257: POLLY'S POP BOTTLES AND ADVERTISING CRATE

Circa mid-20th century. 22 screen printed 'Polly's Soda Pop' 12 oz. bottles with parrot graphics. Three of the bottles are full, the caps read 'Lime' or 'Lemon Sour.' Plus two green glass bottles with embossed parrots and lettering 'Independence Bottling Co.' All housed in a Polly's Pop 24-bottle divided crate with printed text on the sides.
Bottles measure 7.75 and 9.5, the crate is 4 x 19.5 x 12.5 inches.
Very good condition, noting some wear.
Provenance: When Louis L. 'Polly' Compton bought the Independence Bottling Works in 1922, it's estimated there were 5000 independent bottlers in the United States. Most of these included flavored sodas among their offerings. Some even delivered like the milkman and brought back empties to be washed and re-filled. In 1923, Polly's Pop was introduced to Independence, Missouri using water from one of the many springs that made that town a popular jumping off point for settlers heading west. The story of Polly's Pop is classic Americana and the original company left behind some rare and wonderful examples of memorabilia from its 44 year reign. Jerry Slover has spent the last three decades looking for Polly's Pop items. His collection is the largest ever offered at auction and represents a rare opportunity to acquire something from this great American soda pop success story.
$75 - $150