The Bottle Thread

This forum is for all other types of chatter, including non-SCUBA stuff.
Post Reply
User avatar
H20doctor
I've Got Gills
Posts: 4225
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:13 pm

The Bottle Thread

Post by H20doctor »

Welcome everyone to the bottle thread, Here you can post your pics of Bottles that you have found while diving and get your questions answered about who made it? where did it come from? and what is it worth? We Have a New Resident Bottle expert David that I asked to Join us here at NWDC. He is an avid Bottle collector and has over 30 years of experience in Bottle collecting.

Rules for Bottle Pics
Please take a good picture of your bottle, give a aprox size and length , and any writing that is on the bottle
Also on some bottles you will need to take a picture of the bottom date stamps.
NWDC Rule #2 Pictures Or it didn't Happen
User avatar
H20doctor
I've Got Gills
Posts: 4225
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:13 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by H20doctor »

This is a bottle i found on a dive last year the writing say this
front side
Special Battery oil
Thomas A Edison
incorporated Primary Battery Division
Bloomfield N.J
2012-09-28_20-38-46_72.jpg
Back Side
2012-09-28_20-39-03_618.jpg
2012-09-28_20-39-24_524.jpg
NWDC Rule #2 Pictures Or it didn't Happen
User avatar
H20doctor
I've Got Gills
Posts: 4225
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:13 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by H20doctor »

London Dry Gin
2012-09-28_20-43-16_914.jpg
2012-09-28_20-43-58_743.jpg
NWDC Rule #2 Pictures Or it didn't Happen
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hi H20Doctor! A couple of neat bottles!

1. The Thos A Edison battery oil is quite common, and dates from tabout 1910 to early 1920's. They were used along old telegraph lines where a non evaporative surface was needed on the large acid filled battery cells that boosted the signal thru the wires. In other words, the battery oil protected the acid from evaporating out of the booster cells. Interesting that you found one of these diving, as they are practically all found along old railroad right of ways where they were dumped after use. The oval style of your bottle is the middle varient in terms of age. There is a handblown example of this bottle with tooled lip from the 1890's-1910 period, then your machine made cork top example from 1910-1920's. The last variety is a smaller round embossed bottle, same lettering, with a bottle cap style top.

2. The Gordon's Dry London gin, of course, is a British bottle. Yours is cork top rather than screw top, so it would date from the 1920's. I've usually seen these in a square bottle that is quite common. Your style is one I've not seen before, but would say not much collector value, but rather a good historical interest and great memory of finding it!
User avatar
Tom Nic
I've Got Gills
Posts: 9368
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:26 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Tom Nic »

Welcome to the board bottlevault. This has the potential of being an interesting thread! Thanks for being willing to contribute your knowledge. You might want to pop over to the introductions forum and say Hi and tell us a bit about yourself!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
User avatar
spatman
I've Got Gills
Posts: 10881
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 7:06 am

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by spatman »

Hi David

Welcome to NWDC! I found this bottle a couple of years ago, but could find very little info about the origin. I think it's from the late 30s or early 40s, but that's about it. Any idea what it might have been?

Pics are here:
http://spatman.com/bottle1/

Thanks!
Image
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hi Spatman, happy to help out! You are correct, this is a large wine / liquor bottle with Washington State Liquor Control Board seal near the front heel of the bottle. Being screw top, it would date from the post prohibition era most likely early 1940's-1950's. The bottle is machine made, you can see what is called an "Owens Ring" in the glass on the underside of the base. Michael Owens invented the first successful automatic bottle making machine in 1903. It took many years to come into common use, but pretty much every bottle was machine made by the time this bottle was produced. This ring in the glass on the underside of the base is a telltale characteristic of the Automatic Bottle Machine. Sorry to say the bottle has no real collector value but is still a cool looking large bottle!
User avatar
Dusty2
I've Got Gills
Posts: 6388
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:04 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Dusty2 »

Nice to have a bottle expert here! makes things much easier for us no knowledge collectors.

