# Sawtooth bottle, pat. 1871



## RelicRaker (May 16, 2018)

Dug this today. Am hoping it's not just a catsup. Base embossed with a patent date of Dec 5th, 1871.


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## CanadianBottles (May 16, 2018)

It's a nice bottle!  Not sure what would have been in it, maybe a fancy sauce.  Toilet water could be a possibility, maybe.  Probably not ketchup, though I suppose it's possible.


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## Old Wiltshire (May 16, 2018)

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Hi RelicRaker
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Your bottle was patented by Nehemiah Sleeper of Burlington, New Jersey.
The drawing and specification from the US Patent Office are shown below.
It is his initials which appear on the base of the bottle at the centre of the patent date.
Unfortunately the specifications do not state what the bottle was used for.
Perhaps a little further research into Nehemiah Sleeper might reveal what sort of business he was engaged in?

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A further quick search shows the following details from the census of 1870.
Nehimiah Sleeper, a 39 year old canning manufacturer, had been born in Pennsylvania.
He was living in Burlington with his wife, four children and a live in domestic servant. 

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## historic-antiques (May 16, 2018)

Beautiful bottle!  I'd say it's a sauce or toilet water bottle, probably the latter or for something related to women's products.  It has what seems to be a floral design and thus seems a bit too "feminine" for it to have marketed a product for general, public consumption.  Just my opinions.  It's a neat bottle!


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## RelicRaker (May 16, 2018)

Wow, thanks O.W.! Explains the "NS" on the base. The patent drawing is great too. 
Cheers!


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## RelicRaker (May 16, 2018)

Nehemiah Sleeper designed the bottle for his partnership—Sleeper, Wells & Aldrich—makers of, you guessed it, catsup. A NJ bottle forum post has pix of a bottle with a partially intact label. Well, it's a fancy catsup anyway.


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## Old Wiltshire (May 16, 2018)

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Link to the post on the NJ forum to which RelicRaker refers:

https://njbottles.com/index.php?topic=5272.0

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## CanadianBottles (May 16, 2018)

So it is ketchup after all!  Still, nothing wrong with an 1870s fancy ketchup.  That's not even remotely in the same league as a screw-top Heinz bottle.


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## historic-antiques (May 16, 2018)

Yes, a might fancy catsup bottle, the fanciest I've ever seen!  You're right CanadianBottles, the common Heinz bottles, a dime a dozen, can't begin to compare to that beautiful, almost Roseville-esque floral/leaf design.  Great bottle RelicRaker and great research to you and everyone else!


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## RelicRaker (May 17, 2018)

Thanks all! Special thanks to Old Wiltshire for the patent research.


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## LolaInSF (May 23, 2018)

It would be really cool to make a nice print of the patent drawing and display it with the bottle....Here's how you do it:
http://scavengerchic.com/2016/02/22/vintage-patent-art-work-for-free/


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## RelicRaker (May 23, 2018)

How cool is that! Thx


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## sunrunner (May 24, 2018)

some condiment bottles are quit nice. the older the beater .


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (May 24, 2018)

THAT'S one ketchup bottle I'd LOVE to dig for a change, lol.


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## RelicRaker (May 26, 2018)

GLASSHOPPER55 said:


> THAT'S one ketchup bottle I'd LOVE to dig for a change, lol.


By far my best catsup find.


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## RelicRaker (Jun 10, 2018)

Found another, different Nehemiah Sleeper designed bottle today... Base patent Nov 4th, 1873.


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## miker (Jul 1, 2019)

HI I have a 9 inch 1871 sleeper wells & Aldrich ketchup bottle. Nehemiah sleeper made 8 inch ketchup bottles look at the top it is not like the ones I see it is Unigue  thank you miker.


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## miker (Jul 1, 2019)

*1871 triumph tomato ketchup sleeper wells & aldrich 9 inch bottle*

see the bottles miker


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## miker (Jul 1, 2019)

*1871 triumph tomato ketchup sleeper wells & aldrich 9 inch bottle*

one more


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