US NAVY MUSTARD

[GuntherHess]

I'm not saying aqua repros dont exist but the only repros i heard about were made at the Jamestown shops.

from http://glswrk-auction.com/104.htm
Among the many artifacts on display in the museum are a large grouping of bottles taken from the Cairo. These include the regulation Navy Mustard and Pepper bottles. Several years ago the Park Service had a number of reproductions of these U.S. Navy Mustard and U.S. Navy Pepper bottles reproduced as its glass blowing shops in Jamestown, Virginia. These bottles are sold in the park's gift and souvenir shop for $9.00 each. They look identical to the originals even having pontil scarred bases. However unlike the originals which were aqua in color, these reproductions were blown in a light yellowish green color.

I'd like to see a photo of one of the aqua repros for reference. Was the aqua repro pontil marked?

 

[southern Maine diver]

Hey Matt...

I know Rick bought one probably a year and a half ago on E-bay, so I'd have to check with him... Wasn't trying to put you on the spot... just trying to point out to Juan that repro's do exist and that we should be careful when buying, that's all

Wayne[&:]

 

[GuntherHess]

No problem here, I'm just trying to learn what repros are out there so I dont get stuck with one (or worse, tell a friend wrongly one is real or a repro).

I would say the Jamestown versions would be called "repros" because they were made in a color that identifies them as not being original.
If there are aqua ones out there that arent marked in some way then they would be considered 'fakes' I think. I guess they could have originally had labels that were removed.

P.S. I consider bottle collecting relatively free of fakes. I got out of Civil War relics because the hobby was getting flooded by fakes. For several reasons I wont get into here I dont think that is likely to the bottle hobby.

 

[botil]

Thankx everybody. I think its not a repro because this bottle was found for a closed friend while snorkeling that knows about my bottle 'illness' in the Balearic Islands.
The photo is not very good because the light, but the color is aqua.

 

[cowseatmaize]

Believe it or not, this is a repro and can still be bought.

 

[GuntherHess]

Interesting... are there any indications on that one that is it recent? Is it pontil marked? Do you know who made them?

 

[cowseatmaize]

I could have put in that info but I feared the word getting out to far. Here's what I wrote as a warning on my web site.

I recently found a site that reproduces civil war period bottles and other historical items. One of the bottles was a 13½" Cathedral Pickle. Others were pepper sauces, hospitals, ales, wines etc.. These are made and supplied to movie makers and even museums and are very realistic, complete with whittle marks and or pontils.
They are also open to the public, a little pricey but possibly hundreds less than the real thing. Watch out for these as they sound like they may be as hard to identify as the Clevengers of the mid 30's.

I may have to ammend that to "harder than Clevengers"

 

[GuntherHess]

OK, I know the site you are referring to. Thanks. I hate seeing people making fakes like these. I guess all you can do is try to know whats out there and try to avoid the items.
I think I may try to put a section on my website that lists some of the known fakes.

 

[cowseatmaize]

As long as A-holes don't start selling the stuff as real I don't mind. I thought of getting a few for myself since I can't afford the real thing and don't dig anymore. I'd love to dig but just don't know where or who to do it with. In the old days of my youth all that would happen is I'd get yelled at. Now that I'm over 18 (well over) I fear getting arrested is more likely but I'm not exactly sure about asking permission etc.. I know a few sites around but parking isn't so good either and I don't want to walk 10 miles to get to the spot to start hiking. I hope by spring I'll have all that figured out. Maybe if I can get my wife to drop me off and pick me up at the end of the day I'd be alright.

 

[GuntherHess]

Its tempting to buy some of those fakes (its nice glass work) but I would be concerned that it would encourage them or more people to produce similar items.
I dont know why they cant simply mark the items then there wouldnt be much concern.
I was in an antique mall a couple years ago and saw a great early pewter piece. I was ready to lay down some bucks until I looked close and saw the CW mark of Colonial Williamburg.


Ya, I'm past the age where i just get yelled at. But you know kids AND old people can get away with most anything. I figure when I'm 70 I can get back into places and no one will screw with me. They will just say "whats that crazy old guy digging for?" Some people are good at getting permission (they tend to be good telemarketers too), I am not.
I found that land owned by paper companies was pretty safe to search on, they own a lot in Virginia and just seem to care about harvesting the trees every so often. Another place that has been good is along old railroads. They often dumped cars of ash and trash in the old days. Just have to be careful now days walking along RR tracks since everyone is terrorist crazy.