# Origins of this kuttrolf?



## Ana_ajp (Jul 31, 2011)

I found this kuttrolf decanter in a thrift shop in San Jose, CA. It is clear non-lead glass with a pronounced pushed-up pontil. There are some potstones in it as well as bubbles. It is missing the original stopper. There was a tag that came with it stating that it was from the early 1800's. I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about it. Were these ever made in America? Any thoughts would be appreciated. 
 Thanks!


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## surfaceone (Jul 31, 2011)

Hello Ana_ajp,

 Welcome to the Blue pages and thanks for bringing this bottle. Please do put up some more pictures, including the base and any swell pot stones and details. Please check the "Embed" button when you do.

 It's an old form. Dating way back. It has been revived many times. Digger Odell says, "I got an appraisal request recently for an interesting bottle which looked like a pinch bottle. Pinch bottles were blown mostly in Europe in The Netherlands, Northern Germany and in Scandinavia, Norway and Denmark. These odd looking bottles have a pinched waist or pinched sides that makes them look highly unusual. They appear to have been made as decorative decanters. Early examples were made in the late 1700s through the beginning of the 18th century.

 The German name for these bottles is "Kuttrolf" a kind of bottle in which the neck consists of 5 or 6 twisted "pipes" which make the content of the bottle slowly pouring or dripping out with a clucking sound. The style has its roots in Roman times but was picked up by German glassblowers in the middle ages. It morphed from a twisted neck into the twisted body we see in pinch bottles of the early 19th century.

 A few pinch bottles were even blown in this country, probably because glassworkers in American were brought over from Europe. The lady who sought the appraisal had stumbled upon one of these rare American examples."






 "This is a 15th century German or Dutch Kuttrolf. From, "Antique Colored Glass," by Keith Middlemas, pg 15." From.

 Some folks call them "Kluk Kluk's."


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## Ana_ajp (Aug 1, 2011)

Thank you for the warm welcome surfaceone! 
 Ah, so some of them were made in America. Thank you very much for your information! I do have some more pictures of the bottle.

 Here is a picture of the bottom. I will try to get better pictures of the potstones.


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## Ana_ajp (Aug 1, 2011)

I'm not sure if you can see the potstones in the photo but they are small and are in the top left hand side of the bottle and appear as whiteish flecks.


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