historic chestnut flask or repro?

[epgorge]

Chestnut? Whiskey flask. I picked it up today for little of nothing at an off the beaten garage sale.

What do you think? It looks suspicious to me, as it has a rough pontil on the bottom but also has a seam all the way through it. I don’t think I have ever seen a seam though a pontil.
Here are three pics to help you determine if this is a repro or an original. Whiskeyman?

 

[epgorge]

two

 

[epgorge]

three

 

[epgorge]

It has a tooled neck. The mouth is rather large compared to other whiskey flasks, I thought.
Ep

 

[epgorge]

lip

 

[whiskeyman]

EPGEORGE...what you have is an expanded diamond pattern pocket flask. Several companies have reproduced them: Clevenger Bros., Downer Glass Works and , the Metropolitan Museum of Art had one commissioned which may have been made by Pairpoint Glass Works.
Your mold seam with pontil is not unusual. I have 5 different Commemorative New Jersey scroll flasks made in the same manner and the neck tag on one indicates Downer Glass Works of Williamstown, NJ. A couple were made for the Bi-Centennial and others were made for the FOHBC about the same time.

 

[kungfufighter]

Whiskeyman is as usual spot on. Your flask is a modern reproduction of an 1820-1840 pattern molded Midwestern flask. The originals are typically coin-shaped (not bottom heavy like the reproductions) and patterned in a dip mold prior to expansion. The originals do not have mold seams and the typical diamond count is 10, though 15 and 18 diamond counts have also been encountered.

With that said, many bottles of the period can be found with seam lines across the base that are interrupted by pontil scars. These would be bottles blown in two-piece molds, including figured flasks, inks, medicines, etc. You will not, however, find mold seams on period pattern molded items, be they pitkin-type (German half-post) or simply pattern molded.

I've posted a link to a photo showing the general shape of Midwestern pattern molded pocket flasks.

http://www.jeffnholantiquebottles.com/images/Item6449B.jpg

 

[epgorge]

Thanks people. Is there any way to determine which glass company may have produced this particular bottle and when?

What would the value be? I spent $15 on it and don't feel I was taken, as it is a beautiful bottle.

I also have a commemorative flask, limited edition put out by the Wellsley community center in 1981. It was the Wellesley centennial celebration flask in that Wellesley was founded in 1881.

Any info on which glass company produced that one and its worth?

Thanks again. You guys are a wealth of information.

Ep

 

[epgorge]

Wellesley flask.

 

[zanes_antiques]

Here is an example of a seam running through a pontil marked bottle. This also has an inward rolled lip. Nice early unembossed ink.

Bad picture I guess. Can't really see the seams.