The bottle pictured at left just closed on Ebay.Described as:
"Up for sale here is an extremely rare version of a western blown piece of glass in the form of a bitters bottle. The color on this example is just stunning on this label only example. The shade is a vivid sapphire blue color, and the early ring banded top is heavily applied. The drip goes way down below the lip, and all the way around, (see pictures). Half of the drip acually curles outward! There is no embossing on this bitters bottle, and it has the three indented panels, with one being perfectly flat. There is a certain dot on the base, (so common to the early western bottles). The glass is definetely western made, and was probably blown at the San Francisco Glass Works in the late 1860's to early 1870's. The color is the same as on the early Dickey chemists medicine bottles. This bottle is in near mint condition, with a small open bubble made in the inmanufacturing process (where the neck meets the shoulder), and a small chip on the lower edge of the drip, (see pictures). This example was never pro cleaned, as there is a bit of patchy haze in the neck and shoulder area. These flaws are non detracting from this wonderful piece of western glass. The glass is sparkling clean overall. Bottle was found about 10 years ago in the San Francisco, California area on a construction site by a construction worker. It measures 9" tall, and 2 7/8" square across the base. This bottle has a very interesting and appealing shape to it, and it is quite heavy for its size, due to the thick glass. This is a bottle that I have not seen around before in my 35 years of bottle collecting. You will be extremely pleased with this top shelf example of a western made bottle! The pictures do not do this bottle much justice."
Western? Eastern? I don't know how you can prove one way or another just where this bottle was made. One thing is for certain, someone felt this bottle was desirable enough to pay over $600 for it.
I saw either that bottle, or another similar, a few years back. It certainly looks westernish but can't without reservation be called western. Found in SF by a construction worker? Aren't they all? LOL
ReplyDeleteI looked at the seller's pictures pretty thoroughly trying to see any of the peculiar markings that identify a western made bottle mold and could not see any. However not having this example in front of me to examine with a magnifying loupe for some of the tell tale signs from the earlier glass making techniques its just not possible to make a statement like the seller did as being a western made/blown product.
ReplyDeleteProbably a labeled bitters? If so, I can't think of any eastern bitters that have the rolled/flared out base like this one (you can see this feature better in some of the seller's other pics). If anything, it reminds me of the Cassin's base and the applied square collared lip of a Cunderango (both of which are likely SF Glass Works?).
ReplyDeleteI saw this bottle a few years ago right after the seller purchased it. I instantly thought western, as did others, but who knows. The color is an awesome bright sapphire blue, much like the color found in some EC&M SF insulators.
This bottle was found in the spring of 2008 in downtown Sacramento amongst a pile of colored Hostetters. I saw the bottle at the time and felt it was Western. Didn't you dig one of these Mike ?
ReplyDeleteNo, I have never seen so much as a shard of one in town. Probably the building crashing crew that specializes in breaking concrete and mole tunneling.
ReplyDeleteI'd lean towards Western, given all the physical aspects and circumstances with this bottle. Also, I cant recall any turning up over the past 20 yrs in Eastern auctions. Like someone else stated... it does have a Cunderango-ish look to it, including the top.
ReplyDeleteStrange Mike, my memory must be failing me. Either way, somebody dug another example of these in Alkali with some Renz's, Cundurangos, and Cutters.
ReplyDelete