Bottle ID Help

Beartoe

New member
I found this large bottle today. Looks like a 5 gallon bottle. I believe it is an Owens Illinois bottle. Above the I/O maker mark is the number 5250 and below is the number 5. No other apparent maker marks.

Got any ideas? Age? Date of Mfg? What used for? Beer maybe?

Owens Illinois 001.jpgOwens Illinois 003.jpgOwens Illinois 005.jpgOwens Illinois 006.jpg
 
I guess I better find out what a demijohn and a Carboy bottl is

It's a general type of bottle used to transport liquids or ferment. As late as the 1930's the majority of bottles were still made with the tapered tip to accept the corks or stoppers. Eventually the glass bottles, even 5 gallons had a screw top. I found once a screw on bottle cap for a jug like your size that was made by coca cola. The fact that your bottle has the molding line and the imprint on the bottom it was definitely made after 1900. There are also very few bubbles in the glass which means it is newer. Yes it could be for fermenting beer at home or things like vinegar. Could be for chemicals or water. I am not 100% certain but I know the majority of bottles dating just after prohibition and up until 1964 had the motto about Federal law forbids reuse of the bottle. It may be limited to bottles used in retail, not like this bottle.
 
Here you go... this explains what the numbers around the OI symbol mean. That particular symbol was used between 1929 and 1954.

IMG_3407.jpg
 
Thank you Z118.

With this info in mind I took another look. It appears I missed the numbers to the left and right of the I/O maker mark. There is a seven to the right and left. I must have thought it was part of the design and not an indicator.

So this tells me it was made at Plant# 7 , year 7 of production in 1936 (an assumption), mold detail #5 ( as in 5 gallon. Another assumption)

It is still a cool bottle. My wife would like for me to make a wooden stand so that it sits on a vertical and to place plants in. I can do that.
 
Z118 you got me interested and I checked E-bay for this bottle.

there is an identical bottle on E-bay . 1937 Water Bottle with tilt mechanism for dispensing water. These 5 gallon bottles go for $60.

Thanks all for your help.

Owens Illinois 007.jpg
 

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