Due to other priorities I am currently not offering any items via this website; I likely will resume activity later in 2010.

EARLY AMERICAN BOTTLES & FLASKS
(Civil War era & before)

Listed prices do not include shipping & insurance.  Please read the Important Information for Buyers section on the main "Bottles For Sale" page for complete buyer information.

 

E. DUFFY & SON / 44 FILBERT St.  - This listing is for a very early and interesting ale or porter bottle from the City of Brotherly Love .  The noted embossing (click image to the immediate left) is embossed in a very distinct "slug plate" or just "plate."  This is one of the earliest of these type plates which made it easy for soda, mineral water, beer (ale, porter, stout) bottlers to have individualized "proprietary" bottles made up for them at less cost than a individual mold.  The other side is embossed (not in a plate) with DYOTTVILLE GLASS WORKS (arched)  / PHILAD.A (Philadelphia, PA.).  This particular bottle has a crudely applied mineral finish/lip, a distinct iron or improved pontil scar or mark on the base, and an overall crudity befitting its manufacturing date of about 1854 to 1856.  (For more information on these Dyottville bottles and dates of manufacture see Tod Von Mechow's excellent article in the May 2006 issue of AB&GC magazine.)  The condition is very good for a re-used, dug bottle with no chips, cracks, or notable staining though the bottle does has some moderate wear to much of the body from re-use; this is visible in the close-up image to the left.  It is however, not really that distracting and gives the bottle surface a "matte" type finish.   Bottle acquired for and pictured on the Historic Bottle Website.  A relatively nice example of a very historic bottle which is among the earliest of the embossed beer bottles.  No longer available.

Root beer amber early umbrella ink - Stoddard manufacture?  Well, everyone speculates about that with these early umbrella inks so I won't (or maybe I just did?).  This bottle is a beautiful little jewel that looks like it was poured into the mold.  It has sheared and refired straight finish or lip, a blow-pipe pontil scar on the base (click to view base), was blown in a two-piece hinge mold, and dates from around 1840-1855 most likely.  The surface of the glass is glossy, waxy, with rippled whittle all over.  It may have been professionally cleaned although I think it was fire polished when made - a common bottle treatment at that time with some types of bottles, especially those with sheared or cracked-off finishes like this.   Color is a medium to medium dark root beer amber and fairly represented by the image.  The condition is just about mint with no chips, cracks, or staining...just one tiny pin point peck mark (with no accompanying issues) on the lower part of one panel.  Unavailable at this time.

OLD / DR. TOWNSEND's - SARSAPARILLA - NEW . YORK. - This is embossed vertically on three sides of this familiar - and desired - bottle to collectors.  The "Old Doctor" bottles were used by the same-named poseur and competitor of the more common Dr. Townsend's Sarsaparilla.  This bottle is a beautiful medium clear green or blue green depending on ones eye; the images show the color well.  It is 9.5" tall, has a crudely applied "oil" finish or lip, a distinctly iron pontiled base (click on the image to see a larger version), and dates from the 1850s most likely.  This example is essentially "attic" mint having no evidence whatsoever of being buried, i.e., no staining, no chips, or cracks...just a little wear on the base from having sat somewhere for 150 years.  The bottle has some scattered bubbles in the very clean glass including a large one on the shoulder which has a very fine in-making (1/4" + or -)  fracture on the inside surface of the bubble.  The bubble is not broken open at all on either side of the bottle but has that small hairline which is visible (just above the arrow) in the close-up image at this link: close-up of the shoulder, neck and finish.  An overall excellent example that is as made from the factory, but priced considering the small "issue."  Unavailable at this time.

