# Mitchell & Fletcher olive oil



## RelicRaker (Dec 20, 2017)

Crews are digging up an old schoolyard in my neighborhood and were kind enough to let me grab a few bottles from the tailing pile. The most interesting is this olive oil, embossed with a faux seal, "Mitchell & Fletcher, Huile de Olive, Philadelphia." Mitchell & Fletcher had a profitable grocery wholesale and import business in Philly, with 3 locations at its peak during the 1870s and 80s.


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## sandchip (Dec 20, 2017)

Very nice and looks to be in great condition.


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## botlguy (Dec 21, 2017)

That's a terrific get.
Jim S


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## bottlecrazy (Dec 21, 2017)

What sandchip and botlguy said.  Very nice!


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## RelicRaker (Dec 22, 2017)

Thanks all! Yeah it's in great condition and full of irregularities, bubbles, etc.
Here's a detail on the seal.



and the finish...


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## sandchip (Dec 23, 2017)

Nice.  What's the base like?


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## RelicRaker (Dec 23, 2017)

sandchip said:


> Nice.  What's the base like?



It's got a kick-up—I thought it was a wine until I wiped the mud from the seal.


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## CanadianBottles (Dec 23, 2017)

Nice one!  Do you think I'm correct in guessing that it's a foreign-made bottle?  Also what makes you think the seal is a faux seal?  It looks to me like a real seal done on the tail end of the applied seal era.


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## RelicRaker (Dec 23, 2017)

CanadianBottles said:


> Nice one!  Do you think I'm correct in guessing that it's a foreign-made bottle?  Also what makes you think the seal is a faux seal?  It looks to me like a real seal done on the tail end of the applied seal era.


Am hoping it was bottled abroad. Was olive oil typically bottled under an importer's name then shipped—or was it shipped in casks and bottled by the importer on arrival? As for the seal, I posted an a few months back about a find of an olive oil bottle and was told that seal was part of the mold. Assumed the same for this one.  It would be great if it were applied.


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## CanadianBottles (Dec 24, 2017)

I think it was typically bottled by the importer on arrival but this one looks like it's likely an exception.  That bottle looks much more European than American.  And I think that's a real seal, I've got a bottle from the 1910s with a true applied seal so they were still doing it that late in Europe, mostly for fancy products I think.


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## RelicRaker (Dec 25, 2017)

Cool. From what I've read of Mitchell & Fletcher, they did seem to be a gourmet importer.


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## sandchip (Dec 25, 2017)

I don't have a doubt that it's applied, but a shot from the side of the seal would tell for sure.


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## RelicRaker (Dec 26, 2017)

sandchip said:


> I don't have a doubt that it's applied, but a shot from the side of the seal would tell for sure.



Here's a side shot of the seal...


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## sandchip (Dec 26, 2017)

It's definitely applied.


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## RelicRaker (Dec 26, 2017)

sandchip said:


> It's definitely applied.


Cool, thanks!


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## bottlerocket (Dec 27, 2017)

That is a great looking bottle. That lip is awesome and the embossing is very nice. Any more bottles from there?


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## BF109 (Dec 27, 2017)

Sweet bottle!


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## Oldsdigger (Dec 27, 2017)

*Olive oil bottle*

Do you have or seen the Dark Olive glass version ? I live in the Philadelphia area and dug a dump in Haverford. I have some where several dark green versions of this. Any idea of its value ?


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## RelicRaker (Dec 27, 2017)

bottlerocket said:


> That is a great looking bottle. That lip is awesome and the embossing is very nice. Any more bottles from there?



Went back yesterday and there were 2 broken stoneware ginger beers, a broken blob top, and a slick small that the workers had discarded. None in good enough shape to keep. But I drove past the site a few minutes ago and they were digging again today.


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## RelicRaker (Dec 27, 2017)

Oldsdigger said:


> Do you have or seen the Dark Olive glass version ? I live in the Philadelphia area and dug a dump in Haverford. I have some where several dark green versions of this. Any idea of its value ?



I haven't seen the dark version. This was a very lucky pick. The only other intact olive oil I've dug was also pale green. See pic below...


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## RelicRaker (Dec 27, 2017)

bottlerocket said:


> Any more bottles from there?



The excavation crew chief let me have these 2 today...

Moroney & Connor squat soda




and a Henry Ohse stoneware beer


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## sandchip (Dec 28, 2017)

Man, that's great!


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Dec 29, 2017)

That olive oil's embossing is very elaborate for its' age. Nice bottle!


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## RelicRaker (Dec 29, 2017)

GLASSHOPPER55 said:


> That olive oil's embossing is very elaborate for its' age. Nice bottle!


 It does have a crazy amount of detail in that seal. Thanks for having a look.


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## RelicRaker (Jan 2, 2018)

A couple more from the schoolyard site...


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