"E" marked base Pre-Prohibition Liquor Bottle and a Theory

[Vetus Vitrum]

Here is a flask shaped bottle from the pre-Prohibition period with an 'E' mark on the base. I have not found a match for this mark. I consider that I found the bottle here in West Virginia that much liquor and the containers they came in were regional in manufacture and distribution. My theory is that the bottle was manufactured by Graham Glass Co. either when they first opened the Evansville Indiana plant in 1912 under the name Evansville Glass Co. or after that plant was sold to Owens Bottle Co. in 1916. The bottle is a very light aqua has a number of bubbles, a crease in the glass towards the base and a perfectly circular suction scar which leans me more towards Evansville Glass Co.. The Evansville plant made beer and liquor bottles throughout its history. Here are some photos of the bottle and also the base of a Pre-Prohibition Chas Boldt Co., unknown distillery, and a Post-Prohibition 1937, Swindell Bros., Owings Mills Distillery bottle for suction scar comparison. To me the bottle in question seams to be the earliest, mostly due to the imperfections in the manufacturing that may or may not be related to the suction scars. Thoughts and comments are appreciated. The information I researched came from "The Dating Game - The Owens Bottle Co." By Bill Lockhart, Pete Schulz, Carol Serr and Bill Lindsey and "Graham Glass Co." By Bill Lockhart, Pete Schulz, Beau Schriever, and Carol Serrwith contributions by Michael Miller, Bill Porter, Tod von Mechow, and Michael M. Elling