Welcome aboard! :joshsmith:
User avatar
Gdog
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:41 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Gdog »

Welcome David! I look forward to finding something worthy of posting for you to look at.
User avatar
spatman
I've Got Gills
Posts: 10881
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 7:06 am

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by spatman »

Thanks for the info, David!
Image
User avatar
H20doctor
I've Got Gills
Posts: 4225
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:13 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by H20doctor »

found this little blue gem in Sitka seems to be a medicine bottle of some sort..? with a lost cork top..
Has no writing or marks :(
IMG_0966.JPG
IMG_0967.JPG
IMG_0968.JPG
This Green Blob Top was given to me By sitkadiver Dave height is 10 inches
IMG_0964.JPG
IMG_0965.JPG
NWDC Rule #2 Pictures Or it didn't Happen
User avatar
Waynne Fowler
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1043
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:57 am

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Waynne Fowler »

This is gonna be a fun thread!.... thanks David... and u too H2Odoc for sending him this way.
Ripper of drysuits, mocker of divers...there are no atheist divers in a mistimed Deception Pass dive. Jeremy
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hi H20doctor! You are right on on the first bottle. It looks like a typical cylindrical aqua medicine bottle, hand blown with cork top. These originally had a paper label to depict and describe the product, most likely a type of remedy or cure.

The latter bottle is super common, have dug them by the hundreds at times, it is a blob top style ale, stout, or mineral water bottle. These have no embossing but come with paper label. I had a chance years ago to dig a dump in downtown Vancouver BC with a big trackhoe, and sometimes the bucket scoop would be just full of these bottles. They date from the late 1890's to about 1910.

And thanks for the kind words of welcome from everyone! Hope I can help out with any bottle history.
User avatar
Alexitt
Submariner
Posts: 537
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:02 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Alexitt »

This is very cool!!! Our very own Bottle Expert!!! Welcome to the Board... Thanks Doc for bringing him in...


So I too have a few bottles here for you, but I forgot to put a tape or ruler in the shots...
So here are the sizes...
AA 4/5ths qt. 10" tall (found at Gig Harbor)
Pacific&Puget Sound 8.5" tall (found at Mukilteo)
FW Fitch 6" tall (found at Redondo)
Bromo 4" tall (found at Mukilteo)
Here's the 4 together
Here's the 4 together
Here's the first one...
Here's the first one...
AA02.jpg
AA03.jpg
AA04.jpg
And here's #2
And here's #2
Pac&PSBottle02.jpg
Pac&PSBottle03.jpg
#3 Pre 1945?
#3 Pre 1945?
I'm thinking Hair tonic or Aftershave
I'm thinking Hair tonic or Aftershave
Note the little clam shell in the bottom... Not as nice as Bassmans bottle but Hey...
Note the little clam shell in the bottom... Not as nice as Bassmans bottle but Hey...
And #4
And #4
Bromo02.jpg
And here's a little blue marnacle I found...
And here's a little blue marnacle I found...
-Alex-

"so in the interest of advising something...let's see..."the early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!" -Eliseaboo



Image
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hi Alexitt, some neat bottles, nothing rare or valuable but here is some info on each...

The first bottle is a Whiskey Fifth, 4/5 quart, and dates from the 1950's. It has the Federal Law Prohibits Reuse of this bottle etc on the shoulder. This embossing was added to bottles after prohibition was repealed in the early 1930's, and was removed from bottles in 1968. Your bottle has a 1952 date code.... mold number 83 / glass maker mark / 52 (year code).

Your aqua crown top soda bottle is from the Pacific and Puget Sound bottling works of Seattle. This company began business in Seattle, Washington Territory beginning in 1883. There are early Washington Territory marked Hutchinson soda bottles from this firm, and paneled base Hutchinson sodas that have the blob top and spring wire inside. This soda works remained in business until 1919, when the dying firm was purchased by James Sourapas, and merged with his Georgetown Bottling Works. This "mug base" or paneled base crown top dates from about 1910.

Your FITCH bottle is a barber supply bottle. I believe there were located in Chicago or New York. They also sold hair tonics and a very large line of shampoo, scalp cleaner, bay rum, and barber bottles etc etc. Your bottle dates from the late 1915 - 1920 era.

And the classic blue Bromo Seltzer bottle was made by the tens of millions, as it was a very successful "Headache Cure" when first sold. The earliest examples have a more narrow neck than your example, and are handblown with tooled lip. Your bottle is machine made, ca 1910. Still, an attractive bottle as the cobalt blue glass is a good looking color!
User avatar
coulterboy
Amphibian
Posts: 871
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:19 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by coulterboy »

Wow! Very impressive Mr. Bottlevault. Very quick responses to the inquiries. Reminds me of the TV show, "The Antique Road show" or whatever it is. Your expertise will be highly sought after on this board, guaranteed. Hopefully, you don't get tired answering the "call of duty" being the expert on bottles. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?
User avatar
Alexitt
Submariner
Posts: 537
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:02 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Alexitt »

Wow is right!!! That was fast... I really didn't expect much in the way of value but I really appreciate the info... You Sir, Rock!!! And I too hope you don't burn out too quickly here... Some of the other Folks on the board have some very cool bottles and I hope they share them... Lots of history out there just waiting to be discovered... Thanks again...

