BLACKENED MAPLE SYRUP BOTTLE? HELP!

[s3iinc]

Dear Ron, Brian, bearswede, kastoo, et al.
Since I joined your forum yesterday and got such great response, I did a little research too. My impression is they made black bottles back then to protect the whiskey from the light. It is as black as black can be. No other color. All these years I thought it was black from radiation. Maybe I was wrong. It's a pint size.
When my dad found it, it must have been lying on the ground. He never would have gone digging for it. That's why we thought the sun turned it black.
I'm in California. Are there any reputable repair people out here (or anywhere I guess) from whom I could get an estimate?
You guys are a real treasure. I appreciate all the interest and great information.
Best regards,
Susan

 

[s3iinc]

To Brian:
Me again. There is no lettering. Just a very distinct pattern. Other than my horrible accident, the bottle has very little wear or grinding down of the pattern. The pontil is very sharp and distinct.
Susan

 

[BRIAN S.]

Hi again Susan ,
There are like 40 + different mold variants in the Scroll flasks . But by it being a pint ....that has narrowed it down . Some mold variants had Louisville , KY. , J.R. & Son , Rough & Ready , ect. ....that's why I asked if it had any lettering.
The Woman that I knew that did repairs has just disapeared from the bottle world . She would on average get 100.00 for a repair .... and she was the best that I had ever seen. I don't know of anyone else that repairs....But some of the other forum members may know of someone.
The color has me a little stumped. It doesn't pass light at all ? Do you think it may have been treated with something that stained or painted the glass on the inside ?
I know this will sound funny .... But take the flask and hold it to your cheek. Does it feel cold ? And also , you mentioned that the pontil was sharp ..... in your pic it looks like a iron pontil ????
Brian

 

[s3iinc]

Hi Brian:
I'll do all the tests you suggest tonight and get back to you in the morning. I'm at my office today. I'll also go over it with a big magnifying glass I have to see if there's something I can't see with my old eyes.
Until tomorrow...
Susan

 

[medbottle]

Hello s3iinc. Looking at the area of the break, your bottle appears to be a dark olive green in color. Is that glue I'm seeing, or is light getting under the edge of the break to give us a hint of the color?

 

[BRIAN S.]

Susan ,
I enhanced your photo and I'm also picking up an Olive green .

Susan , Why I asked you to hold it to your cheek .... is that usually artificially colored (stain,paint,dye,ect. )bottles feel more like room temp. or warm and a normal unenhanced bottle will feel cold to the touch of your cheek.
But after enhancing your photo..... I believe its color has not been enhanced or altered.
It looks to be a deep dense Olive green. A very diserable color in a scroll. But , after enhancing the photo of the lip/neck photo.....it looks to be broken/cracked in several different places....hurting the value substantially.
Brian

 

[bearswede]

Hey Med...

I think Susan said it was wax...

Where's LobeyCat? He's supposed to be here helping us out...

 

[bearswede]

RE: BLACKENED:ATTN: LobeyCat!!!

RICHARD... You come here this instant!!!

 

[s3iinc]

Hi Medbottle:
I'm going to give it a big once over under some bright lights tonight to see if there is some other color other than black. The hint of color near the break is either the china glue I used or some candle wax. Awful me, I was using it as a candleholder when I broke it. I wasn't too smart back in my twenties, some 30+ years ago.
I'll report back tomorrow.
I did read an article about how glass turns black at the atomic level when exposed to radiation. (http://www.chem.colostate.edu/~glass/irradiation.html
The only radiation this thing could have been exposed to was the sun, unless it traveled from a Nevada test site in its lifetime. Would the sun have been enough over a long period of time?
Thanks to everyone for all the great information and response. This is my first internet forum! You're all terrific!
Regards,
Susan

 

[s3iinc]

Brian:
The color you see is glare under a neon light. But I'm going to try to see green tonight or tomorrow in the sunlight.

Yes, I think I cracked the neck off in 2-3 big chunks. I would like to get it professionally repaired because all the pieces are there if it will restore some of the value. As old as it must be, it is worth restoring to me just because I have had it for over 40 years.

I'm still waiting to hear from you guys on a trusted restorer. Too bad that Woman you mentioned disappeared.

Under the conditions where my dad found it, in an old barn out in the middle of no where, it's hard to believe someone tampered with it. Though who knows.
Regards,
Susan