Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Re-use of a salvaged bottle that has an identifiable trade or brand-name association with it - like a Coca-Cola bottle - would be a trademark infringement. Avoid bottles of a characteristic shape or a brand name stamped into it. Re-use of generic bottles should be OK. I once advised a Junior Achievement company that made lamps from old whisky bottles - however, the company had discontinued the product line and was selling empty, never-used bottles for precisely this purpose (re-use into hobby or small-business products). I have also run a winery that bought recycled bottles for re-filling - OK so long as no wine brand name is stamped into or etched, etc. on the glass. Avoid re-using anything bearing an obvious brand name or identification.