Beaume de Vie. Patented in England 1760s, bottles in this style used for several decades after that date, into probably the mid-19th century. Usually turn up with lip damage (often have very wide very fragile flared lips). I only know of half a dozen perfect examples (including a couple with labels and contents), but there are quite a few damaged ones out there. Even so, they hardly ever come up for sale. No idea where this one will go.
Thanks for coming Jerry. I was looking around and wondering. Which and who's King? Balm of Life seamed popular usage back then. Where was Le Lievre in all of this? Same product or was there a French version. Perhaps a crossover after the French revolution.
I may buy THIS.
I get lazy sometimes, and go a week or two looking at the forum without signing in. Which means that I don't get to see stuff in this section.
The 'King's Patent' in this case was granted (sold) by the King of England, George III.
So far as I know Le Lievre wasn't involved in this one. It was patented by three Londoners: John Hopkins, Thomas Beckett, and Christopher Henderson, ten or fifteen years before Loius XVI lost his head.
So what are your thoughts on the mold type for that bottle?
The embossing reminds me of some modern attempts people made with ceramic/wood molds.
I suppose it could just be poorly blown in an iron or brass mold.
Really, I'm not sure. Those bottles were manufactured over a long period, so perhaps blown into an old mold? I've got a photo of one in VGC somewhere that I'll post here for comparison in the next day or two.