Topic: Unknown small bottle vase

[WhatHo!]

Hi, can any one help me with this please. Its 12cm tall, an amber colour with streaking running up the neck with a collar. The base is indented and it looks like the pontil has been completely polished out or its just a smooth indented base? The base has a ring of wear. Thanks for any help, Wolfie

[BRADBURY7308]

Hi Wolfie cant give much definative help with this one but it looks very old glass too me maybe 18th century a lovely item id say one for the collection!! :X:

[Ivo]

Pontil? If you mean the mark left by the pontil rod and I can tell you there isn't one. After blowing the bubble, attaching the fortification around the neck (for a cork) these bottles are set vertically on a bump on the floor to make them even. Then they are cracked off. For this level of manufacturing sophistication don't expect transfer onto a pontil, neck finishing, pontil release and subsequent polishing operation. It's not in the price.

[WhatHo!]

Hi Ivo, thank you for info on the manufacturing process. With level of detail you clearly must know what is? Can you give me a possible date and manufacturer or any other details for it please?

[Ivo]

Glass blowing has been with us since roman times, and your bottle could have been made any time since then. The closer you get to the present day, however, the better the survival rate.

[Paul S.]

sorry, I can't help either, at least not in any precise way, but........if Ivo will forgive the butting in, I would just add to his comments already given.........
The 'fortification' or ring around the neck below the rim of the mouth, appears quite accurate in shape for a period bottle i.e. late C17 - early C18.   Apparently, they were made this way such that when in position the cork was tied on with string - obviously using this ring as an anchor for the string.   However, looking at the few pics. I have of genuine period bottles - they appear opaque......dark green, brown, or possibly blue  -  and were referred to generally as onion bottles or seal bottles, and would probably have been taller than this one.   Does this example have wear in the sort of places you'd expect  i.e around the waist - slight chipping etc. around the mouth.   Does the source of the bottle (no pun intended) suggest an antique origin.   Having said all that, and bearing in mind the size, I might suggest a tourist piece or a retro item for use as a cruet of some kind for oil or vinegar, but definitely C20, and probably continental. :ooh:     

[Ivo]

I agree completely, the neck fortification puts the earliest time forward to after the introduction of the (cork) stopper and practically until the end of the 19th ct. glass bottles were black or dark green. So this is definitely a 20th ct. item and not a work of art...

[WhatHo!]

Hi, thanks for your opinions, very much appreciated. Ive got back to my office and had another close look at it. There are few missing details that you should know. I think onion bottles are round where as this is oval and dimpled front and back. Also ive just noticed its lightly cased and the top is fired. In the pic the looks like the top is worn but it is just a reflection and is smooth and round. It came from an auction with 2 other pieces, one large Strombergshyttan Owl vase and a large late Vic greek key jug.