's and in mint condition has the re-issue 1989 Christmas markings.  I guess things have gotten much worse here in the future from this post lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There are legit brown straight-side Cokes which are fairly common (the straight-sides weren't standardized and can be found in all sorts of colours), but apart from the mysterious one with an X on the base mentioned early on in this post you won't find any legit hobbleskirts in brown that I'm aware of.  I definitely wouldn't recommend paying extra for a brown hobbleskirt, or any other bottle which has that weird off-hue shade of brown that the irradiated hobbleskirts have because those were probably irradiated as well.


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