# Booth's Gin Bottle with Seal



## BeachComber (Dec 30, 2012)

Hello all!

 I recently found this one on a random dive and I was wondering if anyone has any sort of information on it or has seen one before. I have tried to google it but have not been very successful in finding any info.

 The bottle does not seem to be very old as it is a three piece mold bottle. I am therefore assuming that the bottle is around the 1875 - 1885 date range but I could be wrong. The seal is located near the base of the bottle and is embossed with "Booth & Co / Superior / No 1 Gin / 55 Cowcross". 

 Any info such as where the bottle is from, the actual date and possible value would be greatly appreciated! 

 Thanks again!


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## BeachComber (Dec 30, 2012)

Closeup of the lip


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## BeachComber (Dec 30, 2012)

Closeup of the seal


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## BeachComber (Dec 30, 2012)

Close up of the Base


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## LC (Dec 30, 2012)

Crude looking bottle , never did see a seal down at the bottom of the bottle like that .


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## sandchip (Dec 30, 2012)

Wild and just plain cool.  Never can tell what's gonna pop up.


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## JOETHECROW (Dec 30, 2012)

Beachcomber....Great bottle! This is what's there now...
 Farringdon Food & Wine



 [/align]55 Cowcross Street,
 Clerkenwell,
 London
 EC1M 6BX
 [/align][/align][/align][/align]


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## botlguy (Dec 30, 2012)

Hey B. C.

 What you see there is an infrequent occurrence when the composition of the glass the seal was made of didn't adhere properly to the shoulder of the bottle and exposure to the water, I'm assuming sea water or high saline content fresh water, caused the seal to slide down the side. You are fortunate it didn't slide completely off. It has been my experience, and that is tremendously extensive, that GIN bottles are most susceptible to this phenomenon. Lots of bottles are found all over the world without seals and it has always been assumed that they were made without seals. UNTRUE. All liquor bottles ever made were made either embossed or with an applied seal attached to the shoulder. If the seal is not there it means that the seal slid off, dropped off entirely and dissolved or disintegrated over time. The seal and adhesive of your bottle is superior so you should be proud.

 This is just a short dissertation of what I know but I don't want to draw attention to myself. Thanks for sharing.


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## tigue710 (Dec 31, 2012)

yes that its, it got some sea butter on it and the seal near slid off!  fascinating!

 on a more serious note, its a neat one...


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## Sir.Bottles (Dec 31, 2012)

> Booth's Gin Bottle with Seal


 Very nice gin!! I hope I can find any! how tall was it??


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## surfaceone (Dec 31, 2012)

Nearly New Year's greetings, BC,

 It is a neat one, & I'm glad you recovered it before that seal slid off, [8D]

 There's not too much online Booth's history. You may wanna look for Lord Kinross' book. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



From.

 I'd give a possible earlier parameter on your date range. That grooved ring finish is pretty uncommon, as well.




Thanks Bill.




From.






 "It is called Mountford House after its architect E.W. Mountford, who made it for Boothâ€™s distillery. The building had to be demolished because of extensive war damage, but the faÃ§ade, dating from 1901-3 has been largely restored." From.

 "...Booth's Distillery (demolished). Cowcross Street and Turnmill Street were associated with the manufacture of gin by the Booth family and its successors for two hundred years. The story began in the early 1770s, with the establishment of what became the Cow Cross Distillery by John Mootham and Philip Booth. In 1772 Mootham, a gentleman resident in Highgate but with a distillery in Borough High Street, took a 42-year lease of a former brewery on the east side of the road, on part of the site now occupied by Nos 76â€“86 Turnmill Street and 24 Britton Street. (It was then referred to as in Turnmill Street, but later became No. 55 Cow Cross Street.) (ref. 73) Whether Mootham had just re-fitted the brewery for distilling or the conversion had been done some time previously, is not clear. Nor is it clear whether he was already in partnership with Philip Booth, whose name first appears in the ratebooks as having taken over the previously empty premises. Philip Booth & Co., as their firm was called, soon expanded the works, acquiring property to the south, in Plowman's Rents, including a former slaughterhouse, and to the rear in Red Lion (now Britton) Street. (ref. 74) By 1787 they also had a distillery at Stanstead Abbotts in Hertfordshire. (ref. 75)

 Cow Cross Distillery passed into the hands of Philip Booth's sons William, Felix and John. It was extensively rebuilt (Ill. 247) and another distillery was built in Brentford, near the sons' homes in Ealing and Gunnersbury. (ref. 76) In 1830 William died and John retired, leaving Felix in sole control. Felix, who in 1835 was made a baronet for his work in sponsoring Arctic exploration by his friend John Ross, continued to expand the business through acquisitions, as well as branching out into other activities. Booths eventually became the biggest distilling concern in the country. (ref. 77) The business continued in family ownership until 1897, following the death of Felix's nephew Sir Charles Booth, 3rd Bart, when it was floated (together with the business of another distiller's in Albany Street, Regent's Park) as Booth's Distillery Ltd. (ref. 78)
 ..." (More history, photos & plans Here.)




From.


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## TROG (Dec 31, 2012)

This bottle dates around 1850-1860 and is relatively common on early sites here in Australia.They usually only sell in the $20-30 range depending on condition. There is a green version which is much rarer.


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## BeachComber (Dec 31, 2012)

Happy New Year's all! 

 Thank you all for all of the very useful information! I was worried that the seal was going to fall off. So I taped it in place just in case! hahahaha. []   

 Surface one - Thanks for the specific details on the bottle. Very interesting and pretty much exactly the info I was hoping for!  

 Sir Bottles - The bottle is about 14 inches tall.  

 Thanks again all!!


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## springer (Sep 13, 2017)

*I found one too in 1985*



BeachComber said:


> Hello all!
> 
> I recently found this one on a random dive and I was wondering if anyone has any sort of information on it or has seen one before. I have tried to google it but have not been very successful in finding any info.
> 
> ...


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