LETTERS
to the Editor
Dan Sheds Some Light on this Kola-Ray Bottle Hi, John, A few months ago I bought this clear, quart, applied lip, crown top bottle. I have coated the embossing with a magic marker to better read the words. The base is embossed with a backwards 521, which reads 125 when held up to a mirror.
The bottle is horizontally embossed in four rows on one side only, reading: CRYSTAL SPRING BOTTLING CO. KOLA-RAYS REGISTERED THE GREAT HEALTH DRINK Note: The words KOLA-RAYS are in bolder type than the other three rows of words, all of which are capitalized. In doing some research, I found several listed histories of Crystal Spring bottling firms, but none mentioned a KOLARAYS line. One of the companies was founded around 1907, and the other in 1921, so either of these would’ve been started early enough to turn out the applied crown top, which was patented back in 1893. The Owens Bottle Machine Company marketed an improved and widely accepted full bottle pressing multi-unit in 1903. But many glass companies couldn’t afford the hefty price tag that came with such a revelation, and it’s of certainty the lip-finishers union didn’t want these machines eventually overtaking their jobs. This is no more evident than with 192040s milk bottles, of which a vast amount have tool-applied lips. Oddly enough, most of the early toolapplied crown top bottles were later fitted with a wire bail, and a porcelain, lead, or iron stopper. All of these types of stoppers required either a rubber or leather seal to keep contents within the glass vessel. It was some time later that the metal “piecrust” edged top came onto the market, which several glass companies still use as a seal.
Dan Desmarais bought this KOLA-RAYS bottle recently, and wonders if it really was a health drink.
2
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
The majority of older metal crown top seals that I’ve examined over the years were lined inside with a thin layer of
cork, though I did see some rubber seals on others. I have seen cork used in modern tops. As you all know, the earlier metal crown top seals required a bottle opener, whereas today a great deal of these tops are made to twist off. So, one remaining question comes to my mind, that being: Was there indeed a unique health drink in every bottle of KOLA-RAYS? The probable answer is vitality was briefly experienced via a caffeine fix. To be fair, the water itself may have been positively pure, with several healthy ground minerals included. The one certainty is that this was one of many products riding on the Coca-Cola popularity wagon. Dan Desmarais Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
One of the Hobby’s Best Sends us a Fan Note Hi, John, Just a note to say a friend appreciates you today. I really liked Bob Strickhart’s Halloween “Tombstone Bitters” article. I also want to say I appreciate all of your contributing writers that really help to make and keep our hobby so fun and interesting. I appreciate Bottles & Extras also and look forward to both mags arriving at my door. One last tip of my hat to Ralph Finch and Tom Caniff for their years of dedication to the writing of countless articles. Best Regards, Gary Beatty North Port, Florida P.S.: Kevin Sives, needs to write more. He is so good.
