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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> What is it? BEFORE 1900 >> Bottle Identification

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Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 2:19:14 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi, Ive got this old bottle (which I think is an old chemists bottle - but not sure). Its black glass and measure about 30cm tall, and the base is about 13cm and the widest part about 20cm. It has a rough large pontil underneath. Some of the writing which was on the bottle originally has worn off and I cant read what it says. Any help with this bottle would be great. Many thanks, Sarah http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b171/TopsyCat/bottle.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b171/TopsyCat/bottlebum.jpg Post #: 1

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 3:16:29 PM    amblypygi Posts: 453 Joined: 4/6/2004 From: Western Massachusetts Status: offline Hi Tabatha, Welcome to the forum. That's a very old and valuable bottle, probably from the second half of the 18th century (say 1770 or so). You are right in that it was probably a chemist's bottle, I can't read the content lable. It looks English to me. It's worth a lot of money, don't drop it Sean (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 2

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 3:21:19 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi amblypygi, thanks for the welcome and for your help. Wow, I didnt think it was that old, I was thinking of putting it on ebay for 99p start. What sort of shape would you call it? Ive done some searches on "onion" shape, and "mallet", but I cant see any the same as this one. Thanks again for your help, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 3

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 3:41:28 PM    deepbluedigger   Posts: 231 Joined: 1/12/2006 From: Yorkshire, England Status: offline Certainly looks like an English chemists or druggists shop bottle. Very collectable, and if you're going to put it on eBay do so with a start price of at least £99, rather than 99 pence! Should go for at least twice that suggested start price, I reckon. Might be best to describe it as something along the lines of a freeblown druggists display bottle, globe or onion shape, with pontil mark and 18th or early 19th century. DBD (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 4

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 3:51:41 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Thanks deepbluedigger, I will start it at £99 like you've suggested. Finger crossed it will sell. Thanks for the title too, I didnt have a clue . Do you think I should put it on a bit lower and perhaps put a reserve on it? Thanks for your help, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 5

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 4:56:36 PM    Miles   Posts: 248 Joined: 9/6/2005 From: New York Status: offline Frankly, no. There's no need to waste your money on a reserve price when this type of bottle will get what it's worth. These bottles with a bit of a label don't show up much on Ebay, let alone one with your bottle's lip style. You should start it at the amount deepblue said, and see what it gets. (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 6

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 5:03:20 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Thanks Miles I have just put it on now (took me ages to put it on) with no reserve and at the 99.00 start price. I will let you all know if it sells. Many thanks, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 7

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 5:28:22 PM    swizzle   Posts: 1325 Joined: 3/2/2005 From: Upstate NY Status: offline Can you post the ebay link? I'd like to see how it does and I'm sure you can get a few people from here that will throw a bid or two at you. Just post the link under current auction and sales. Jason (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 8

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 5:39:15 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi swizzle I have listed it as post to UK (which I do with most of the things I put on so I can track them with Recorded Delivery). Do you think it would do better if I listed it as Worldwide? If so, what would be the safest option on postage. It is really heavy (about 1.75kg without packaging), so perhaps overseas bidders wouldnt be interested with the cost the postage would be. I will pop the link on the other board. Many thanks, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 9

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 5:48:57 PM    Miles   Posts: 248 Joined: 9/6/2005 From: New York Status: offline Definitely sell it so US buyers can get it. (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 10

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 6:05:03 PM    swizzle   Posts: 1325 Joined: 3/2/2005 From: Upstate NY Status: offline If you want to sell it worldwide that is up to you. It might help on your price but I'm not sure if you have to pay more for it if your going to sell it worldwide. The shipping will definately be more. Just make sure that whoever buys it will be willing to pay for shipping and insurance and delivery confirmation. I just want to see you do good. I personally don't have the money to be buying quality bottles like that. I just love seeing old glass go for big bucks. I know the first time I posted bottles on ebay I got less then a dozen people to look at them. Then I relisted them and posted the link in the current auctions and sales and had over 80 people look at it. People like to read about a good bottle and then just click the link and your at the auction. If you don't post the link then that's fine but please let us know how you did. Good Luck, Jason (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 11

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 6:17:46 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi Miles, I checked on the Royal Mail website and it would cost loads to send to the USA, they varied from £25.00 upto £54.00. The £25.00 one was Airsure with upto £500 compensation (but the parcel would have to be under 2kg), but the parcel would not be trackable (mind you International Signed For is only trackable whilst its still in the UK?). I dont know of any service that can track the item all the way? Would buyers be prepared to pay this sort of money for delivery of a bottle? many thanks, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 12

