Can anyone please narrow the age of this shoo-fly flask? Thanks

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craig mueller

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I am restoring an old Queen Anne home and found this flask hidden in a basement rafter. This house was built in 1892 was a residence until 1900 when it became part of the first international photography college. It remained so until the depression in 1933. I did some homework and believe the bottle could be as old as the house or 1920's at newest. I would love to date it as specific as possible to know who hid it, for sake of the home's history. I wonder if it could have been left by a worker during home construction, or maybe hidden by the first homeowner (from his wife), or hidden by a college student or teacher for an occasional sip?

Here is all I know about it from doing homework: : It does have a raised seam up the sides, but not on the bottom (post mold??). The seams kind of blend away in the top inch of the bottle. One face appears wavy and sunken in a bit? I don't think the top is ground but unsure. It seems somewhat smooth. There is however a curved line imperfection near the top edge of the bottle top where one side of the line is more raised and also some lines on the very top that are imperfections, maybe from when it was made?

It has around 20-30 bubble imperfections in the glass as large as a 1/8th inch, but most are half the size. It also has, what appears to be a capital "B" in a circle underneath. There is also a 1/4 inch mark underneath that you cannot feel. Also, there is 75% of an oval indention in the lower front face. That is it for markings. The bottle is about 1 and 9/16th inch thick, about 3 and 3/4 inch at widest point, and about 7 and 3/4 inch tall without cork. It appears clear, not greenish or bluish.

Thanks inadvance for your time.
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craig mueller

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Here is the bottom, thanks.
 

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bottlenutboy

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I think those are called Coffin flasks and if the seam stops BEFORE it reaches the top of the bottle then it is a blown bottle meaning it was most likely made before 1910 at the latest so it would go between 1890 and 1910 but someone may be able to give a better feel for the date
 

epgorge

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Is that an open pontil onthe bottom or just the top showing trhough?
It is a coffin flask and I would say late 1890's to 1920's, without seeing the seam.

I would think it was a construction worker who hid it there or the husband of a temperance woman, who owned the house.[8|]

Joel
 

craig mueller

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There is a mark on the bottom right (see 2nd picture) and I can not feel it. Is this the mark you are talking about? Also, in the very center is the "B" in a circle.

I thought it was a Shoo-fly because the sides are curved to the seam and not flat edges. I was going off of a historic bottle website and no nothing about bottles.

Thanks for the help, guys. I guess it is difficult to pin down the age any better than a 20-30 year span, with this generic unmarked common flask. If anyone can pin down the age any more specific, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Thanks very much![:)]
 

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