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
-Alex-

"so in the interest of advising something...let's see..."the early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!" -Eliseaboo



Image
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hah! Thanks for the kind words and am looking forward to seeing some great finds!
User avatar
BASSMAN
I've Got Gills
Posts: 5808
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 2:55 am

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by BASSMAN »

Oooooh? :burntchef:
This is going to be fun!
I will have to get a few pics up of a few bottles too!

Thanks!
Hi, my name is Keith, and I'm a Dive Addict! :supz:
User avatar
bucknaked
Submariner
Posts: 515
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:14 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by bucknaked »

Bottles says yunker bottling co tacmoma wash.
Attachments
2012-10-02 09.10.48.jpg
2012-10-02 09.10.39.jpg
User avatar
Norris
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 4695
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 2:31 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Norris »

Welcome to the club Dave. Thanks for your willingness to help with some bottle knowledge. I fear the day when DiverDave finds this thread.
**Pinch it, don't stick your finger through. You're just pinching a bigger hole.
CAPTNJACK - 2012**
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hi BuckNaked! A neat bottle, not valuable but still historically cool! The YUNCKER BOTTLING CO can trace it's history back to 1889, when John Frank YUNCKER opened his bottling works at 519 South G Street in Tacoma. In 1890, George H. Hanlin became a partner in the business and the address became 1313 Tacoma Avenue. They remained together as partners until 1900 when George Hanlin split off to become proprietor of the Pacific Soda Works in Tacoma. J. F. Yuncker continued as sole owner until 1911, when William Hiteman was added into the ownership. The business continued with other partners until the death of J F Yuncker in 1923.

Your bottle dates from about 1910-15, I cannot tell from the photos if it is a hand blown crown top or a machine made example. Look at the mold lines going up the sides of the bottles... if they fade away before the top is reached, the bottle is hand blown with a top tooled by a glassblower. If the mold lines continue up and over the lip, the bottle is machine made. There are early Hutchinson soda bottles (with the blob looking top) from J F YUNCKER and the YUNCKER BOTTLING CO, that date from the 1889-1905 time period.

David
User avatar
greenacarina
Avid Diver
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:09 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by greenacarina »

Here are a couple weird bottles I have sitting around. Always been curious how they started life.
bottles.JPG
bottles.JPG (124.07 KiB) Viewed 22278 times
bottles (8).JPG
bottles (2).JPG
bottles (4).JPG
bottles (4).JPG (168.64 KiB) Viewed 22278 times
bottles (7).JPG
bottles (5).JPG
bottles (5).JPG (173.71 KiB) Viewed 22278 times
bottles (6).JPG
The brown bottle and clear bottle are both smaller than my hand. The green bottle is close to the size of a fifth of liquor.

Thanks
Chris
User avatar
Scubie Doo
I've Got Gills
Posts: 3027
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:13 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by Scubie Doo »

Found at the Tacoma waterfront with Matt several weeks ago. There are no markings and I have no clue what to photograph for you :-) I found it at about 40'. Dimensions are 2-5/16" x 1-9/16" x 7-11/16"

Any history would be very much appreciated.
Attachments
IMG_2505.JPG
IMG_2503.JPG
IMG_2501.JPG
IMG_2500.JPG
thebottlevault
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm

Re: The Bottle Thread

Post by thebottlevault »

Hi Chris, you bottles date from the 1930's -1940's. Here is some info...

1. The clear bottle is a food / relish / sauce bottle, looks like a screw top or modified cap top. The "H/A" marking on the underside of the base represents the Hazel-Atlas Glass Co., one of the largest producers of food bottles, cosmetics, and fruit jars in the USA.
2. The second bottle, amber glass, looks like a tab top medicine or perhaps poison bottle. Also has the "HA" marking on the underside of the base.
3. The green bottle is indeed a liquor bottle. Has the "Federal Law Prohibits Resale etc etc" on the shoulder of the bottle. I believe the ARROYO P. R. stands for Arroyo Puerto Rico, so perhaps this one was a wine or rum bottle.
Nothing rare or valuable but still cool!

David
Post Reply