1. Rim codes: a Pacific Coast dating system for milk bottles
- Author
-
Schulz, Peter D., Lockhart, Bill, Serr, Carol, and Lindsey, Bill
- Subjects
Dairy industry -- Management ,Milk bottles -- Evaluation ,Company business management ,Anthropology/archeology/folklore ,Regional focus/area studies - Abstract
Milk bottles from the western United States sometimes exhibit embossed numbers on the upper surface of the finish. Physical and historical evidence indicate that these numbers constitute a unique date code, indicating the month and year of production. Examination of more than 1,200 milk bottles from this region (227 with the code) demonstrates that the code was used by five California glass factories between 1924 and 1933. It appears that in a region with intense competition among glass factories, this dating system was developed to help dairies track bottle loss--a significant problem at that time. The code was discontinued alter most of the region's milk bottle production was concentrated in a single company.
- Published
- 2009