Hires Household Extract Bottle Value Guide

The Hires Household Extract Bottle is a significant piece of American beverage history, representing the era when families brewed their own root beer at home using concentrated flavoring. Introduced by Charles Elmer Hires, these 1930s glass vessels are highly collectible for their connection to the evolution of the world's first commercially produced root beer.

What Is Hires Household Extract Bottle Worth?

The typical price range for Hires Household Extract Bottle is $15 - $25 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The presence and condition of the original paper label significantly increase the value beyond the base $15-$25 range.
• Glass clarity and the absence of chips, cracks, or 'clouding' from burial are primary drivers of market price.
• Rarity of specific regional embossing or unique manufacturing marks from different United States glass houses.
• The inclusion of the original cap or any surviving promotional materials from the 1930s.

How to Identify Hires Household Extract Bottle?

• Look for the distinct 'Hires Household Extract' embossed lettering or original paper labeling common to the 1930s era.
• Verify the material is clear glass, consistent with the United States manufacturing standards of the early 20th century.
• Check for a machine-made finish and base markings that indicate a production date following the initial 1876 powder-form era.
• Ensure the bottle size and shape align with the concentrated liquid extract packaging used for home preparation.

History of Hires Household Extract Bottle

Charles Elmer Hires introduced Hires Root Beer in 1876, initially as a powder to be mixed with water. The household extract was a popular way for families to make their own root beer at home. These bottles are remnants of a bygone era when home preparation of beverages was common.