HELP!!! RIP.....

[AmyS]

I really need some help from those that are familiar with poison bottles!

About 10 years ago my fiancee found a bottle while digging in our yard. The bottle is red and shaped like a coffin. I have been searching high and low for information on this bottle and finally found it! The only thing is.... the bottle I have found that looks like it is a reproduction from wheaton. I really think this bottle is an original. Knowing the history of our house, the house is over 100 years old, there is a very good possibility our bottle is in fact original, but am not sure how to tell. I am sending a picture of the bottle I found on ebay. I do have a picture of my bottle but my digital camera connector seems to be lost.

Again, the picture is not my bottle. I do not see any marking on my bottle saying "Wheaton".

Please help!!!!

-Amy

 

[JohnRoy]

You should ask for help from someone here who can come to your house and show you how to dig for even more old bottles at your house site. -John

 

[AmyS]

John,

The yard isn't that big or I would!!! I am totally fascinated with this and eager to find out what the heck this bottle is (or isn't!). I never realized that posion bottles were so widely collected. Maybe I will start a new hobby!

-Amy

 

[JohnRoy]

Since no one has answered you, I will venture to say that your bottle is probably an original, since the Wheatons I have heard of are marked so. If I am wrong, someone will correct me I am sure. BTW, if you do not know already, oftentimes people threw bottles, and other items, into the privy (outhouse). After some time, they usually filled them up with dirt, and over time the poop gets "eaten" (lack of a better word here) by bacteria. Do you know if your house had an outhouse? -John

 

[cowseatmaize]

The first thing you need to check is if it's machine made. Wheaton did in fact make that type of repro and were one of the only companies that used ruby colored glass. Gold was often used to get the red color so it wasn't generally used for "average ware". Sometimes a clear bottle was just coated in red. I remember the miniatures from gift shops at Old Sturbidge Village and the general store near the Wayside Inn. Anything ruby or poison related can fetch some money though. Check the mold seam and see if it''s above the neck. Also look for a ring on the base indecating the Owens Machine. One of Wheatons more obvious marks was a "fake" pontil but I don't recall them on the miniatures. These were very common in the late 60's - early 70's. Wheaton also made ruby inks etc. I personally have my doubts that it's anything but a repro.

 

[stormysouth]

How tall is it?

 

[AmyS]

The seam goes all the way up and there does appear to be a seam around the bottom of the bottle. Additionally, on the bottom of the bottle there is another copyright symbol and about 6 raised "dots". The bottle is small, about 3" tall and just under an inch wide at the bottom.

On the front of the bottle, under the skull and crossbones it reads:
W
7/ ©
H

 

[Miles]

I believe that's the sign for a wheaton reproduction.

 

[poisons4me]

That is a weaton reproduction coffin made in the early 1970s and came in various colors the red ones seem to be more sought after than others but none were made to hold anything,strictly as a decoration type thing. i have passed many but there are people who do collect them and usally are anywhere from 5.00 to 25.00 depending on whos watching.That said if it gets you into collecting bottles that is great.....welcome on board.I hope this helps you out. Rick

 

[AmyS]

Thanks Rick! Now I have more questions.... How can you tell that it is a Wheaton repro? Being that it is a Wheaton, what was it reproduced to look like? Just curious, if I get into this.... how does one go about knowing the real thing from a repro?