Fire Grenade info?

[Asterx]

Hello all, hope everyone's getting out and finding some good bottles.

I've bought my first fire grenade recently and, because it was a labeled one and now with no label, I'm having some difficulty IDing it, although I have found an exact picture of it in Michael Polak's 6th edition of Bottles: Identification and Price guide on pg 181. It lists it as the "Imperial Fire Extinguisher Co. -Fire Grenadealt blue,Providence, R.I., cobalt blue, 6 1/4", American 1875-1900, $400-600. Unfortunately I don't have a picture to show, but that is the heigth, and my example exhibits the same mold features: 3 concentric rings on the upper part and 12 on the bulb counting the foot. Also, it has the horizontal oval where the label would have been. with this in mind, I wonder if any fire grenade experts out there would hazard a guess at the identification and Polak's assessment? Thanks very much in advance.

Regards,

Asterisk

 

[RED Matthews]

Hello asterisk80; Here at my NY home I only have the third and sixth edition Polak books. The third one doesn't list it and the sixth one does with about the same info you listed. No Picture.

I have other books in FL so I can't help you much. I am sure it is a nice grenade. I have some of the Clyde Glass Fire Dowsers, Milk Glass with a bursted off finish and a matching stoppers. Both the bottles and the stoppers were made in three part molds with three Lion Heads on the parting lines.

I have some Harden Star and Hayward grenade extinguishers - but they usually run too expensive for my retired budget. RED Matthews

 

[Asterx]

thanks red,

Since it seems you have some knowledge about fire grenades, do you have any thoughts about worth on unlabeled, and unembossed, but seemingly identifiable (through mold shapes) grenades? I haven't seen two molds/colors alike between brands, but I am limited in my exposure to the bottles. Thanks for your input!

Regards

 

[RED Matthews]

Hello again, asterisk80: I am not one to make appraisals, because I just like old glass for the purpose of letting the making marks on and in the glass, tell me how it was made, and to some extent when it was made. The fire grenades I have obtained - I have records of TC - (Total Cost) and in my description files for an old glass item, I have some words and embossing records, suitable to be used in an item listing for sale. Each item has an I # ____ and that is about the extent of it. I have it in Excell and even show where the item is boxed or stored for future reference. The result is not an estimate of value.
Now then I am sure your fire grenade should be worth $ 75 to 100 to someone. Only the handling of something like that, could bring more if it was handled by one of the fancy Bottle Auction Houses. I am one of those buyers that when the cost is right - the item gets to follow me home.
Good luck. RED Matthews.

 

[Asterx]

Thank you again Red, I appreciate your thoughts, and certainly the beauty and history of antique glass is of primary interest here as well. The identification and research is in itself a great pleasure, and to have aquired my first grenade I was most pleased, also as mentioned before the findings of Mr. Polak's assessment of the item and it's subjective worth in dollars was exciting, as we can all do with a couple extra dollars here and there. Thank you again for your post.

Regards