Home

Welcome to HutchBook.com!

Permission to cite HutchBook information is granted only if the source is listed, including the HutchBook.com URL.

◄◄HutchBook.com Links►►

For information on specific Hutchinson bottles, visit the HutchBook Bottle Directory database listing over 21,500 different Hutchinsons.
To contact knowledgeable individuals concerning specific Hutchinson bottles, here's a link to a list of Collector Specialists.
If you aren't sure your bottle is a true Hutchinson, link to the Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide to review the illustrations and descriptive information.
Our Contact Us page includes HutchBook.com guidelines and contact information.

◄◄ HutchBook.com News►►

Updated: September 13, 2024

Another HutchBook Milestone: 25,000 Images!

Thanks to the data and terrific photos provided by a long-time HutchBook contributor, we just catalogued PA0772.8, a newly identified Hutchinson from Freeland, Pennsylvania. This increases the total number catalogued to 21,525 and also pushes the total number of Hutchinson images posted past the 25,000 mark. Additionally, this beautiful bottle could be yours; it is currently listed as GreedyBay item # 26698846565.

Updated: December 31, 2023

Two score and seven years ago...

It is startling how quickly the years have flown by since 1977 when I first began actively supporting the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative. Twenty years ago today I was finalizing preparations prior to going public on New Year's Day 2004 with press releases announcing we were breathing new life into this project. Growing and maintaining HutchBook.com continues to be an interesting challenge even though hindsight is increasingly reminding me time flies whether one is having fun or not.

2023 has been yet another very busy year. While it is encouraging that the database is growing and data quality is steadily improving, it continues to be disappointing that more collectors aren't actively utilizing and supporting HutchBook.com, especially considering access is totally free and the site isn't plagued with annoying advertising. If you are a HutchBook user and supporter, THANK YOU! Please continue to encourage non-users to get onboard and consider giving back to our hobby by contributing time and data.

Here's the annual review of statistics covering the previous six years:

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Listings updated: 2,024 1,465 618 1,669 1,412 1,696
Newly catalogued: 281 249 173 342 286 252
Total catalogued: 20,167 20,399 20,552 20,872 21,141 21,375
Total images posted: 19,518 20,671 21,284 22,500 23,501 24,441
Images added/replaced: 1,233 1,153 613 1,216 1,001 940
Hours invested: 1,073 767 475 1,430 1,149 1,103

My total investment in the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative during the past 47 years has increased to over 23,500 hours.

Growing and maintaining HiresBook.com (Hires to You! The Illustrated History of Hires Root Beer) consumed another 137 hours during 2023. The site now has a total of over 3,000 Hires images posted.

Maintaining KocaNola.com was halted this year and the site has been deactivated.

Ron F.

Updated: November 6, 2023

Pennsylvania's HutchBook.com Total Hits 4,000...

Joe Nagy founded the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative in 1976 intending to catalog all known Hutchinson bottles. He estimated there were a total of 7,000 to 10,000 different Hutchinsons. Although skeptical such a huge project was doable, I helped Joe gather and process data for the next 17 years. After his passing in 1993 I acquired most of his Hutchinson files and stashed them until retiring. In late 2003 I realized the advent of personal computers and the Internet greatly improved the odds of seeing this project thru to fruition. Although it was apparent there were likely far more than 10,000 different Hutchinsons, in early 2004 I went public and announced rebirth of the initiative that evolved to become HutchBook.com. I was quickly contacted by an experienced Pittsburgh collector who politely questioned my sanity for tackling such a huge challenge. When he informed me "Pennsylvania has at least 4,000 different Hutchinsons," I told him that wasn't possible. A month short of 20 years later, today I ate my words for lunch. Thanks to an EMail submission received this morning from BonSubstance, a long-time GreedyBay seller and contributor of HutchBook data and images, we just catalogued PA2467.5, a newly identified Hutchinson from Pulaski, PA (check the Bottle Directory to see the listing). This one boosts HutchBook.com's grand total number of Hutchinsons catalogued to 21,350 with 4,000 originating in Pennsylvania. On to 5,000? Ron F.

Updated December 31, 2022

Please Help Us Kill These Hutchinson Myths!

