Recently I bought a six pack of Coke bottles. After drinking a few Cokes from this six pack, I was reminded once again that there is no bottle, anywhere in the world, which has the feel of a Coke bottle. Originally designed in 1915 by Earl. R. Dean, the goal was to create a unique and instantly recognizable bottle, both in sight and touch. To quote Wikipedia:

In 1915, the Coca-Cola Company launched a competition among its bottle suppliers to create a new bottle for their beverage that would distinguish it from other beverage bottles, “a bottle which a person could recognize even if they felt it in the dark, and so shaped that, even if broken, a person could tell at a glance what it was.”

This bottle has gone through slight modifications throughout the years, but the basic form and feel has remained the same. Dean actually came up with the idea for the bottle shape by trying to imitate a coco pod, although he had never actually handled one. So after seeing some photos of coco pods, he came up with the idea for the Coke bottle design. The end result was that he created the most recognizable bottle in all history.

Whatever the origins of the design, I find that there is certain kind of feminine charm to the bottle. The bottle has perfectly proportioned curves, as well as a smooth texture.  I find the curvature to resemble more a breast-waist-hip proportion than anything else. The green glass adds a somewhat exotic tinge. All in all, it is really something of a work of art. Perhaps it is hard to believe that something which is merely the product of a company attempting to sell a product can reach an artistic level, but in this instance, Coca Cola achieved something quite unique. The fact that this bottle has been part of Americana for a century now, is another factor in its cultural value. It is deeply imbedded into the American psyche, even the world psyche. After all, Coca Cola is the most recognizable brand in all of human history.

But most of all it is simply the feel of the bottle that I enjoy the most. There is something special to drinking a Coke from a bottle. Coke bottles are not common these days. The can and the plastic bottle make up most of the product today. You have to look to find Coke in a bottle. But when I find a Coke bottle and drink from it on a hot summer day, well, it can be an almost transcendent experience.