Any ideas?

[babywontsleep]

I was given two of these bottles (ampoules)? trying to figure out what they are, It is 2 1/2 inches high, lots of bubble in the glass, no apparent pontil marks at all. The glass is inredibly thick. The neck seems to be sheared off. I thought that it may be an apthocary bottle but no real idea. i have not found out anything. Hope that this is posted in the correct place.

 

[Dansalata]

I BELIEVE THESE ARE CHINESE MEDICINE..THEY ARE FOUND OFTEN HERE IN THE SF. BAY AREA..I HAVE A COUPLE MYSELF...MANY SAY OPIUM BUT I DISAGREE AS OPIUM IS THICK STICKY AND WOULDNT WORK IN YOUR TYPE OF BOTTLE..ONE I HAVE HAS CHINESE FIGURES ON THE BOTTOM...

 

[babywontsleep]

Thanks for the info, There is nothing stamped or written on the bottle at all. So they are a fairly common item? I live in BC

 

[babywontsleep]

What age range are they? Early 1900's?

 

[surfaceone]

So they are a fairly common item? I live in BC

Hi'ya Andra,

Having your biennual visit, eh? Dan is giving you the straight dope, so to speak.

I do not know why people think these are "opium" bottles either. They clearly are not. Perhaps, it's because they are roughly the shape of a Dr. McMunn's...

Opium is a very resinous substance and does not lend itself to narrow necked bottles.

Yours, has what would be called a burst or sheared lip. They are common and frequently found in areas that had Chinese populations in the latter half of the 19th Century.

"Indian workers processing opium" From.

 

[Plumbata]

If dried properly opium can be powdered, and thus could be packed in and removed from those bottles rather easily.

I've seen labeled ones before, but one would need to consult someone familiar with the language to figure out what they contained. I think they were a "generic" style of bottle (like utility meds) that were used to hold just about anything.

 

[Dansalata]

thanks for expanding on my humble reply surf i was too tired to say anything else lol[8D]

 

[surfaceone]

See here.

If dried properly opium can be powdered, and thus could be packed in and removed from those bottles rather easily.

Hey Stephen,

Powdered, in a humid or coastal environment, ain't gonna be powdered long, methinks.

I've done some lookin into this "opium" bottle designation that these type of bottles seem to have garnered. I'm not buying the opium over eye water in an unembossed narrow necked container. Tincture of opium, perhaps, but just as easily Dragon Oil.

If we're thinking "Opium" bottle, as in Chinese Opium Den smoking accessory, I've not seen one in person, nor picture.

Take a look at This Picture. See that series? I think it more likely that the actual opium for smoking was contained in a wide mouthed tin or jar, or paper or foil bindle, more often than not. I have, and you will too, see some, if you look closely at those photos.

 

[falls]

Opium in these instances (McMunn's etc.) was in liquid form.