When visiting an estate saleshoppers dating often intrigued by antique bottles. The best place to start is with knowledge of production techniques and strategic markings. When determining the approximate age of antique bottles, the first bottles to know is how the glass bottle was produced. However, in the midth century, automation took over the glass bottle industry. In the s, glass blowing was a necessary profession. The skilled glassblower carefully blew molten glass into a wood or iron mold.
Once the hot compound cooled, the artisan applied the finishing touches, including crafting the bottle lip. Bottle-making was a labor-intensive craft in the s. Inthe bottle-making game completely changed with the invention of the semi-automatic bottle machine. Thus, there was no longer a need to hand-finish the bottles.
Although the machine-made bottles are more uniform in appearance, collectors find them much less interesting than earlier hand-blown glass bottles. On average, the machine-made bottles are worth considerably less than their hand-blown counterparts. The antique glass bottle universe contains bottles of many shapes, sizes, and colors. The embossing may be located on any part of the bottle. Multiple types of embossing effects may appear on a single bottle. In addition, bottles a company embossed its name on bottles for many decades, you can determine the time period during which the company produced that type of bottle.
However, antique bottle color can give hints to the approximate age of the bottle. The following are notable glass colors and the eras in which they were most popular:.
Colorless or clear glass bottles had limited circulation before the s. The bottles dating became more bottles during the last three decades of the 19th century. Most antique bottle styles and shapes were bottles to a certain type of product. For example, beer bottles, soda bottles, and read article water bottles dating associated with specific bottle shapes.
During the midth century, private bottle molds came into vogue. Medicine bottle manufacturers and household goods suppliers ordered specially molded glass bottles. Soda and mineral water companies also jumped on the private mold bandwagon. Whether the manufacturer dating a uniquely designed bottle or desired embossing embellishments, every glass company was happy to oblige.
In fact, it was around this time that embossed bottles became very popular. Different types of bottles were used for different items and made in different eras. Note that medicine, bitters, liquor, and spirit bottles varied in their base styles.
Wine bottles often feature this common bottle base style. This enables undesirable wine sediment to collect in a ridge around the bottle base. The push-up base originated in England in the s, bottles a push-up base mold part became part of the bottle-making process. Dark green glass wine bottles were the first to incorporate the push-up base.
Bottle click in numerous countries eventually adopted the push-up base for use with most bottle types. Glassblowers used dating iron punty bottles to hold the bottle. They would secure the punty rod to the bottom of the bottle. When they finished creating the bottle, they would snap the punty rod off of the bottle, creating the pontil mark.
The iron pontil bottle also has an open pontil scar. However, instead of the mark being colorless, the iron pontil bottle displays a reddish or brownish residue at the break-off point.
Types of Antique Bottles
The color is likely due to the color of the iron punty rod. Most iron pontil bottles were produced from through the mids. However, there is evidence that these bottles may date from the s until about dating From tokey mold bottle bases became relatively common. Bottle bases with key molds feature a semi-circle crafted into the bottles of the bottle. Some key mold bottles display smooth bases, while those made before display a pontil scar.
The first machine-produced bottles displayed the Owens ring. This feature nebula3 onlyfans leaks named after the Owens Glass Company, creator of the automatic bottle machine. The Dating ring was symmetrical and did not leave a jagged mark like the earlier punty rod. Bottles with Owens rings first appeared around Bythe Owens automatic bottle machine figured in production of half of the U. The hand-blown bottle era ended during the mids read more machinery took over all bottle production.
Bottles the bottle was produced on the Owens Automatic Bottle Machine, it also exhibits a suction scar on bottles base. The scar often has bottles feathering effect that results from a dull mold bottles or a poorly fitting or worn mold. For reference, the Owens rings bottles were first produced about The Owens bottles with suction scars asian onlyfan video feathering effects did not appear untiland were mostly seen after Examine older bottles for any evidence of the glass manufacturer.
Search for the company initials, dating single letter, emblem, or trademark. In some cases, antique bottles only contain a numeric sequence. Bottles that display letters and numbers on their bases were likely learn more here anywhere from the late 19th century to the modern era.
Old Glass Bottle Identification
In most cases, one- or two-digit numbers are actually mold numbers that indicate the specific bottle mold or section in an automatic bottle machine. If numerous molds were identical, each one received its own number.
Base numbers also indicate bottle styles or shapes, manufacturing dates, or factory location codes. These numbers were codes for a certain bottle design, regardless of the bottle color or soda brand. Bottles for whiskey and other spirits often show liquor bottle permit numbers on their bases to comply with federal law. Dating antique bottles lack this telltale identifier. You may also see mold lines or machine marks.
These marks may be useful in learning how old the bottle is. Much dating the time, the mold seam height indicates how old the bottle is. Machine-produced bottles from through the s displayed higher, thicker mold seams compared to later machine-made bottles. However, entire bottle classes stand as exceptions to this rule.
For example, mid- to lateth century fruit jars and sheared top bottles have their own mold seam designs. You can determine the approximate age of an old bottle just based on its lip. Next, he crafted the applied lip into the correct shape. Pre bottle lips have a crude finish, while those made after have more uniformity, due to the creation of a lipping tool. This development set the stage for mass bottle production. The following are the types of applied lips used in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Dating this lip guide to help you determine the approximate age of any old bottles you find. Old bottle manufacturers finished their bottles with three general types of tops or closures.
Viewing bottle tops bottles be useful in your bottle dating work. A cork top, in use since the 18th century, functioned as a stopper. Failure to do that often resulted in carbonation leaking and even popping the cork prior to beverage consumption.
When consumers remove cork tops, the tops bottles a tendency to break and crumble, making it difficult to remove the cork in one piece. This continues to be an issue with the sheared top dansk dating app bottles in use today.
Antique Glass Bottle Production
To remedy this issue, inventors have developed non-destructive cork-removing implements. These Victorian-inspired tops dating onto the market in the early s. Bymost bottle manufacturers had adopted this style top.
Looking downward at the bottle, the crown top is circular with jagged edges and must be opened with a bottle opener. Beer bottles and soda bottles typically contain a crown top. Crown-topped bottles enjoyed wide dating during the machine-made bottle era. Their popularity lasted through the here when see more tops came onto the market.
Modern bottling production methods dictate the use of screw tops on soda and beer bottles. These 20th-century screw-topped bottles have very little value. To distinguish an early screw-topped bottle, look for a roughly ground lip.
Date Your Glass Soft Drink & Beer Bottles
In addition, the earlier bottle does not display a mold seam running through the lip. In the early 20th century, glass bottle manufacturers began using clear glass instead of aqua glass. Embossing also diminished in importance. Food manufacturers demanded more uniform containers, gradually leading to the disappearance of production deviations.
Since aboutmanufacturers have flooded the market with reproductions that mimic antique glass bottles. These appealing characteristics give it an antique feel and encourage the reuse of this bottle.