South Texas Calabash Flask

[bostaurus]

It may have had wicker or even leather wrapping. I have one in that general shape and very early..1830's or so, 5 inches tall, in aqua. Definitely American. When I bought it the bottle was sown into a leather cover with the remnants of a strap. The general consensus on another site was that it was a type of canteen. Unfortunately the leather was dry rotted and crumbled at the touch. The good part was that, because of the leather, the bottle survived in mint condition. I have a picture some where.

 

[hemihampton]

If pontiled it's not like any I seen before, But I don't know much about Foreign made Bottles or Calabash's so possible? LEON.

 

[Harry Pristis]

It is a pontil in that it is a scar from where a pontil rod was adhered to the base of the bottle. It's not a traditional "American" tubular "open pontil" or an iron pontil, but probably falls into the "glass tipped pontil scar" category. I've seen these on a lot of European (Italian and French) bottles, and it strikes me that they were using a pretty broad tip on the rod that crossed from base ridge to base ridge.

I agree . . . You said it as well as can be said.

 

[saratogadriver]

My gut is with nhpharm on this one. I think those glass deposits constitute a "pontil" in that something was attached to that base to hold it as the neck was finished. I'd also say European origin, which makes aging it harder than if it was a US made bottle. They used older techniques longer than we did, often.

And I think we all agree it's not a calabash. it's shaped a bit like one but it's not one.

Interesting piece any way though.

Jim G

 

[K6TIM]

This miniature calabash flask was found in south Texas. I believe it dates from the 1850s/60s, correct? Is it pontiled? Would this bottle had been weaved with whicker? Any information helps me do a write up on this bottle.
View attachment 235246
View attachment 235247

 

[K6TIM]

This miniature calabash flask was found in south Texas. I believe it dates from the 1850s/60s, correct? Is it pontiled? Would this bottle had been weaved with whicker? Any information helps me do a write up on this bottle.
View attachment 235246
View attachment 235247

Hi
The bottle is calbash shaped.The bottle bottom hasn't a pontil mark probably dates it after 1860-70's or later Check seam line to see if it goes just to the bottom of the bottle lip then it's before1904..Looks to me to have a typical taperd lip.The bottom of this bottle is called a cup bottom mold (see Historic Bottle blog) for this info.The glass looks to be natural greenish bottle glass!.
It's NOT a historic flask,but nice old bottle just the same.Probably not originally in a WICKER covering like a demi-john,or carboy would be found
K6TIM

 

[Harry Pristis]

Hi
The bottle is calbash shaped.

No, it's not "calbash" [sic] shaped. It is laterally compressed, with a tapering base, unlike a calabash shape.

The bottle bottom hasn't a pontil mark probably dates it after 1860-70's or later

No. The scars on the base of the flask are clearly created by separation from a glass tipped pontil.

Check seam line to see if it goes just to the bottom of the bottle lip then it's before1904.

No, this is an unreliable dating approach. In the USA, for example, some bottles were hand finished as late as 1918 when the Owens machine was fully adopted.

.Looks to me to have a typical taperd lip

Typical of what?

.The bottom of this bottle is called a cup bottom mold (see Historic Bottle blog) for this info.The glass looks to be natural greenish bottle glass!.
It's NOT a historic flask,but nice old bottle just the same.

What is the significance of these observations? I would counter that this IS an historic flask, though not an American "historical flask."

Probably not originally in a WICKER covering like a demi-john,or carboy would be found
K6TIM

I've seen many European flasks covered in a very tight, very fine, wicker-like covering. These flasks likely were intended for rough use, perhaps as a canteen while traveling. My American-made amber flask was covered in such a wrapper.