Flask with sand embedded in it

[Wheelah23]

Didn't know where to post this, but I figured this section isn't used very much, so I'd post it here! [&:]

Anyway, I got this bottle from a woman who may or may not have dug it in Staten Island. I can't be sure, but I do think it was blown somewhere on the East Coast. I don't want to use the "S" word, but the color is right... [>:] Anyway, it's a nice, very crude 1860's seam sided flask. That in itself, I don't think is overly unusual. However, around the base area are flecks of sand! I can't imagine why a non-pontiled bottle like this would have sand on it. My guess, and this is a totally random guess, is that the bottom of the annealing furnace was lined with sand so that the glass wouldn't stick to the bricks, or whatever the furnace was made of. Is that something that was done? Otherwise, I wonder why there was sand around when this flask was molten!

Or maybe it's just un-melted sand from when the silica was first melted? I'm just grasping at straws. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Wheelah23]

The base... You can see some of the sand in this shot. The only embossing is a faint "H".

 

[Wheelah23]

A nice chunk of sand in the side!

 

[Wheelah23]

Anudda view

 

[Wheelah23]

Here's the other side of the heel, also with sand on it!

 

[JOETHECROW]

don't want to use the "S" word, but the color is right...

Connor,...great looking flask...Not my area of expertise, but this is usually the color I associate with the "S" word...

 

[surfaceone]

ORIGINAL: Wheelah23

A nice chunk of sand in the side!

Hey Connor,

This is cool as all get out. Thanks for showing us. Wonderful bubbles in that guy, too

Have you put that under intense magnification? Have a look about halfway down this page for a Microscopic View of Fonttainebleu Sand.

 

[Wheelah23]

I ain't got a microscope, but that would be interesting... I emailed Steve/Sewell about it, and he told me this... Thanks Steve!

"That is a great looking bottle.You have kind of answered your own question already.The glass gather could have been dropped,laid down in sand, or it could have been laid down on the pre annealing table to be paddled down and the sand could have entered the glass that way.The sand on the bottom is harder to explain believe it or not because the bottles were place into the ovens a second time attached to the puntiy rod or as in the case with Dyottville bottles the blow pipe doubled as the punty rod to allow for a faster exchange enabling more bottles to be blown.When the bottles were placed into the ovens for their cool down periods they were inserted horizontally suspended in air not touching anything in the furnace.As I have been writing this I envisioned the gather-helper boy and they were usually younger then you Conner having removed the previous bottle and then getting loose sand into the mold.In looking at the base of your bottle it could have been made in what is called a treadle mold.
The Booz bottles were blown this way along with the cabin bitters. Here is a link to the Original Booz mold.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/50526.html

At the base of this mold a large pin was mounted and the mold rested on this as the gather was opened and closed as seen by the two pegs or arms sticking out.The reason a treadle mold was used was so the glass in these very square cornered cabins was able to be thrown into the tight areas via centrifugal force at the same time the glass blower was expanding air into it.
A treadle mold also was easier to use as the blower was seated and the mold was held perfectly in place by the pin it rested on."

Makes sense enough to me! I'm happy with the bottle either way, it looks great in a window or just sitting next to its yellow quart brother!

 

[div2roty]

Cool, here is a link to the other glass in the Phila Museum of Art, they are actually part of a permanent collection.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/browse.html?galleryID=114

For Art in Philly I like the Barnes Foundation better, but the glass, pottery, and Shaker furniture is a cool addition to the Phila Museum of Art.