$237,500
A pencil on paper concept sketch of the 1915 contour Coca-Cola prototype bottle by Earl R. Dean. Due to a looming deadline, this is the only concept sketch of the “contour” Coca-Cola bottle ever made; it was sketched just hours before Dean produced the first prototype bottles. Looking for design inspiration, Dean went to the local library to search for images of the coca plant and kola nut, the two key ingredients believed to be in Coca-Cola. While looking up these ingredients in the encyclopedia and finding very little to inspire a design, Dean instead stumbled upon an image of a cacao pod. Intrigued by its vertical grooves, it would become the inspiration for his design. The sketch originally consisted of both a front and back-side view of the bottle. The patent attorney, who needed only one side of the bottle to send to Washington, cut the paper in half, taking with him only the back-side view. It is believed that this other half of the drawing no longer exists. 13 1/2 by 16 inches, framed PROVENANCE From the Estate of Earl R. Dean Categories:
Auctioneer:
Juliens Auctions
Date:
2011-12-03
