What are Deco Soda Bottles?

In the early 1900's, blob top and hutchinson style soda bottles were being phased out, in favor of straight-sided crown top bottles like this one.	(enlarge)
Then in 1915, Coca Cola changed everything. They came up with a bottle design that distinguished them from the rest, and they patented it. Does this look familiar?	(enlarge)
It took a few years, but by the 1920s, it seemed like every soda company was getting a patent on a unique bottle design. Each was trying to make their product stand out, so there were some wacky designs, like this NuGrape bottle. These odd shaped crown top bottles are often referred to as "Deco" bottles.	(enlarge)

Barq's Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a 9.5" clear crown top bottle with raised diamonds on the shoulder, marked: front: Drink / Barq's / IT'S GOOD back: CONT. 12 FL. OZ. bottom: BARQ'S BOTTLING CO / 2633 / E T 51 / 1 / WASHINGTON, D.C. See another Barqs bottle under ACL bottles.
Buffalo Rock Washington DC	(enlarge)	The Buffalo Rock company is still in business today and claims to be the largest single-family privately owned Pepsi-Cola bottler. This bottle may have held their Ginger Ale, which was their big seller in the 1920s. 1 This is a 7.6" clear crown top bottle marked: front: Buffalo Rock / B.R. CO. / B'GHAM, ALA. back: CONTENTS 6 1/2 FL. OZ. bottom: WASHINGTON, D.C.
Capitol Beverages Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a textured 8" clear crown top bottle marked: front: Capitol BEVERAGES back: Capitol BEVERAGES bottom: SQUIRT BEV CO / 6 1/2 FL OZ / 697-2 / WASHINGTON, D.C.
Chero Cola Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a pyramid-textured 7.5" aqua crown top bottle marked: front: SODA WATER / MIN CONTENTS 6 FL OZS / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: SODA WATER / MIN CONTENTS 6 FL OZS / CHERO COLA BOTT. CO bottom: PATENT / PENDING / 8
Chero Cola Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a swirl-textured 7.5" aqua crown top bottle marked: front: MIN CONT 6 FL OZ / Chero - Cola back: WASHINGTON, D.C. bottom: PATENT / PENDING / 2452
Coca Cola Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	Here it is, the bottle that started the deco-soda craze. This is an 8" aqua crown top bottle marked: front: Coca-Cola / TRADE MARK REGISTERED / MIN CONTENTS 6 FL OZs back: Coca-Cola / TRADE MARK REGISTERED / IN U.S. PATENT OFFICE bottom: WASHINGTON / D.C. For more deco coke bottle examples, see Coke.
Dr. Pepper Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a clear 8.1" crown top bottle with debossing (letters are indented rather than sticking out). The back has a clock with hands pointing to 10, 2 & 4. This was part of an ad campaign with the slogan "Drink a Bite to Eat at 10, 2, and 4 O'clock" based on a study that indicated people need a glucose lift at those 3 times. The bottle is marked: front: Dr. Pepper / GOOD FOR LIFE back: (picture of clock with hands on 10, 2 & 4) / 6 1/2 OZS bottom: WASHINGTON / DC
Duke's Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is an 8.4" clear crown top bottle with ridges on the neck, marked: front: DUKE's / SOFT DRINKS / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: DUKE's / SOFT DRINKS / WASHINGTON, D.C. / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD / CAP. 7 1/2 FLD. OZ.
Eagle Bottling Co Washington DC	.	See Eagle Bottling Co .
Samuel Farber		See Samuel Farber.
Grape Ola Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is bumpy-textured 7.6" clear crown top bottle marked: front: PURE / GRAPE OLA / REG US PAT OFF / UNITED GRAPE PRODUCTS INC back: PURE / GRAPE OLA / REG US PAT OFF / CONTENTS 6 FL. OZ. bottom: WASHINGTON / DC
Home Beverage Works Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a 7.7" clear crown top bottle marked: front: HIGHEST QUALITY / HOME / BRAND / GRAPE SODA / HARMLESS COLOR back: GENUINE FLAVOR / HOME / BRAND / GINGER ALE / MIN CONTENTS 6 1/2 OZ bottom: HOME BEV WKS WASH, D.C.
King Cola Richmond VA / Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a 7.7" aqua crown top bottle marked: front: KING-COLA / THE / ROYAL DRINK / RICHMOND, VA. / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: REGISTERED / 6 1/2 OZ. CAPACITY bottom: AGW / 10-2
Lyon Beverage Works Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is an 8" clear crown top bottle marked: front: LYON / LYON BEVERAGE WORKS / WASHINGTON, D.C. / CONTENTS 7 FL OZ back: LYON bottom: REGISTERED I also have one of these that says "6 1/2 FL OZ".
