Ale Bottle Pre-Civil War???

[whitebeaches304]

I have 3 more dark amber bottles grandmother dug at Cypress Bayou in Jefferson, TX in the '60's. The 3 are very similar but not exactly the same. I think they are free-blown. There are no seams and they are non-symmetrical. The glass is so dark it looks black until you hold it to the light. Even then you can't see through the bottom but you can see light through it from about mid-way up. That amber color is dark and swirly/irregular. Also they are quite heavy. The one in the enclosed picture is about 10 3/4" tall and weighs 1 lb. 2.3 oz. I have other pictures but I don't know how to upload more than one per message. Let me know if you want to see other views. Is this an ale bottle and how old do you think it is? (The sticker on the bottom is taped on where grandmother wrote where she dug it up.) Thanks!

 

[kumtow]

Definitely not a spun/paste mold. Sorry lobeycat. Looks very mid 1800s to me. May be free blown into a cup mold and looks typical of English Ale/porter/wine bottles of this era. Many bottles of this time have a cone shaped kickup that shows traces of milky blue. This is what is termed as an improved pontil and was used from the early to mid 1800s.

 

[grimdigger1]

Is there something embossed on the side or is it just the pic ??
Would say more likely a wine or spirit bottle than an ale

 

[bearswede]

WhiteBeaches...

Could we have some more pics of your three black glass bottles? I'd hate to see the boys breaking into fisticuffs before we can make a fair appraisal...

I, myself, am thinking earlier than late 19th century...

Ron

 

[kumtow]

A Dip mold then[]. Different countries, different terminology. The marks on the side looks like a fold in the glass ie defect when being made. A paste mold wouldn't leave marks like that. I have a similar shaped bottle with no seams at all. Mine dates about 1840-1860. Paste molds from my understanding are quite late ie end of the 19th century to early 20th century and leave very faint but tell tale horizontal lines. Three piece molds are also very obvious although some have very faint seams.[]

 

[whitebeaches304]

Here is another picture showing the 3 bottles I have. They have a lot of similarities but differences as well. I've labeled them bottle #1, #2, #3 for reference as I post other pictures of details. Bottle #3 is the darkest, heaviest and most unlevel bottom, rocking when you first set it down. Bottle #1 has the most irregular neck of the 3 and #2 has a swirl appearance in the neck. #3 has a few "smudges" where the glass is "wrinkled". I'll keep posting pictures of these Jefferson, TX bottles for your review. I really appreciate all the input. Thanks.

 

[whitebeaches304]

Another view.

 

[whitebeaches304]

Here's a closer look at the fold in bottle #3.

 

[whitebeaches304]

Bottom of bottle #2 - quite different than #1 and #3. The lighting makes it look goldish but it is dark amber.

 

[kumtow]

Still stand by my original dates. Bottle 1 and 3 are about the same age, mid 1800s. Bottle 2 is much later (late 1800s) and from what I can see in the photo, may be a spun/paste mold. 1 is pontilled and 3 should have the same/similar base. These pontilled bases often have a blue tinge. Very typically English.