# 3 oz warranted flask



## Ben (Mar 21, 2012)

Just got off the phone with my brother... he told me he picked up a 3 oz size warranted flask.  I am still new at all of this and was under the idea that there were only two sizes of warranted flask, a 7oz and a 14oz.  So are there more sizes? Is that little 3 oz bugger rare?  Is there a "warranted flask info" web page?  Thanks again everyone.


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## surfaceone (Mar 21, 2012)

> I am still new at all of this and was under the idea that there were only two sizes of warranted flask, a 7oz and a 14oz. So are there more sizes? Is that little 3 oz bugger rare? Is there a "warranted flask info" web page?


 
 Hey Ben,

 I'm unaware of a particular site devoted to Warranted flasks. I would recommend to you the Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website, to learn about these old bottles upon which we fixate. Unless wonderfully colored, or with a Saloon or proprietor information, rarity is not gonna be a factor. 

 I've dug plenty of pint and 1/2 pints, but don't remember any marked in ounces. I would think that they would be later, Post Gould Amendment flasks.







 "Strap side union oval flasks embossed with WARRANTED, FULL MEASURE, GUARANTEED, or similar affirmative notations on the shoulder - often with the contents capacity (i.e., FULL PINT) embossed elsewhere on the body- are a very common flask made primarily from the mid to late 1890s until at least 1920 (Bellville Glass Co. 1905-1910; Illinois Glass Co. 1920; empirical observations).  These "full measure" bottles had a specific capacity that was affirmed to the potential customer by the embossing and appear to be a reaction to the very common "scant" sizes which held less capacity than the named size would indicate.  (Scant sizes are discussed briefly in the coffin section which follows this one.) 

 The colorless strap side union oval example to the left is embossed with GUARANTEED (in a fancy banner) / (image of a star) / FULL 1/2 PINT / 8 OUNCES / UNION MADE and is a typical example of a "full measure" type flask.  This bottle has the manufacturing features noted a few sentences down and likely dates from the 1905 to 1915 era.  (This flask still contained the original 90-100 year old bourbon whiskey when acquired by the author, which was appropriately disposed of.  ;-)  Click the following links to see more images of this bottle - base view; side view - both images of which show the banded side to the flask.  Of some dating utility is the fact that bottles embossed with UNION MADE appear to never date earlier than about 1900 (empirical observations).  Click Warranted Flasks to see an image (of mediocre quality unfortunately) of two sizes of flasks embossed with WARRANTED / FLASK embossed and the capacity (7 oz. and 14 oz.) embossed on the shoulder - both typical "scant sizes" but at least acknowledged on the bottle.  Both flasks also date from the early 1900s.  These later strap side union oval flasks are usually found in aqua, colorless, or amber glass (with other colors much rarer), have tooled double ring finishes, and are air vented.  Many of these flasks also have plate mold circles in evidence and sometimes have embossing inside the plate.  If embossed with a proprietary/company name they are virtually always from the Eastern seaboard with a few from the Midwest; few- if any - of these later union oval flasks seem to have been utilized by Western liquor purveyors who had them embossed with their name (Thomas 1998a & 1998b; empirical observations)." From.


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## Ben (Mar 21, 2012)

Thanks, Surfaceone.  I forgot to check that page, there is all sorts of info there.  However they only state the 7oz and 14oz sizes.  My brother told me his also has Z & S embossed on the base and an empty slug plate on the front (I assume for a paper label).  On the bottom of the front it is embossed CONTAINS 3 OZ.  Thanks again for the pointers.  He also said it had a tooled lip.


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