# An Old Chemists Bottle?  1840-1860?



## historic-antiques (Jan 30, 2019)

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if you could help identify the 2 bottles I found at an old house sale in Chicago about 30 years ago or so.  I think they're chemists bottles, but does anybody know what a three-necked bottle was used for and how old they really are?  Maybe to concoct the "medicines" druggists put into the medicine bottles we find?  

They have very crudely made necks/applied lips, no seams, and a ground pontil.  

I include some photos of both, not great but if you need more, I'll post them.  

Thanks for your help!

Sincerely,

Paul


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## hemihampton (Jan 30, 2019)

Reminds me of something used to Milk Cows? LEON.


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## Old Wiltshire (Jan 30, 2019)

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Hi Paul,

Your bottles are known as 'Woulff or Woulfe Bottles' and are for use in a laboratory.
The link to the Smithsonian site gives some further information.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_2089

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## historic-antiques (Jan 30, 2019)

hemihampton said:


> Reminds me of something used to Milk Cows? LEON.



I guess they had 3-nippled cows back then...!!


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## historic-antiques (Jan 30, 2019)

Hi "Old Wiltshire":  Thanks for the guidance, I took a look and you're absolutely right - they are Woulff bottles.  I'll go from there, already asked the Smithsonian more info about where and up to when, and by whom, were they made.  Are they commonly found in the UK?

Thanks again!

Paul


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## Old Wiltshire (Jan 31, 2019)

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Hi again Paul,

The link below the image gives a good background story to Peter Woulfe and his 'Bottle'.

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https://www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/woulfes-bottle/2500114.article

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## RelicRaker (Jan 31, 2019)

So cool, following these grassy deer trails back into the woods of history.
Thx for the research, OW.


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## historic-antiques (Feb 6, 2019)

Hi Old Wiltshire,

Thanks for the link to the mysterious world of Peter Woulf.  Three-necked bottles are still being made, but it seems given the pontil marks and crudely applied lips, would you say mine were made probably during 1840-1860?  Later?  Earlier?  

Thanks again for your research!  Learn something new every day!!

Paul


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## Old Wiltshire (Feb 7, 2019)

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Hi Paul,
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In answer to your question, It is sometimes notoriously difficult to date 'laboratory ware'.
Due to the lmited demand and complexity of some pieces they do not lend themselves to mass production and many are 'handmade'.
I would have thought 'probably second half of the 19th century' unless proven otherwise would be a fair dateline to put on your pieces. 

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## RIBottleguy (Feb 11, 2019)

I had one of these bottles with the middle neck missing and a glob of glass sealing the hole.


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