An index to the "Archived 2013 Hutchinson Highlights" articles is included in the "HutchBook.com Development" listings at the bottom of this Home page. Scroll down and click the link to the articles, search the index for the topic you are seeking, and click the title for a quick link to the article. These articles were re-posted because so many people continue to repeat tired Hutchinson myths rather than reading, comprehending, and sharing factual information with fellow collectors and the public. Click this link to the Archived 2013 Hutchinson Highlights index to view articles concerning Hutchinson myths:

Hutchinson Myths That Just Won't Die
Hutchinsons Were NOT Used For Bottling Beer
Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 did NOT "ban" usage of Hutchinson bottles!

Origin of the term "Soda Pop"

Updated: December 31, 2022

Improving Your Hutchinson Bottle Sales

It is encouraging to note the increasing number of sellers routinely incorporating HutchBook.com data into their listings. Doing so takes minimal extra time and fuels the added benefit that many of these sellers are enjoying almost 100% sell thru. Check out the GreedyBay sales success enjoyed by sellers "Rosie17" and "jays-emporium" as examples. Unfortunately, numerous sellers continue to do a very poor job of describing the bottles they are listing and are left wondering why their bottles don't sell. We often see Hutchinsons classified as beers (they were NOT used for bottling beer!), whiskeys, milks, medicines, and other incorrect categories. Another common mistake is describing Hutchinsons as "Huch" or "Hutchison" bottles; potential bidders won't find your listings when searching if Hutch or Hutchinson isn't spelled correctly! We clearly understand the challenge facing sellers with little or no bottle collecting knowledge, but wonder why so many experienced collectors don't take the time to accurately describe their bottles. Understanding the basic types of soda closures isn't rocket science, even for those styles often confused with bottles that utilized Hutchinson's Patent Spring Stoppers. We frequently see Gravitating Stopper, Floating Ball Stopper, and Baltimore Loop Seal bottles described as Hutchinsons. If you are interested in improving your sales, review the "Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide" in HutchBook.com's Collecting section and consider incorporating the suggestions into your bottle listings. Here's a link to the page:

Hutchinson Bottle Sales Guide

HutchBook.com Development

HutchBook.com is designed to serve as a widely used reference source that will benefit collectors, historians, archaeologists, and other interested users. The Hutchinson Bottle Collectors' Association (HBCA) sponsors free public access to HutchBook.com. HBCA members support and promote historical research by collecting, preserving, studying, documenting, displaying, communicating, and sharing information about the antique bottles that utilized Charles G. Hutchinson's Patent Spring Stopper.

Since the Hutchinson Bottle Directory initiative's founding in 1976, over 1,000 people have contributed bottle data and related information for this project. The following portions of the site document the project's historical development:

Hutchinson Bottle Directory Overview (Updated: January 28, 2013)
HutchBook.com Announcement (January 4, 2006)
Hutchinson Bottle Directory Updates (July 17, 2004 thru September 30, 2008)
HutchBook.com Updates (October 31, 2008 thru October 2, 2009)
Project Status Reports (September 30, 2009 thru July 4, 2012)
Archived Hutchinson Highlights (December 31, 2012 thru December 1, 2013)

HutchBook.com Implementation

Phase I: Hutchinson History (launched September 30, 2009)

HutchBook.com Phase I focuses on historical development of the North American soft drink industry during the 1879 to World War I Hutchinson Era. Site content includes extensively researched, factual documentation concerning: the origin of the term "soda pop;" the evolution of bottle closures, including 30+ stopper patents often confused with Hutchinson’s Patent Spring Stoppers; a history of the W. H. Hutchinson and Son company; Hutchinson's lawsuits; the American bottling system; pre-Hutchinson Era bottling; Hutchinson bottles; the Hutchinson bottling process; and much more. Printed out, the content is 300+ pages in length!

Phase II: Bottle Directory (launched August 1, 2012)

HutchBook.com’s newest feature is the Hutchinson Bottle Directory, a fully searchable, free access database cataloguing extensive data on over 21,000 different Hutchinson bottles. The powerful new “Hutchinson Search” engine is a gateway to detailed data about the Hutchinson bottles utilized in all U.S. states and territories, Canadian provinces, and several foreign countries. Users have access to numerous pre-defined, printable lists of Hutchinson bottles, plus lists of bottles in popular collecting categories, such as colored and picture Hutchinsons. The database is continually updated to ensure users have access to the most current and accurate Hutchinson information available.

To access the database and its related features, click on the Bottle Directory link located in the left side navigation bar on any HutchBook.com page.

Phase III: Bottle Illustrations (commenced August 1, 2012)

Phase III is the addition of photographs, scans, and computer-assisted drawings to accompany individual Hutchinson bottle listings. Over 25,000 images are now posted on-line, with more being continually added.