I have already covered dating Serbian Crown caps from the 1990's onward using FS (factory signs on their crown / skirt). The other method I was using for dating FS and fine dating caps was comparing graphical design and its elements (mostly font, but also text orientation, heraldic elements and portrayal of animals) of the bottle and can labels to those on caps. Since the 1990's in Serbia labels have dates, so it is possible to use database or knowledge of label and can collectors to date caps.
Logical next step is to extend that procedure and know-how to neighbouring ex-YU countries, the first one being Croatia. I have selected 25 most frequent caps of Croatian major brewery Karlovacko out of their 78 caps in CC.I database, and compared them against dated can database by Luka Beercans Serbia. FS present in caps from the 1990's testify that this brewery was using Croatian and Slovenian caps with FS "PZ" and "PL", where initial leter 'P' stand for "pluta" (cork in that language) in the first part of the cap producer's name. In the 20th century it was replaced by "n" by NewBox, and in 2014/5. by FS "tik". Since Heineken owns Karlovacko brewery, the transition to FS "cp" happened at the same time as in Serbian Zajecarsko brewery also owned by Heineken, in 2016.
Logo evolution, minute and gradual changes to the logotype over time, are also important method for dating caps. Heraldic part of the logo for Karlovačka brewery had the upper right part with anchors on the blue background from mid 1970's, up to late 1980's, proven by included bottle labels (1979, 1984, and 1989. for 125th, 130th, and 135th anniversary). Interesting thing about anchors is that the logo contained 2 crossed anchors since its creation, as they are in the coat of arms of the city of Karlovac, to be changed in 2015. when pair of anchors was replaced by a single one. Since the early 1990's (but not in 1991, the first year of Croatian independence), a small shield was added in the middle of the big shield with initials "I II" (Josip II), as is on the coat of arms of Karlovac. Year 1997. was also very interesting, since 3 details of the logo changed: 1. ribbon with year 1854 under the heraldic shield disappeared, 2. position of diacritic changed in letter "č" of the word "karlovačko", and 3. letter 'v' changed. Even the word "karlovačko" was changing from the 1960's to become in only 2003. "KARLOVAČKO", and then to continue as "Karlovačko" (in different font) until present.
In 1971. Zagreb, Daruvar and Karlovac breweries were integrated into RO Zagreb Brewery (Zagrebačke pivovare). The company consisted of six OOURs - Breweries Karlovac, Daruvar, Zagreb and Otočac, and Pogon Županja and Labin. It employed about 1,600 workers. The disintegration of the company occurred in 1977. due to unresolved joint appearance on the market, and since then Karlovačka pivovara has operated independently.
 1964 |
 early 1970's |
 1974 |
 1979 |
 early 1980's |
 1984 |
 1988 |
 1989 |
 early 1990's |
 1996 |
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 2009 |
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For dating caps beside FS and bottle and can labels, a research should include official brewery's YouTube channels, and news articles from Internet found through Google.
Further reading:
Mihailo
Alic, researcher and collector, Belgrade, September 2021.
http://www.ultrahome.in.rs/crowncaps
Slovenian and Croatian crown cap producers Plutal and PLUTO
Božićno pivo, Karlovačka pivovara
http://crowncaps.info/collections/4946
late 1960's
late 1960's
early 1970's
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