Pint scroll flask in deep amethyst! - Sure wish this was made in the 1850s, but alas, it is one of the excellent Clevenger Brothers reproductions from sometime in the mid-20th century.  Note quite early American, but a reproduction of such.  I believe this is an imitation of the GIX-10 pint scroll mold which the company made in the 1950s and 1960s according to McKearin & Wilson (1978).  Clevenger produced excellent reproductions, which to the untrained eye, look real...except that original examples in amethyst are essentially unobtainable (maybe not even in existence with this depth of color).  Many or most Clevenger bottles - like this example - also have a "CB" on the base indicating its origin.  Click CB base embossing to see the initials close-up.   This example has a smooth, non-pontiled base (a give away to me that it's not 19th century), a very crudely sheared/cracked off tooled "straight" finish or lip, and a very crude body.  Now that Clevenger is out of business (has been for a decade or so) their excellent glass items will become more and more collectible.   This example is in mint condition having never been buried of course.  A great window bottle that has been in my window for years.   Unavailable at this time.

CLARKE & WHITE / large C / NEW YORK - Although Clarke & White bottles are generally fairly common in most of the myriad of varieties, this one has uncommon - though very esthetic - crudeness to it.  I actually don't really want to get rid of it as it is so cool looking, but here it is...I can't keep everything.  The bottle is about 7.75" tall, has a fairly crudely applied "mineral" finish/lip (the Saratoga mineral water bottles are the origin of the finish name I believe), smooth (non-pontiled) somewhat domed base (embossed with an "X" in the middle and a "7" off to the side - see image), and is from the 1860s.  The special thing about this bottle is the zillions of tiny and not so tiny bubbles in and on the glass; click close-up of the glass surface to see this semi-orange peel look to the glass surface.  Otherwise the bottle is essentially mint with no chips, cracks, staining, or other issues...the only thing I can see is a very small scuff on the edge of the heel on the back.  There is probably some minor scratching and such mixed in with the rough surface but they are unobtrusive.  A great example that I won't let go of too cheap!  Unavailable at this time.

CORN FOR THE WORLD (corn motif) - (monument) BALTIMORE -  Quart size, McKearin GIV-4, smooth base, crudely applied double ring variant lip or finish, ca. 1860-1870.  Click reverse view to see such; click side view to see one side.  The color is a brilliant medium golden or orange-ish amber and the glass has bubbles and other crudeness including stretch marks in the neck.  This flask has the added attraction of being an ex-Charles Gardner collection flask, the auction sticker for which shows in the base view image.  (Item #2196; it also has the Gardner collection catalog sticker on the neck - 145F.)  Condition of this flask is about mint with no staining, cracks or chips of note; just one tiny (2 mm in diameter), flat, edge flake at the base which was noted in the auction catalog addendum.  This bottle also used for and pictured on the Historic Bottle Website.  Great big boldly embossed flask with a significant heritage.  Unavailable at this time.

Pitkin flask, swirled to the right, 36 ribs - This exceptionally nice "pitkin" flask is 6 1/4" tall and in a very bright medium forest green coloration.  The upper 1/3rd of the flask is swirled and singled ribbed and also a bit darker than the rest of the bottle (as the image shows).  The lower 2/3rds is double patterned with the swirled ribs and vertical ribs and is lighter.  Base is somewhat pushed up and has a glass-tipped type pontil scar.  Click here for a close-up of the shoulder, neck, and flared sheared finish which shows the color very well.  This is an ex-Paul Richards collection flask which Heckler sold in September 1993 (lot #320; the auction sticker is still on the bottle).  Heckler's color description was also "forest green" with no condition issues noted.  I agree...the condition is essentially perfect with no issue besides a tiny bit of vague wear on the lower sides (very hard to see) and on the base, of course.  (There is also the Richard's collection number lightly marked on the base with white paint - it would be easily removable.)  Excellent example in a very nice color.  Unavailable at this time.

