"No Deposit" Pint Milk Bottle | c.1954 | Exceptional Condition | Embossed Clear Glass | Vintage Dairy Collectible

A one-pint milk bottle from approximately 1954, in exceptional condition. Front embossing: NO DEPOSIT CONTENTS ONE PINT LIQUID. Back embossing: NO DEPOSIT.

The "No Deposit" designation marks a transitional moment in American dairy packaging history. Through most of the first half of the 20th century, milk bottles were returnable — consumers paid a deposit and returned the bottle for reuse. By the early-to-mid 1950s, some dairies began producing non-returnable bottles, signaling to consumers that this glass was theirs to keep or discard. Bottles bearing NO DEPOSIT embossing represent that brief window before paper cartons and eventually plastic containers displaced glass almost entirely.

The condition here is genuinely unusual for glass from 1954 — like new, with only a few light surface scratches.

Dimensions: 5.5" H × 2.9" diameter | Clear glass | Like new condition, minor surface scratches only.

The pint size and clean form make this one of the most versatile dairy bottles for display. Use it as a bud vase for a single dried peony, cotton stem, or eucalyptus cutting on a kitchen windowsill; style it on a farmhouse open shelf alongside other vintage glass; or tuck it into a cottagecore shelf vignette with other white and clear pieces. A thoughtful gift for a mid-century Americana collector or anyone who appreciates objects with a quiet historical story.

Recovered from New York City's historic shorelines and landfill sites by Brooklyn Sea Glass.