Frank (and anyone else): This is a MUZZLED BEAR POMADE jar, made by Boston and Sandwich Glass. It is flint glass. They were made in 4 sizes, and this is the smallest at 3 5/8". The tallest would hold a quart. They were sold with bear grease inside. Most all are damaged, as the head was sealed to the body and a knife had to be used to pry off the head. The most authoritative book on Boston and Sandwich is BARLOW AND KAISER, who wrote a series of books. They mention amethyst (black), clambroth, milk glass, and opaque blue (in order of rarity, least to most). Canary/uranium is not mentioned in any of the sizes. Values listed in the book are from $300 (for smallest/most common), up to $1100 for most rare size/color. Some are marked on the base, others are not. Those that are marked show various different bear grease manufacturers who contracted with B&S to make bears for their shops. Frank, you can use photos in any format.
http://www.vaselineglass.org/muzzledbear2.jpghttp://www.vaselineglass.org/muzzledbear.jpgIf you would like to see what these sell for in the 'real world', there happens to be two of them on ebay right now:
This one is a mis-match, with clambroth head and milk body (also, smallest size)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350114273951and this is the most common, black (actually, amethyst):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350114274319neither one of the two auctions are mine and the auctions end in 12 hours from this posting. by the time most read this, they will be over.
I plan on continuing my search for a vaseline/uranium head, but as it took me 10 years to find the vaseline base, I am not holding my breath. Surprisingly, within a week of the auction ending for the vaseline base, the matching milk glass head showed up on ebay! I got both pieces for a combined cost of under $50 delivered!
Dave
(Mr. Vaseline Glass)
Topic: For Frank's Zoo: A rare muzzled bear! (Read 1104 times)
