# two mysterious tall green bottles



## hokeypix (May 21, 2004)

from that same lot....a bright deep emerald green, unusual shape, approx. 8 inches tall, looks like a 619 on the bottom. any clues? thanks!


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## Harry Pristis (May 21, 2004)

These are turn-of-the-19th century capers bottles.


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## Oldtimer (May 21, 2004)

Food bottles, likely pickles or olives...Maybe relish ..


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## hokeypix (May 21, 2004)

Thanks! so....any thoughts on value? : )


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## Harry Pristis (May 21, 2004)

_Main Entry: [1]caÂ·per
 Pronunciation: 'kA-p&r
 Function: noun
 Etymology: back-formation from earlier capers (taken as a plural), from Middle English caperis, from Latin capparis, from Greek kapparis
 Date: 14th century
 1 : any of a genus (Capparis of the family Capparidaceae, the caper family) of low prickly shrubs of the Mediterranean region; especially : one (C. spinosa) cultivated for its buds 
 2 : one of the greenish flower buds or young berries of the caper pickled and used as a seasoning or garnish _ 

 People today do not even know what capers are, much less eat them.  But at the turn of the century and for a long time before, capers were a popular garnish at table.  Witness how many of these bottles are around. 

 Capers were imported, perhaps all of these bottles are imported as well.  Zumwalt figures an embossed example from France.  And on pp. 410 she figures one with a paper label that says:
*Select
 Imported
 CAIGLON
 BRAND
 CAPERS
 in Vinegar...
 UNITED 
 PURE FOOD 
 COMPANY
 NEW YORK*

 Bottles such as these may have been used for other commodities from-time-to-time; but, without a label to the contrary, they are known as "capers bottles."  Market value of these bottles without label or embossment is low, less than US$10.00.  Check eBay "completed items" for current market value.

 -----------Harry Pristis


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## hokeypix (May 21, 2004)

Thanks. btw, I LOVE capers! they are delicious on a bagel with lox, or in a nice pasta salad. : )


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## Harry Pristis (May 21, 2004)

Thanks for sharing your food tastes.  Are capers imported these days, or are they domestically produced?  Is the traditional bottle-form still being used?

 I had made a mental note to check on capers at the supermarket, but you can probably answer these questions for us. 

 -----------Harry Pristis


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## hokeypix (May 21, 2004)

that I can't answer....I buy them at a shop that sells them (and olives) in large crocks, you buy by the pound....


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## luvtodig (May 22, 2004)

Hey all!  I can answer the caper question a little, I managed a Itailian restaurant in Seattle, and they use capers a in their cooking, they are quite good..the jar now looks nothing like the old one..I am not sure if they are imported or not..never had the time to check that out[&:]  we recieved them from a food provider, that delievers orders to the restaurant..hope this helps[]


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## Harry Pristis (May 22, 2004)

Thanks, Susanne.  Maybe the supermarket will shed some light on the question.


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## Harry Pristis (May 22, 2004)

Alas, a search of the Internet reveals that the tall, green bottles with the fluted corners have not survived as a traditional capers bottle.  The jars which were pictured are clear, simple squat cylinders.

 However, I did find an interesting, beautifully-illustrated web-site dealing with all aspects of capers.  It's worth a look, even if only to see the flowers of the caper.

http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Capp_spi.html 

 ------------Harry Pristis


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## scduckett (May 22, 2004)

*RE:capers*

This is for Harry:
 I thoroughly enjoy perusing your soliliquies. However, I must take issue with your statement that "people today don't know what capers are". My husband calls them "those green floaty things" when I use them in dishes. For anyone who likes olives (green) or dill anything, capers will be right up your alley. Interesting bottles they came in. P.S Harry are you a college professor or a member of Mensa?


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## woody (May 22, 2004)

I love capers in Spanish rice, that my wife makes.


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## Bluebelle (May 22, 2004)

I used to use capers in potato salad, tartar sauce and some other things when the family was home to cook for - haven't bought any in years but now I want some! They used to come in dark green bottles similar to what was posted. Next time I shop, I'll check to see what they are in now.


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## Harry Pristis (May 23, 2004)

This has been very interesting!  When this thread started, I knew what a capers bottle was; but, I confess, I really didn't know what a caper is.  They were just never on my menu.

 I didn't find any capers in my local Winn-Dixie supermarket yesterday.  I'll keep looking.  

 "Green floaty things"!  Yes, I like it!  []

 ------------Harry Pristis


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## woody (May 23, 2004)

Check in the ethnic food aisle, Harry.
 I'm sure Goya sells capers.


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## Harry Pristis (May 24, 2004)

Ethnic foods was the first section I checked, Woody.  But, this was in a relatively small town whose biggest ethnic population is Polish.  No big demand for capers there, I guess.  There are other supermarkets in the area which I will check when I get the chance.

 ------------Harry Pristis


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## ladyp3797 (May 24, 2004)

[:'(] Capers are a little salty for me...but I bought them in the isle with the pickles [] LP


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## scduckett (May 24, 2004)

Harry, you can find capers in the olive and pickle aisle. Usually around the relish.[]


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## Harry Pristis (May 24, 2004)

Thanks, ladies!  The pickles and olives shelves were the second place I checked in Winn-Dixie.  No luck.  I'll try some other stores later this week as the opportunity arises.


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## Bluebelle (May 26, 2004)

I found capers today in my neighborhood Albertsons, on the pickle aisle, among the more exotic stuff. Come in clear glass cylinder bottle, 3.5 oz, imported from Spain, Crosse and Blackwell brand (which is now a subsidiary of Nestle's) However, they were almost $5, so they won't be back on my menus anytime soon.


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## Harry Pristis (May 26, 2004)

Thank you, Jane, for the report.  I suspect they have always been a luxury item here because they are imported.  And we don't even get a fancy bottle these days! [&:]

 ---------Harry Pristis


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## Harry Pristis (Jun 1, 2004)

I found three different brands of capers, plus capers berrys, at my local Albertsons supermarket recently.  They were priced at about 60 cents per fluid oz.

 None of the jars holding the capers had much resemblance to the green jars with fluted corners that I think of as "classic" capers bottles -- all were clear cylinders.

 This is a representative example.  Note that there is a ring in the neck above the shoulder as with the "classic" form.  

 -----------Harry Pristis


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## Bluebelle (Jun 1, 2004)

Thanks for continuing the research, Harry! The Cross and Blackwell one I saw was just a straight cylinder, no shoulder rings. So, did you buy some capers?


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## Harry Pristis (Jun 1, 2004)

Yes, Jane, those are my capers.  I am gonna' try them soon.  I like pickled olives and pickled onions, and I believe I will enjoy the pickled flower-buds as well!

 Eating some of these "green floaty things" will cap this learning experience for me.  Thank you to all who participated.  []

 ---------Harry Pristis


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## bigkitty53 (Jun 2, 2004)

Harry,
          Mix some capers in tartar sauce for fish-it's quite good.

 KAT


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## luvtodig (Jun 2, 2004)

Harry, I hope you enjoy your capers[]  unlike olives or other pickled things, I am not sure I would eat them by themselves[:'(]  my experience, they have always been used in sauces..I am sure you know this tho[] intresting side note on the bottle..the other day on e bay, saw one of the old capers bottle being sold with medicines...the decription on it said old medicine bottles...guess they did not know what they had, or these bottles were used for other things?  what I am finding on e bay, buyer beware..take care!


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