Brain 'Happy' Howlett at the 1949 Empire games trails, sporting a similar bottle/food canister set as pictured below.

I am pretty sure this is the earliest Coloral set I have, they came from Lyn Parris who was NZ road champion in 1956, he was using these bottles in the late 40's.
The details on the bottom of the bottle and canister have a CPL logo that I haven't seen on later Coloral bottles.

Coloral thermos flask, used by Russell Robinson during the cold winter months of training in the Waikato during the mid 1950's.
This is the same size as the normal Coloral bidons, and are made for the same cages.

Bidons, Water bottles & Flasks.
these are some of my favorite things.....

Well I'm not sure I can tell you to much about these bottles, as far as production dates and time lines etc.So if anyone has some good information let me know.
Anyway I will start off with my Coloral collection,I guess these would have to be considered this quintessential 1940's-early 60's British alloy bottle (therefore the most commonly seen in New Zealand). No pre 60's British lightweight should be without one or two.

Well