Topic: ink bottle?

[ju1i3]

I was wondering whether this is an ink bottle or something else? It's 6.5 cm tall. The glass is very strange. The pontil mark on the bottom shows it being clear glass inside (difficult to take a pic showing that detail). The blue was painted on? but before the pontil was snapped off? The neck shows some streaks from possible painting. It wouldn't be two layers of glass, would it? For a small poor quality bottle? Any ideas? thanks

[Paul S.]

no reason why it couldn't be cased.    If you believe the blue to be painted on the outside - try (very discreetly) to scratch a tiny area.   To me, the outside looks very shiny, almost as though it isn't painted, but very difficult to be accurate when looking at images of small items, and I could be completely wrong.    I don't think it's a liner of any sort  -  how about something to be with cosmetics?

[ju1i3]

I guess it's not painted but I don't know how it was made with only some blue. This view from the top shows the clear glass of the pontil mark and the mottled blue (I hope it shows) on the base.

[Lustrousstone]

Colour is quite often applied as a thin layer over clear. Colourant is the expensive bit of glass

[Frank]

The finish on the rim is unusual, looks like it might have been ground and polished. A few more views of the rim would be interesting.

[Paul S.]

we don't have any idea of age, but blue was a colour used in the pharmaceutical trade, especially - maybe a lead there.    And continuing the ramble....pontil marks exist because there was a need to detach the blowing iron, re-attach at the base, and cut/finish the rim in some way or other - the opposite of, presumably, a Bovril bottle that was blown/pressed mechanically, with the entire manufacure performed in 'one hit' (tell me if I'm off the wall with all that, please).     It appears that this was blown manually in view of the casing and pontil mark.     Agree the rim is unusual, to me it looks almost as though there is a very slightly raised ridge atop the rim, but could be I'm seeing things.
No threading for a screw top - cork possibly??       Perhaps it was a liner after all.                 How much wear is there on the base Julie?.

[ju1i3]

Thanks for the ideas.

I'm struggling to show the rim fully (there's nothing like handling something!). It has no threads. It isn't polished. It does have a slight something inside like a ridge (shows slightly in the pics above). It looks like it might have been folded over? Here's ano pic of the neck showing how it has a slight bulge at the top, I guess either from folding over or being shaped that way although not sure why it would be shaped like that - seems to serve no purpose so I would guess it was folded - but just slightly to finish it smooth. That's my impression anyway, may be wrong. The base has some surface scratches. I do think that's a difficult way to judge age though. Some pieces are looked after better than others.

Thanks for looking.

[Frank]

It is a hand blown and flashed bottle. The thickening at the top in your latest picture is a result of smoothing the rim while hot but does not explain the raised ridge - I actually meant more angles as per your third image in first post so that I can see how it was made, was not very clear, as usual  . I suspect it would have had a glass stopper and the top was ground to give a reasonable closure. So probably a decanter for eau-de-cologne.

[rosieposie]

Good morning Julie.  :hi:   
I was just looking through some newly listed Scandinavian glass and saw this lot.
It seems to have a little vase amongst them (with a label!!) that looks a lot like yours.....is it worth asking the seller for more pictures of the pieces?? You might get to see the label, and the rectangular vase looks interesting as well.....? Sklo?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130569082053

[Frank]

Rosie you have been staying up to late  :sleep: that small German vase is a completely different shape.