Topic: Old green flask/decanter

[bat20]

Hi all,I have found something similar to this bottle decanter before and it was dated mid 19 century,it has a polished pontil and a clear glass handle ,but something tells me this could be a tad earlier,it's a much richer bluey green colour and has one of those hollow broken off pontil scars I hope you can see on the photo,about 20cm ht with a beautiful little perfectly fitting stopper and an older looking handle thicker at the top than where it joins the bottle again,quite light so maybe a glass tax going on?It's very tactile and still has something dried in it?Any thoughts or hunches about this one thanks.

[bat20]

And the stopper as I like it so much...

[Ivo]

Very English piece, circa 1840 s. Not rare but often the stopper is missing.

[bat20]

Thanks very much Ivo so the same date as my last one,I'm wondering if the first one is posher with a polished pontil and twisted clear glass handle?i like them both,but this one is more self contained ,possibly because of the lovely little stopper ,and it's one you just want to handle.If anyone comes back is this oval shaped flask,bottle,decanter indicative to the mid 19 century?

[Paul S.]

It doesn't appear that this shape is confined solely to the mid C19 - according to Andy McConnell's book he gives a date range of 1800 to 1870 for these things................   and some additional information from his indispensable book .........

Called flasks or flagons (from the French flacon), typically they have oval-sectioned bodies, short necks, and neck mounted finger-rings (although not all have this last feature).             Made in a variety of colours plus clear and apart from undecorated examples like this one, they are seen in uranium, some with gilt decoration and some with engraving.
Apparently, based on an earlier C18 shape called Bocksbeutel  -  literally a goatbag  -  hence I suppose the squashed shape.
Said book shows an example very similar to this one - even down to being the same height and colour, for which the date is given as c. 1840, and showing the nipple-domed stopper  -  so spot on for Ivo.

[bat20]

Yes..but does Andy McConnel really have a clue,just joking Paul,thanks that's a great informative post and much appreciated,and yup another must buy book

[Paul S.]

not cheap unfortunately  -  almost certainly going to cost you over £100, unless you're very lucky  -  but worth every penny.

[bat20]

It's another to put on the wish list Paul,for now though if I came home with a £100 book on decanters I would be reading it upside down hanging from the washing line by my @@'s ,so I'm just going to hassle you and Ivo for a tad longer.

[Paul S.]

believe Kevin also has a copy

[neil53]

Hi, I met up with Andy at the last Glass Fair and he has stopped work on his book on the Scandi artists because the Lindstrand estate wants to charge him for any pictures of glass made by Vicke Lindstrand!!  The point being that he is now working hard on the second edition of the book on decanters which should appear later this year.  Hopefully at a price well below the second hand market for the first edition where some good condition copies are now going for over £200!