Lyon Beverage Works Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a 9.3" clear crown top ribbed/textured bottle marked: front: LYON / LYON BEVERAGE WORKS / WASHINGTON, D.C. / CONTENTS 10 FL OZ back: LYON bottom: REGISTERED
Madiva Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is an 8" clear (I painted the colors) crown top bottle marked: front: Madiva / CONTENTS 6 FL OZ. / WASHINGTON, D.C./ THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD / REGISTERED back: PAT MAR 25, 1925
Monarch Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is an 8.3" clear crown top bottle marked: front: MONARCH BOTTLING CO / MONARCO / REGISTERED / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: CONTENTS 8 FL OZS bottom: M
Nehi Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This was known as the "silk stocking bottle", referring to the fact that the texture resembled the weave of a silk stocking. This is an 8.5" clear crown top bottle marked: front: NEHI / BEVERAGES / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: NEHI / REG US PAT OFF / NEHI BOTTLING CO side: MINIMUM / CONTENTS side: 7 FLUID / OUNCES bottom: DESIGN PAT'D MAR 3 25 / Duraglas
Nu Grape Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a 7.8" aqua crown top bottle marked: front: Nu Grape / NOT GRAPE JUICE / MINUMUM CONTENTS 6 FL OZ back: Nu Grape / IMITATION GRAPE / TRADE MARK REGISTERED bottom: WASHINGTON / DC
Nu Icy Washington DC	(enlarge)	Apparently Nu-Grape was so successful, that the company expanded & added Nu-Icy soda, which came in many flavors. This is a 9.5" clear crown top bottle marked: front: Nu Icy / FLAVORS YOU CANT FORGET / MINUMUM CONTENTS / FULL HALF PINT back: Nu Icy / FLAVORS YOU CANT FORGET / BOTTLE PAT'D MARCH 9, 1920 bottom: WASHINGTON / DC
Nutricola Washington DC	(enlarge)	This 7.5" clear crown top is machine made, and the lettering is "debossed", i.e. the letters are indented into the bottle: front: nutri-cola / nutri-cola / TRADE MARK REGISTERED / CONTENTS 6 FL OUNCES / DESIGN PAT PEND D-140464 back: nutri-cola / nutri-cola / nutri-cola bottom: E 47 / 2404 / WASHINGTON DC
Orange Crush Washington DC	(enlarge)	Clear 7.5" crown top with horizontal & vertical lines marked: front: PAT'D / JULY 20 1920 / ORANGE / CRUSH/ BOTTLE / 6 FL OZ back: PAT'D / JULY 20 1920 / ORANGE / CRUSH/ BOTTLE / 6 FL OZ bottom: B / WASHINGTON / D.C.
Pepsi Cola Bottling Co		See Pepsi.
Renz Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a 7.5" clear crown top bottle with a hexagon pattern, marked: front: RENZ / BEVERAGES / MIN. CONT. 6 FL. OZS. bottom: WASHINGTON
Roberts Mfg Co Alexandria VA		See Roberts Mfg Co.
Root Pop Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a clear 9.5" crown top bottle marked: front: Root Pop / BOTTLING CO, INC/ WASHINGTON, D.C. / CONTENTS 9 FL OZ. PAT APPLIED FOR
Root Pop Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a clear 9.2" crown top bottle marked: front: ROOT POP / BOTTLING CO / INC / CONTENTS 9 FL. OZS. back: ROOT POP / BOTTLING CO / INC / DESIGN PATENT 81642 bottom: WASHINGTON DC / (G in a square) / 149-1 This bottle has the same design pattern as the root-rock bottle below.
Root Rock Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a clear 9.2" crown top bottle. One of the circles seems like it has an upside-down heart etched in it - I'm not sure if this was by design or if it's a defect. Definitely doesn't look like a bubble-burst. Bottle is marked: front: ROOT ROCK / BEVERAGES / CONTENTS 9 FL OZS back: ROOT ROCK / BEVERAGES / DESIGN PATENT 81642 bottom: 7314 2B40 WASHINGTON DC
Royal Treat		See Roberts Mfg Co.
Taka-Kola Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is an aqua 8" crown top bottle marked: front: REGISTERED / Taka-kola / WASHINGTON TAKA-KOLA BOTTLING CO / WASHINGTON DC CONTENTS 6 1/2 OZ bottom: PAT APPLIED FOR
Try-Me Beverage Co Washington DC		See Try-me Bottling Co.
Ver-Vac Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a aqua 7.7" crown top bottle marked: front: VER-VAC / REGISTERED / VER-VAC BOTTLING CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: VER-VAC / REGISTERED / 6 1/2 FL. OZ. / D.O.C. 120-3 bottom: BOTTLE PAT / SEPT 14, 1920
Vess Beverages Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a ribbed curvey green 8" crown top bottle marked: neck: VESS BEVERAGES / 6 1/2 FLD OZS REGISTERED front: VESS / BOTTLE PATENTED back: BEVERAGES /6 1/2 FLD OZS PATENTED bottom: R / WASHINGTON / DC / A 834 O
Victory Vienna, VA	(enlarge)	This is a diamond-textured clear 7.7" crown top bottle marked: front: Victory / VIENNA, VA 6 FL OZS back: Victory / VICTORY BOTG WKS INC bottom: B
Williams Washington DC	(enlarge)	This is a wavy-textured clear 8" crown top bottle marked: front: Williams bottom: WILLIAMS / 6 1/2 FL OZ / WASHINGTON DC
Yankee Bottling Co Washington DC	(enlarge)	One aqua and one clear 8" crown top bottle marked: front: YANKEE BOTT. CO. / 640 C-ST. N.E. / WASHINGTON, D.C. base: CONTENTS 6 1/2 OZ THIS BOTTLE NEVER SOLD
Yankee Bottling Co (continued)	(enlarge)	Left bottle is a 9.5" clear crown top marked: front: YANKEE back: BOTTLING CO / WASHINGTON, D.C. bottom: 8 FLU OZS Middle bottle is a 9.5" clear dimpled crown top marked: front: YANKEE / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: BOTTLING CO / CONTENTS 8 FLU. OZS. Right bottle is a 9.5" clear crown top marked: front: NORTH POLE BRAND / REGISTERED / YANKEE BOTTLING CO / WASHINGTON DC back: NORTH POLE BRAND / REGISTERED / MIN CONTENTS 10 FLUID OZS
Mystery bottle?	(enlarge)	This bottle does not have any company markings on it. But it's the same shape as a bottle that says "S. LEFAS" on the bottom, and is presumably from Stephen D. Lefas's Columbia Orange Crush Bottling Works. It is a circle-in-square-textured 7.6" clear crown top marked: heel: PAT JULY 15 1924 MIN CONTENTS 6 FL. OZ. bottom: WASHINGTON / D.C.