Took a risk on this one

[Blackglass]

I went to a few antique shops today, there were so many good deals I wish I had the money to get everything! Anyhow, I have several questions regarding the big purchase today.

1. What is the appr. age of this bottle? I was guessing 1700's-early 1800's. It is free blown & pontiled, and very river-worn.
2. What did this type of bottle contain?
3. This bottle has a very unusual pontil, in my books. It isn't sharp and looks like a ring. Is there a name for this type?

4. The big question: What is with the lip? I'm really confused, it looks like it is chipped up, but on closer inspection, it looks almost like it was made this way. It all is reatively smooth, but...I don't know, maybe a type of finish? I've included a whole bunch of photos, what do you think? If I had my camera with me at the time, I would have photographed it and got you guy's input, but the store is quite a ways away and I just went for it.

5. I don't normally ask, but was $40 a good price for this....Thing?

Also, I found a nice blobtop for $5. You just never know...

``Michael

 

[Bottles r LEET]

Hey Blackglass,
I can't guarantee it, but it looks like it was ground down. It might have been chipped when the person found it. I have a bottle with a similar lip HERE.

 

[JOETHECROW]

I'm thinking the lip was chipped many years ago and worn that way by sand or wherever it was submerged/buried...Neat old bottle.

 

[Bixel]

Almost looks like a bottle that came out of the water that was in a sandy area possibly.

 

[cyberdigger]

I ain't in no mood to get off my duff and grab a book off the shelf, but I seem to recall (accuracy warning) those elongated mallet style bottles to have been popular in the early 1800's. They contained wine usually.. the lip looks like the result of a meeting of indecisive exec's.. []

 

[Blackglass]

Thanks everyone! Do you think this bottle could still bring what I payed for it, even with the condition it's in?

 

[Wheelah23]

I wouldn't pay that much for it. Someone else may, but I believe they are commonly found by divers, as yours definitely was.

 

[Picklejar]

It's a neat bottle, but you should never pay more than your comfortable if the bottle is A. damaged, B. slick. Both of these factors, lead to the "used car" problem. Once you take the car off the lot, it devalues right away. In this case, you have purchased a bottle from a shop, where the guy is trying to pay his bills with a size-able markup, and he sold you a damaged item. If you love it, great. But if your talking investment wise, it's gonna be a hard sell to the next collector, for profit. It is a nice old piece of glass, no matter what, so enjoy it! Be wary of antique shops in general, IMHO.---Joe

 

[sandchip]

Nice ol' piece of glass, but it just doesn't look pontilled to me.

 

[RED Matthews]

Hi Blackglass, I copied the pontil picture but I couldn't find a name for it. It is different though.. If you decide to sell it let me know - seeing it in hand might help with explanation. RED Matthews