On one of the sites I researched, Bottle Pickers, catalogs many different names for the bottle top shapes. Applied Band, Blob, Collar, Crown Cap, Double Collar, Flair, Flanged Mouth, Hutchinson Blob, Internal Threads, Mushroom, Narrow Square Collar, Pour Spout, Pour One Shot Neck, Screw Cap ABM, Screw Cap Ground Top, Shear Top, String Top, Tapered Collar, Tapered with Ring, Tapered with Double Collar, Tapered with Triple Collar. Tapered with Wedge Ring, Wedge with Ring Collar…are you still with me?
The blue bottle I have is a bottle from the Whitall Tatum Company, one of the first glass factories in America, located in Millville, NJ. Millville Glassworks was founded by James Lee. John Whitall was a partner. Other companies purchased the company over the years, American National Can, Ball-Foster. In 1999 the factory was shut down after 193 years of production.
Raised lettering on bottles, like this one from Millville are produced with a plate mold, sometimes referred to as a slug plate which fits inside the casting mold. In 1933, with the repeal of prohibition, regulations were enforced to include, embossing of any bottle containing alcohol to state— Federal Law Forbids Sale or Resale of This Bottle. This regulation was in effect until 1964.
Today a blue bottle is especially valued for its protection against harmful UV rays. I don’t know if that was a part of the consideration in 1888. Rubber gaskets have a shelf life of 5 or 6 uses and although very beautiful as closures, and affordable, about $30.00 for a case of 12, I wonder if the crown cap wins out over the bail and swing for price and practicality?
There are wire bails for flip-top replacement but unless you are a real bottle aficionado, which I applaud, you might say the crown is king.
Interesting!
ReplyDeleteI found it all interesting too. When I started doing the research on the bottle it took me to places I never imagined. Love that!
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