Dayton Soda Bottles
Deco & Slug Plate Sodas
Coke Bottles
Digging up History, or One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure
Our dump dig project is ongoing. Starting in May 2013, we aggressively began digging deep in this town dump. I have discovered many teens and twenties bottles from Dayton and surrounding areas. Including Dayton soft drinks I've never seen before, such as two different Chero Colas, Ace Ginger Beer, Independent Bottling Co., etc.
In the city, a privy vault was dug and lined with brick, stone or wood. All non-combustible trash was simply tossed into the pit. We locate these "pits" with a spring steel probe. We set the sod off to the side, dig out the dirt, throwing it onto tarps. We scratch through pockets of bottles with care not to break anything. We then refill and restore the area. All sorts of bottles, pots, dishes, etc. are found.
ACL Sodas, often called panted label, are becoming more popular amongst collectors. I remember drinking Nehi and other colorfully labeled sodas as a kid. These sodas first became popular in the mid 1930's and continued through the 1980's when plastics became more popular. Soda cans include flat top, cone top and pull tabs. These cans can be cleaned in lemon juice or other similar acids to remove much of the rust.
Digging Privies
ACL Sodas and Cans
The bottle shown here is a 1915 patented Coke bottle made by the Graham Glass Co. in 1927. This is the first design of the "hobbleskirt" Coke designed by the Root Glass Co. of Indiana. I have not yet dug a 1915 Coke from Dayton, OH. This Noveber 1915 Coke was replaced by the "Christmas" Coke patented on Dec. 25, 1923.
