Patience Rewarded

[LaidBackJack]

I've known Les for about 20 years. We didn't always used to get along, but now he's 85...and I'm 53....time has mellowed us both out, and we get along fine. A couple years ago I went to him with some stamps, that's his addiction...and I spotted this beauty, on a back shelf in his shack. I admired the heck out of it, you can be sure, and told him that if he ever wanted to part with it I wanted to be first in line. He allowed as how he knew it was worth something, but not how much, and he didn't really want to part with it at the time. Ever since,and at every opportunity I have repeated to him my desire to have this fine bottle, and finally.....today.....after all this time & a whole lot of paying dues with him.....I got it ,in exchange for 3 embossed Cal.1880's amber beers, and a embossed 1880's clear whiskey! I figure I traded $80 max in value for this little gem, but those bottles all cost me $5 each. ....so $20 to me.....HA-CHA!!!!! My picture does not do this thing justice. The color is an indescribable dark, almost glowing amethyst. It has 16 right-handed swirls, is pontiled, and 5-3/4" tall by 5" wide. Absolutely perfect condition. I don't have anything else that comes close to this in color, I can barely take my eyes off of it sitting in my window right now. I've seen Ohio swirls that were pretty similar, but not this color, and they were 1840-60 & most went for some fairly serious money. I have only just gotten this fella, and so have not seriously researched it. I'm putting it up here first thing, so anyone feel free to tell me what you think I have....I don't care what it's actually worth, I got it because I had to HAVE it! But I think it's rare.....never seen another like it in this color. I'll figure out a way to get a more natural color picture, the shade of violet is unbelievable when the sunlight shines through it. This is why I collect glass....for objects like this, that make me feel all warm inside. A great day! Thank you Lester!

 

[KentOhio]

Is there wear on the base?

 

[LaidBackJack]

Not a lot, just a slight high-point ring where it touches down when sitting. The bottom is slightly indented, and so it sits on just a slender ring of glass. It does look almost too perfect to be 100 or more years old, but I do know from the son of the lady that Lester had gotten it from, that she had it ~50 years ago displayed in her house, he remembers it when he was a kid. So it's at least that old if it's "modern". There's no way now for me to try & trace it back any further, the lady is dead now, and nobody knows where she might have gotten it in the first place. I just had to have that color, first time I've seen anything like it in something hand blown, that I could afford. Hey, for $20 worth of bottles in trade, it made my day whatever it's provenence is. If it's a genuine antique piece, it's gravy. Either way it looks like a jewel sitting in my window, with the sunlight coming through it. I'm just a sucker for colors, and it's the most beautiful shade of deep amethyst I've ever seen. Had to have it, a two year project. Success!

 

[Monsonant]

Jack , Its a very pretty bottle . Using 10X magnification (a standard loupe ) you should be able to get a good feel for the age from even the thinnest ridges or spots where bottle "touches down". Dull , flat , even wear is what you would hope to see . Scratches and light colored / whitish wear are seldom present on old bottle glass , old flint glass will wear to a very white surface.
I have had very similar swirled rib bottles that were Mexican in origin. There seems to have been a lot of them made in the early to mid 1960s . My instinct tells me , mostly from the color that this is where your bottle is from . A close up of the base and lip would be very helpful . Dave A

 

[LaidBackJack]

Thanks, and I imagine you are probably right. It's too perfect to be that old. Also, the pontil mark isn't like ones I have studied on vintage examples. The more I look at it closely, the more I think it is likely a Mexican made item. Especially when I compare it directly to my other known Mexican blown glass items. Oh well, I'm not disappointed because I wanted it for it's color, not because I counted on it being an old one. Still worth the $20 to me. It's good to be easily satisfied when you're a poor glass nut.

 

[Monsonant]

"It's good to be easily satisfied when you're a poor glass nut"
I hear ya there ! I have a number of mexican items in my collection . Some of it is quite beautiful and in my opinion ..under valued . Someday this will change . For years there was not much intrest in Blenko glass and now it has become very collectable. Dave A