HutchBook.com

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

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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

Wrapping up 2022...

We've had a very busy and highly productive 2022, our 19th year for maintaining HutchBook.com.  Here's the annual review of statistics covering the previous six years:

                                                     2017       2018      2019       2020       2021      2022

A sincere THANK YOU to everyone contributing Hutchinson data and bottle images to the HutchBook initiative.  Your strong support is why we are continually improving both the quantity and quality of HutchBook.com information.

My total investment in the Hutchinson Bottle Directory project during the past 46 years has increased to just under 22,500 hours.  Maintaining HutchBook.com continues to be an interesting and enjoyable challenge.

Continually updating and maintaining HiresBook.com (Hires to You!  The Illustrated History of Hires Root Beer) consumed another 161 hours this year.  The site now has a total of over 2,800 Hires images posted.

On to HutchBook.com's 20th year!

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:

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:

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 24,000 images are now posted on-line, with more being continually added.