Keene Sunburst half-pint GVIII-10 flask - Sunburst flasks are one of my favorites and with many people for obvious reasons - they are truly beautiful early American items.  The offered olive amber half-pint flask here is a typical 1820s to early 1830s design from the Keene-Marlboro Street Glass Works, Keene, NH.  It is classified as GVIII-10 by McKearin & Wilson (has KEEN embossed on one side and P&W on the other in the little ovals in the middle of the sunbursts), has a blowpipe pontil scar on the base, straight sheared lip or finish (sheared/cracked-off with tooling marks and re-firing), and was produced in a key base mold.  Click on the following links for more pictures of this flask: shoulder and neck/finish view; base view; side view.  Bottle is mint with no issues at all with some typical base wear.   As is typical, the KEEN and P&W are lightly embossed but readable.  Bottle was used to help illustrate the figured flask section of the Historic Bottle Website.  I've had this flask for 20+ years having acquired it with a grouping of early American bottles from an old time New Orleans collection.  Unavailable at this time.

Keene Sunburst pint flask GVIII-8 - Sunburst flasks are one of my favorites and with many people for obvious reasons - they are truly beautiful early American items.  The offered medium olive green - with just a touch of amber - pint flask here is also an 1820s to early 1830s design from the Keene-Marlboro Street Glass Works, Keene, NH.  It is classified as GVIII-8 by McKearin & Wilson and has KEEN embossed on one side and P&W on the other in the little ovals in the middle of the sunbursts, a blowpipe pontil scar on the base, slightly flared sheared lip or finish (sheared/cracked-off with tooling marks and re-firing), and was produced in a key base mold.  Click reverse view to see the KEEN side.  This flask is also essentially mint with no issues except for some wear on the high points of the sides (where the embossing in the center of the sunburst is and particularly on the KEEN side) and some typical base wear.  As is typical, the KEEN and P&W are lightly embossed but readable.  Nice example.  No longer available.

OUR CHOICE "CLEVE AND STEVE" half-pint flask - This amber half-pint barrel flask (these are also found in the one pint size too) was produced during Grover Cleveland's 1892 Presidential campaign and is embossed OUR CHOICE / (two busts) / CLEVE & STEVE / NOVEMBER 8TH 92 / MARCH 4TH 93.  On the reverse, superimposed over the barrel staves, is a rooster which was the symbol for the Democratic party in some Midwestern states at that time indicating that this is where these flasks were most likely produced.  These flasks are listed in McKearin & Wilson (1978) as a portrait flask with the catalog number GI-124 and are one of the latest produced flasks the authors cataloged.  Click on the following links to view more pictures of this flask: view of the reverse with barrel hoops and embossed rooster; base view; side view; close-up of the shoulder, neck, and finish.  This bottle is in mint condition with no damage or staining of any kind; the only imperfection is a very small (2 mm or so long, < 1mm wide) surface roughness to the left of "Cleve's" head (visible in enlarged photo) that appears to be a non-melted "slag" particle at the surface.  Bottle was used to help illustrate the barrel flask type on the Historic Bottle Website.  A rare item with neat historical significance. (Yes, this isn't "early" American, but I listed it here since it does have a McKearin number.)  No longer available.

BRANT'S INDIAN - PULMONARY BALSAM - M. T. WALLACE / PROPRIETOR - This is boldly embossed on three consecutive sides of this early eight-sided balsam bottle.  The bottle is just shy of 7" tall, has a blow-pipe pontil scarred base (click on base image), an applied "oil" or long tapered type collar or finish, and is ca. late 1840s to 1850s.  Mathew T. Wallace was a New York partner in the Wallace & Co. wholesale druggist firm that produced most of its embossed wares in the 1840s and 1850s it appears, given that most are pontiled.  This product was invented by a "true medicine man" - Dr. Uncas Brant - and advertised primarily in the 1840s according to Odell's excellent book on pontiled medicines and Betty Blasi's balsam book.  This example is very "whittled" and lacking in any staining or chips; it just has that "look" of an early, pontiled medicine bottle.  It does, however, have one very narrow and very hard to see hairline (~1 cm in length) at the heel on one unembossed panel.  (The total extent of this shows in the base image above as a very narrow reflection to the left of the pontil scar at the heel/base junction.)  Otherwise this is a great example but priced accordingly.  No longer available.

