# Wathen's Distillers... bottle numbers?



## Foodbreeze (Oct 30, 2014)

Hello all, So, I managed to find a Wathen Distillers bottle in the woods of Northern MN.  I've read about them, but one thing I can't seem to find is the meaning of the number on the back of the bottle near the bottom.  Mine has a tiny glass "5" at the bottom center.  I saw one sell on ebay for $25 that had a "1" on it.  Does this number mean age?  Wathen family generation?  The bottle isn't threaded for a cap, it's a pint size that looks very "prohibition era" to me.  Anyone? Thanks,kjw


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## sunrunner (Oct 30, 2014)

post a photo, then well talk.


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 30, 2014)

I'd have to guess a mold number and it shouldn't be "prohibition era" (except some medicinal). Does it have a "Federal Law Forbids....." statement? If so it's after.


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## Foodbreeze (Oct 30, 2014)

Nope, no "Federal Law Forbids."  The complete label says:WATHEN​DISTILLERS​SINCE 1788​REGISTERED​U.S. PAT. OFFICE​ On the back it says, "FULL PINT" across the shoulders, and there's a tiny "5" at the very bottom.  See pictures.  Any further info on it, would certainly be appreciated!


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 30, 2014)

I think I can tell it is machine made so after 1907 most likely. A quick look hints they did or were part of forming the American Medicinal Spirits Company so it could be prohibition, after, like I said, it would have the "federal..." stuff.It's tough to be sure without some maker marks on the base.Since the one you say sell had a 1 and you have a 5, if they look similar I still don't think it's generational at all..


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## RED Matthews (Oct 30, 2014)

Well kjw'  it looks like an interesting little flask.  I haven't run into it before, at least I don't remember of it.  The first question is are there vertical seams on the finish glass (i.e - the top closure of the bottle.  You didn't make any disclosure about the bottoms glass markings.  I will watch for your continued activity about this bottle - and help if I can.  I looked in two books but didn't find anything about this bottle.   
RED Matthews


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## sunrunner (Nov 1, 2014)

yea that's a prohibition ear . I think this bottle wood have had one of those porcelain stopper so that it cud not be refilled. So id put it the 1918 , 1920s rehang.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 1, 2014)

I was thinking glass and cork myself.[8|]


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## Foodbreeze (Nov 1, 2014)

The bottom of the bottle is completely unremarkable, there are no markings there whatsoever (save for the "5" on the back of the bottle, toward the bottom).  Both sides, have a vertical seam that runs from the bottom to the tippy-top.  The seam does NOT run across the bottom, only from the edges of the bottom and up to the top. I've been using a cork, and keeping whiskey in it, since I thought that's what its original purpose was.  I'm VERY "green" when it comes to bottle collecting, it's not a hobby, I just tend to rescue any that I find while hunting the abandoned logging camps of Northern MN.  If you want more pics, let me know.  If you want the bottle, send me a private email and we'll work something out.


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## sunrunner (Nov 3, 2014)

that bottle has double collar that tells me there was a permanent stopper attached to it.


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## Foodbreeze (Nov 3, 2014)

Bummer.  Well, now it has a cork!


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 3, 2014)

It takes one like this FROMThe stoppers are easy to come by and you can drill a wine cork for that. It will need a little shave also.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 3, 2014)

Here's what I did on a Worcestershire sauce stopper. Yours should be clear and probably unmarked and likely a different size also.[attachment=Clipboard01.jpg]


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