ACLs -The Past
About 40 years ago, just about the time ACL soda bottles started to disappear entirely from store shelves, a very few wise individuals took an interest in these colorful glass soda containers. It was these collectors that recognized the diversity and bright themed labels and began to pick these bottles up at local garage sales, markets and shows. In most cases, these bottles were picked up for less then a few dollars in which turned into large colorful collections for little money. At this time, these ACL bottles were not widely recognized as antiques and downplayed at many of the national shows and events. It was these early collectors that had the vision and passion to preserve these bottles and collect whatever they could locate.
ACLs -The Present
The hobby of ACL collecting today has grown into great popularity and a "core" group of collectors have helped evolved what use to be $1 throw-away bottles into highly collected and valued artifacts of the soda past. With the introduction of the internet and online auctions, many highly collectable ACL bottles have skyrocketed with out of the roof prices. In addition, there has been a newer and younger generation of collectors that has helped the transition of the yesterday early visionaries. In the aftermath, the Painted Soda Bottle collecting hobby has pursued thru the past decades and is gaining momentum as a leader in soda bottle collecting
PSBCA -Evolution
Back in the 1980s those founding ACL collecting visionaries formed together the first generation of the Painted Soda Bottle Collectors Association as a nationwide collectors group dedicated to promoting the collecting and preservation of ACL soda Bottles. The associated that was formed published many items such as the "The Soda Fizz" bi-monthly magazine (2003-2008) with contained tons of stories and photos of ACLs. In addition and with the efforts of Rick Sweeney, published many editions of the "Bible" of Acls book named "Collecting Applied Color Label Soda Bottles" which contained listing of 1000+ ACLs and historic sales prices. This book remains a key collecting source still today.
By the early 2000s, the club seem to come to a halt and all publications eventually ceased. In 2015, Kathy Hopson passed away and the Soda Fizz magazine publications came to an end. Over the next years, many of those visionary collectors have deceased and their collections were separated or parted out.
In the past couple of years and with the overwhelming growth and interest in the soda ACL collecting hobby, a new generation of collectors have come together to not only recognize the fore founding fathers of the hobby but to also pick-up where they left off and empower the PSBCA club for the future to come. David Meinz and Tom Pettit started back up the PSBCA with this website in 2021 in order to bring back the ACL collecting hobby. Currently today, we have an associated Facebook group which also drives the interest via social media.
Collecting Applied Color Label Soda Bottles
Third Edition
Collecting Applied Color Label Soda Bottles
Third Edition
The Famous Rick Sweeney