Quart GIX-2 Scroll flask - This is most likely a McKearin & Wilson classified GII-2, as the lower star looks a bit smaller than the upper one to me.  Quart size, 8.5" tall, ca. 1850s, a distinctly deeper than average bluish aqua, nice distinct iron pontil base (click base view to see such), and a crude sheared or cracked off lip that was refired a bit like most "sheared" scroll flasks, though quite a few scrolls weren't even refired and can be sharp.  Condition of this large bottle is near mint - it was never buried it appears - with just a bit of dirt inside at the base.  The glass is the nice wavy, crude, and with some un-melted sand grains particles (no real potstones and no radiations), swirls and bubbles - all the stuff that make these bottles a joy to behold.  Also a great window bottle and a big bold chunk of early glass. No longer available.

Washington-Taylor GI-37 quart flask - This is a very nice example of a relatively common "historical" flask dating from the Civil War era.  Embossed on one side is THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY with a bust of Washington; the other side has DYOTTVILLE GLASS WORKS PHILAD.A / GEN. TAYLOR NEVER SURRENDERS along with a bust of the general.  I guess the motto pertinent to the Taylor - and these type flasks - dates back to his run for the presidency in 1848 ( he served for only a little over a year [1849-1850] dying in office in July 1850).  The Washington/Taylor flasks were apparently made up through about the American Civil War as evidenced by flasks like this one which is not pontil scarred.  This fine example is 8.5" tall, has a smooth "snap-case" base (i.e., no pontil scar but having been produced in a true two-piece mold as evidenced by the mold seam equally dissecting the base), a crudely applied banded collar, ca. 1855-1865.  This example is a better than average rich greenish blue-aqua as the images show; the glass also has lots of different sized bubbles scattered throughout, some twisting of the glass at the neck, and the overall crudeness of the era that collectors love.  Condition is essentially mint with no chips, cracks, flashes, flea-bites, or other damage, though it does have some light high-point wear on the busts, base wear from having sat somewhere for 150 years (it appears to have never been buried), and a bit of totally in-making roughness to the inside of the lip.  This was where the hot, newly blown bottle was "cracked-off" from the blowpipe and the applied finish wrapped sloppily around the break-off point...and all evidence of the crude hand-made production of the era.  (Flask purchased to illustrate my Historic Bottle Website on the Liquor/Spirits bottle page: http://www.sha.org/bottle/liquor.htm )  Better than the usual pale aqua examples that are commonly seen.   No longer available.

GII-2 Geometric ink well made at Coventry Glass Works -  Although these inkwells are not particularly rare - surprising given their age (they were not tossed unless broken) - they are popular with collectors due to their "early American-ness" and esthetic beauty.  This particular ink well is catalogued by the McKearins as the GII-2 design (the smaller size) with the large row of small diamonds on top of a narrower row of larger diamonds.  Fragments of these were found on the grounds of the Coventry Glass Works (Coventry, CONN.) by Harry Hall White back in the 1920s or 1930s; the glass works was in business from 1813 to 1849 when it ran out of wood to operate (the reason most early New England glass houses bit the dust).  This example is about 1 5/8" tall and 2 1/4" in diameter, blown in a three-piece "leaf" mold, has the usual "disk" type lip or opening, a typical pontil scarred base (click base view to see such), and is in a nice deep olive color with a bit of amber.  The condition is near mint with no chips, cracks, or other post-production damage...no chipping to the rim edge like is common with these inks.  Like all these ink wells it does have the usual wear on the base from having sat somewhere for 170+ years, some light but visible high point wear in some other places (bulging rim, high points of the body diamonds),  some light scratching around the opening on the disk (from metal tipped pens), and one small (2.5 mm x 1 mm) in-making shallow open bubble on the disk.  Both the latter "issues" show in the large version of the image above (click on it to open).  Bottle acquired for and (to be) pictured on the Historic Bottle Website and a nice example.  These ink wells are one of the most accessible (i.e., least expensive) of the early American, three-piece mold, colored glass items and something every collection of American made bottles needs.   No longer available.

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