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FIRSTLY, THERE IS AN ARGUMENT AS TO WHETHER THESE TYPE OF CLOSURES SHOULD BE CALLED CROWN CORK OR CROWN CAP CLOSURES. SOME SAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE CALLED CROWN CORK CLOSURES DUE THE LAYER OF CORK ON THE UNDERSIDE WHICH HAD CONTACT WITH WHATEVER LIQUID WAS IN THE BOTTLE.
MY PERSONAL OPINION IS YOU SHOULD CALL THEM WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY SO I PREFER TO CALL THEM CROWN CAPS WHEN REFERRING TO MY COLLECTION.
THE CROWN CORK WAS THE FIRST BOTTLE CAP EVER, INVENTED BY WILLIAN PAINTER IN 1891.
THE COMPANY ORIGINALLY MAKING IT WERE CALLED THE BOTTLE SEAL COMPANY BUT AFTER THE INSTANT SUCCESS AND DEMAND OF THE CLOSURE THEY BECAME THE CROWN CORK AND SEAL COMPANY.
THE U.S. PATENT 468,258 WAS GRANTED TO THEM IN 1892.
THIS WAS THE FIRST EVER DISPOSABLE PRODUCT BECAUSE ONCE USED THE METAL CAP CAN NOT BE RESEALED. THIS FACT INSPIRED KING C.GILLETTE WHO WORKED FOR THE CROWN CORK CO. AT THE TIME TO INVENT HIS DIPOSABLE RAZOR.
NICE BIT OF HISTORY HERE - LATE BOTTLE STAMPED 1948 WITH ORIGINAL CONTENTS AND CAP. THE OPENER IS FROM BARNET & FOSTER LONDON
A LOT OF PEOPLE NEVER GIVE IT A THOUGHT WHAT THE CAPS LOOKED LIKE OR THE OPENERS
QUOTES FROM THE CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY
"UNTIL THE INVENTION OF THE BOTTLE CAP, THERE WERE NUMEROUS CLOSURE SYSTEMS FROM RUBBER STOPPERS TO CERAMIC PLUGS THAT WERE HELD ONTO BOTTLES WITH A VARIETY OF CONTRAPTIONS AND MECHANICAL MEANS - MOST OF THEM LEAKED"
"THE BOTTLE CAP WAS THE FIRST NON LEAKING CLOSURE. IF YOU THINK OF OUR NAME CROWN CORK & SEAL, THE ORIGINAL BOTTLE CAP WAS A METAL CROWN, A CORK LINER AND PAPER SEAL.WE WERE ORIGINALLY CALLED THE CROWN CORK COMPANY MANY YEARS AGO"
COLLECTING CROWN CAP GINGER BEERS CAN BE QUITE FRUSTRATING AT TIMES, WITH LOTS OF EXAMPLES SUFFERING FROM OPENING DAMAGE WHICH IS USUALLY A LIP CHIP OR A CRESCENT SHAPE HAIRLINE CRACK. COMPOUND THIS WITH THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT AROUND THAT LONG AS MANUFACTURERS WENT OVER TO GLASS, FINDING GOOD EXAMPLES CAN BE QUITE HARD.
DUE TO THE ABOVE IT IS ALSO QUITE COMMON TO FIND REPAIRED EXAMPLES, SOME OF WHICH ARE VERY HARD TO SPOT. PLACING THE BOTTLE UNDER BLACK LIGHT CAN SHOW SOME REPAIRS BUT IF YOUR BRAVE ENOUGH STICKING THE BOTTLE IN A FREEZER OVERNIGHT WORKS WELL. IF THE LIP HAS BEEN FILLED THE MATERIAL USED CONTRACTS AT A DIFFERENT RATE AS THE ORIGINAL BOTTLE AND THEREFORE SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE. I HAVE USED THIS METHOD ONCE OR TWICE NOT JUST TO FIND A REPAIR BUT TO PROVE A BOTTLE TO BE GENUINE.
THERE ARE ALSO QUITE A FEW SEVENTIES REPRODUCTION CROWN CAPS SOME OF WHICH HAVE BLUE TOPS. UNLIKE MOST COLLECTORS I WILL ACTUALLY ADD THESE TO THE COLLECTION IF THEY ARE GOOD LOOKING ENOUGH.
EXAMPLE OF A REPRODUCTION. WEIRD LIP SHAPE, GLAZE CRUDITY AND ITS WEIGHT HELP TO IDENTIFY.
A LITTLE COLLECTION OF WHAT I CALL ODDITIES HERES. A STRANGE LATE RETURN TO IMPRESSED WORDING ON SHINY AND SALT GLAZE AND ALL EXAMPLES PROBABLY HAD ADDITIONAL PAPER LABELS.
THIS BOTTLE IS STAMPED AND MADE BY BUCHAN FOR A LIMITED EDITION CHRISTMAS ALE IN 1982, WITH ONE THOUSAND MADE AND THIS IS NO1 IN THE SERIES. THE QUESTION IS THIS CLASSED AS A GENUNE COLLECTORS BOTTLE - AFTER ALL IT WAS BUCHAN MADE AND CONTAINED A BEVERAGE FOR SALE - EITHER WAY THE QUALITY OF THE BOTTLE IS OUTSTANDING.