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 6:23:10 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi Jason Im thinking about the worldwide option, just wish I knew more about what postal services were the best ones to use for sending overseas. I always worry that things wont arrive (not much faith in the postal service) thats why I always try and do Recorded Delivery so I know that things have arrived OK - but this means only posting to the UK then unfortunately. I dont think you have to pay more on ebay to post worldwide. I've put the link to the auction on the current auctions/sales board and thank you for the good luck . Ive got my fingers (and toes) crossed hoping it will sell. Thanks for all your help, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 13

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 6:28:49 PM    capsoda Posts: 7914 Joined: 11/15/2005 From: Seminole,Alabama, USA Status: online Hey Tabatha, I'd list it as an onion and what add any other info you cand find. There are about 30 different classifications of onion bottles. Can you read the lable? < Message edited by capsoda -- 3/3/2006 6:29:23 PM > _____________________________ Warren Diggin down in Dixie, USA Work is for people who don't dig bottles President, Panhandle Cruisers http://www.panhandlecruisers.org/ (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 14

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/3/2006 6:35:38 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi capsoda, No I cant make much out of the label, the first letter I can make out is a C then INC and the rest I havent a clue, sorry. Would have been great if it hadnt worn off and it was legible. Thanks, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 15

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/4/2006 10:09:20 AM    amblypygi Posts: 453 Joined: 4/6/2004 From: Western Massachusetts Status: offline quote: ORIGINAL: Tabatha ... I will start it at £99 like you've suggested. Finger crossed it will sell. ... Oh, trust me, it will sell. My gut feeling about this one is that it will do far better than you think. My guess would be somewhere in the area of £600, but I'm just guessing. It's almost certainly English, and these bottles are highly sought after by black glass collectors. You should definitely list it worldwide, and don't worry too much about the shipping cost because it will be minor compared to the sale price. If you want, you can list it for a penny and it won't matter because I plan to immediately put a £150 bid on it. I'd go higher but I don't want to risk winning and actually having to explain to my wife that I bought another bottle Please do post a link here when it's listed. Sean (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 16

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/4/2006 10:21:03 AM    amblypygi Posts: 453 Joined: 4/6/2004 From: Western Massachusetts Status: offline As for shape, I would call it an English onion or an odd "shaft and globe", but it doesn't really matter because the pictures will do it justice. Do yourself a favor and get some really good pictures for the auction. Take close-ups of the lip and pontil (or bottlebum as you so eloquently called it ) and try to get pics from every side. I would also suggest outdoor lighting if you can. Take the time to get really good pics and it always pays off on ebay, the same auction with good versus just ok pics could be an order of magnitude off in final sale price. I've actually gotten some great deals on ebay due to bad pics of good bottles putting off other bidders. I'm not disparaging your pictures by the way, they are good. But for auctioning a bottle like this I would try to get more detail and very crisp focus, it will pay you back in the end. Good luck, this will be fun to watch. I hope my estimates don't lead to disappointment, but I don't think they will (deep down I think I might even be underselling this one). Sean (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 17

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/4/2006 11:56:32 AM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Hi Sean Thanks for the advice on the bottle - I listed it on ebay last night with the piccys I already had, but I did put on the listing that I would try and get better pics in the daylight and put them on. The bottle does have a few chips on the inner rim of the top on one side, but I have put this on my listing. I put a link to the listing on the Current Auction board, should I put one here too? With regards to to the worldwide posting, Ive been on the Royal Mail website and I cant find a service that would track the bottle all the way, do you think something like Airsure would be ok? (It does have options for insurance of either £250 or £500). Thanks for all your help with the bottle, I would never have thought that it was a desirable one. Thanks again, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 18

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/4/2006 12:55:58 PM    Tabatha   Posts: 32 Joined: 3/3/2006 Status: offline Ive just tried to change my listing to worldwide, but because it has a bid it wont let me do it. I will add to the description that I will post worldwide and to contact me to discuss postage options and costs. Thanks, Sarah (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 19

RE: Bottle Identification - 3/4/2006 1:10:01 PM    swizzle   Posts: 1325 Joined: 3/2/2005 From: Upstate NY Status: offline I have to agree on the pics. The more you have to look at the more people can see and determine what they are bidding on. With a frontal pic no one could tell if there is a crack or a chip out of the back and people like to see the bottles condition for themselves. I know I've turned down bottles because I couldn't see the other side of it or details on the lip. Another thing that might help you is to find a bottle digging/collecting site from the UK and post your auction there as well. You already have an excellent bottle but if people don't know its there then they're not going to see it much less bid on it. The more people you have looking at it the better. I hope this helps. Jason (in reply to Tabatha) Post #: 20

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