The x's on the bottles are for the type of porter (beer) they contained, double or triple X porters. I have several XXX porters and a R.C. & T with BROWN STOUT on the back. It has an iron pontil base.
Quick search for that auction failed. Is that a Great Western auction number? I would think it could be either whiskey or medicine, I would lean toward whiskey.
Have sent several bottle photos to sha.org of bottles with unique attributes. It is by far the best site for bottle identification and information on bottle blowing.
Not familiar with upload protocol, here is a bottle I dug in Richmond VA back in the seventies. It is listed in Digger Odell's Pontil Medicine Encyclopedia. I have never seen another one. It has a corner crack, the glass in the corner is really thin. Not sure where to send this photo.
Photo in...
I had a bottle like this, embossed lettering in French, it had a glass tip pontil mark. I would assume it is European made bottle, I dug it in a 1880 dump. European bottle makers seem to have used pontils later than American bottle makers. Check the Historic Bottle Website, it has quite a bit of...
Interesting! I found one of these glass eggs many years ago in King and Queen County VA, and knew what they were used for, but I didn't know about the snake part. Since most snakes have unhinged jaws and inward curved teeth, I guess the loose jaw makes regurgitation possible.