Got another puzzler for ya!

[PaintersLady]

Hubby has a bottle that we can't find in any book, so we figured we'd ask ya'll...
Sorry, no picture, but I'll try to describe as best I can.

12" tall, 3 piece mold. (Wine or Whiskey)
Lady's Leg neck
Embossed AMER PICON (with a hand under this)
and then PHILIPPEVILLE
Looks to be Iron pontil
possible wooden mold, big air bubble near seam
Olive green in color
Anybody out there got a clue??? (Where is Philippeville???????[]

Thanks!
Rachelle and Wade

 

[grdigger35]

Rachelle & Wade, What you have is a bitters bottle. It is listed in Kovel's under Bitters. Worth $50.00 plus or minus a few bucks.

 

[PaintersLady]

Thanks Sweetie!
Ya'll are great!!
[]
Rachelle

 

[Bottle tumbler]

wooden molds???? what would happen to a wooden mold if you put heated glass into around 1800 degrees. hmmm
even if it was soaked in water.
you would have one major problem,

 

[KentOhio]

A glassblower I know says wooden molds can produce about 1,000 bottles before they wear out. Any kind of wooden mold for glass is made of cherry and kept constantly soaking, except when in use. It requires a good wetting down between blows.

 

[whosyerdaddy]

always heard those whittle marks were caused from the hot glass hitting the cold mold after the mold heated it wasnt as bad kina like the bottle shivering uno lol whosyer !!

 

[Calbottlegirl]

I have one any takers? Will post!

 

[coreya]

here are a bunch of wood molds for glass blowing just FYI

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[cowseatmaize]

Yes but it the mold embossed? I think probably not. That would wear out in a few at best I'd think.[8|][8|]

 

[RED Matthews]

This has turned into an interesting thread. I guess it is time to make some comments - for what they might do to help others.
Wooden molds date back many years. To the best of my studies, wood was used in the days of the Roman Empire and from there, it was quite common in Germany and Europe. There just wasn't a lot of reference to what was used. We know that Iron wood was used. The Fruit Tree Wood was very successful because of the close grain of these trees. Apple and Cherry wood were written about in early American book coverage. Close grain wood held up better as the water submersion was dispersed more evenly. I have some bottles that I am sure were made in wooden molds, but not because of seeing wooden grain evidence. I think the most obvious identity of wooden mold glass; comes from the erosion and burning away of the parting line edges; especially on the seams at the shoulders. Wooden mold bottles will have more charred wood on each side of the mold shoulder area. A used wooden mold has to be cleaned and placed back in the water for soaking. This cleaning would give the mold cavity, early material loss in this mold cavity area.

The thing called whittle, was not developed because of someone whittling the wood. Wooden molds were machined and shaped, but not whittled. There was no known embossed lettering in any wooden molds. Wooden molds are still made for special reproduction efforts, especially for museums. Whittle in the appearance of old glass bottles was caused by the variable glass thickness in the bottles side walls; because of the blown glass going against molds that were too cold and the glass solidification was created in variable thickness. I tried to cover this some in my homepage blog on the subject: Cold Mold Ripple.

I know I am going to be timed out on this. I will be right back. RED Matthews