Coca Cola 1915 prototype bottle goes on sale for $150,000 (2024)

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An exceptionally rare prototype for the iconic Coca Cola bottle has emerged for sale for $150,000.

The eye-catching 8ins bottle was made in 1915 after the company approached various glass houses to come up for a memorable design for their fizzy drink.

This contour shaped prototype, which bears a distinct resemblance to today's trademark bottle, was selected as the best of the bunch.

However, they did request some alterations to the bottle design to make it more 'practical'.

Since it was wider in its middle than around the base it was found to be unstable on conveyor belts.

To solve this, Coca Cola asked for the bottle to be slimmer around its center, enabling it to fit in the modern bottling machinery.

These wishes were acted on and the final design was introduced nationally in 1917.

The prototype was designed by Earl Dean of the Root Glass Company in Indiana.

It previously belonged to a retired Coca Cola employee and will go under the hammer with Morphy Auctions, of Pennsylvania.

There is only one other known surviving example of this prototype, making it highly sought after by collectors.

A Morphy Auctions spokesperson said: 'The Coca-Cola Company accepted this newly designed bottle at once, but they could see that alterations would have to be made on the lower and middle diameters of the bottle in order to make it more practical and so it would fit in the modern bottling machinery that the bottlers were using.

'As a result, it was modified to the familiar design known to collectors and consumers today.

'The bottle is as close to pristine as one could envision, with no chips, cracks, nor case wear

'Advanced bottle collectors we have consulted consider this bottle to be extremely rare and important.'

Coca Cola first hit the market in 1886 and was originally branded as a 'medicine', becoming the world's premiere soft drink in the early 20th century.

It originally came in a straight sided bottle which Coca Cola feared was not distinctive enough and could be confused with their competitors.

A staggering 1.9billion servings of Coca Cola are consumed each day in 200 countries according to their research.

The auction takes place April 12.

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