# Is it PUCE?



## bottlekid76 (Nov 24, 2012)

Hi all,

 Well Jim (Botlguy) got me thinking more about this color, and like another Jim (epackage) mentioned it seems to be so widely used anymore when describing a bottles color. There's no doubt I love the color as do many of the rest of you fine bottle folks! Maybe we can start a thread here to help us all better define the inconsistency and cuss and discuss whether a bottle truly is PUCE or a shade of it. The many different terms associated with different shades of it as well. I've seen, copper puce, strawberry puce, cherry puce, peach puce, pink puce, etc. So what is this color we call Puce? I know this could be a tough thread as everyones eyes are open to different interpretation, seeing a bottle in hand makes all the difference too sometimes. Maybe tho, it will help us get a little better understanding as i've seen countless bottles with amber or amber tones being described as Puce. Please post any photos you may have to help us all learn a little more. I suspect a certain Dyottville Eagle might even show up too?! []

 The color appears to have been of French origin.

 Merriam-Webster describes it as:

 Puce
  noun ËˆpyÃ¼s
 Definition of PUCE

 : a dark red 

 The Free Dictionary describes it as:

 Puce (pys)
 n.
 A deep red to dark grayish purple.

 Wikipedia's definition:
 Puce (often misspelled as "puse", "peuse" or "peuce") is a color that is defined as ranging from light grayish red-violet to medium to dark purplish-brown, with the latter being the more widely accepted definition found in reputable sources. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the use of "puce" (in couleur puce) from 1787. The first recorded use of puce as a color name was in the 14th century, in the French language.

 Ferdinand Meyer did an article on it as well on his Peachridge Glass site:

 http://www.peachridgeglass.com/2012/11/what-is-puce-or-pooce-as-some-call-it/

 Here are a few barrel photos I have open for discussion to maybe get the convo going too...

 A shade of Puce?

















 Different lighting...






 A dark barrel...






 With a strong intense background light...


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## westernbittersnut (Nov 24, 2012)

In my opinion that color term is widely mis-used when applied to antique bottles. Once in a great while that term is correctly applied to a bottle out here in the west. Most of the time the owner is just color blind. About the only bottle made in the west that I would consider truly puce in color is the E. Wideman & J. Chappaz embossed bottle made by the Pacific Glass Works most likely in 1864.


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## bottlekid76 (Nov 24, 2012)

I believe it is alot of the time as well Warren. Do you have a photo of the Wideman & Chappaz bottle?

 ~Tim


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## bottlekid76 (Nov 24, 2012)

Not mine but I wish! []

 A couple of Boardman sodas...

 Puce?


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## AntiqueMeds (Nov 24, 2012)

I see auction sites throwing out the color term "apricot" . Is that some variant of puce?


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## RICKJJ59W (Nov 24, 2012)

Hey I didn't know the "Pooce Eagle" made it to the top of Peachridge's Puce page. Now I don't have to post a pic and compare colors.[]


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## westernbittersnut (Nov 24, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  bottlekid76
> 
> 
> I believe it is alot of the time as well Warren. Do you have a photo of the Wideman & Chappaz bottle?
> ...


 
   No I don't Tim. There is a picture of one on the American Bottle Auction's website.


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## cowseatmaize (Nov 24, 2012)

I kind of see why your asking in pic 6 but the other five lead me to not. If majority rules then no in my opinion. Of coarse that doesn't mean butternut squash.


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## RICKJJ59W (Nov 24, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  cowseatmaize
> 
> I kind of see why your asking in pic 6 but the other five lead me to not. If majority rules then no in my opinion. Of coarse that doesn't mean butternut squash.Â


 
 But it means Acorn Squash []


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## andy volkerts (Nov 25, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  RICKJJ59W
> 
> Hey I didn't know the "Pooce Eagle" made it to the top of Peachridge's Puce page. Now I don't have to post a pic and compare colors.[]


 this is puce other colors then this is wishful thinking....


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## westernglassaddict (Nov 25, 2012)

The Salutaris Bitters S.F. also comes in a definite puce color as does the Rosenbaums Bitters, and the Dr. Parker's Indian medicine from S.F. Interestingly all of these including the E.Wideman & Chappaz also come in green. WGA


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## bottlekid76 (Nov 25, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  andy volkerts
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Interesting. This square in my eyes in not the color of Ricks Eagle, but its certainly a puce bottle. Would it not be a straight Puce color but a blend then? To me that square appears lavender or light purple. Puce by definition has the word deep or dark RED in it, also grayish red violet, grayish purple to dark purlpish brown. See what i'm saying how this color can be so misleading?!  

 That's why every auction house too states all these wild terms along wth Puce following it. Grape Puce, Reddish Puce, Peach Puce, Apricot Puce, etc, and that's just naming a few!  Maybe i'm reading too much into it. I don't believe one can nail it down with that one little square. If that is the case, many bottles don't fit. Certainly not trying to be difficult, just hoping we can all get a better understanding of this color and the blends associated with it. []

 ~Tim


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## andy volkerts (Nov 25, 2012)

[8D] I dunno Tim, in your own post above you state that the boardman sodas are puce. The bottom one in your pic is, its the same color as Ricks square, I dont know from red or not but the smaller boardman soda in your pic is puce, and I dont see any red, although it takes red and blue to make purple or lavender which is puce. SO it seems we are arguing a moot point here. puce is a subjective color it seems, and you are not going to get a lot of agreement on what is pure legitamate puce. I think Ricks square is as close as we are going to get........we all see colors differently, at least we can agree on that[][]


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## andy volkerts (Nov 25, 2012)

And I believe that color descriptions like Apricot puce, Gasoline puce, Vibrant puce, Reddish puce, Amber puce. plus others too many to enumerate also have a place in desciptions of colors that are bordering on puce. as they kind of let you know that there are many nuances of amber in many of the shades of puce. BUT pure puce to me is Ricks square........


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## epackage (Nov 25, 2012)

PUCE


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## epackage (Nov 25, 2012)

Cobalt Puce Tealish


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## epackage (Nov 25, 2012)

Emerald Strawberry Olive Puce...


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## epackage (Nov 25, 2012)

Clear Puce..


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## epackage (Nov 25, 2012)

Invisi Puce


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## bottlekid76 (Nov 25, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  andy volkerts
> 
> [8D] I dunno Tim, in your own post above you state that the boardman sodas are puce. The bottom one in your pic is, its the same color as Ricks square, I dont know from red or not but the smaller boardman soda in your pic is puce, and I dont see any red, although it takes red and blue to make purple or lavender which is puce. SO it seems we are arguing a moot point here. puce is a subjective color it seems, and you are not going to get a lot of agreement on what is pure legitamate puce. I think Ricks square is as close as we are going to get........we all see colors differently, at least we can agree on that[][]


 
 If you notice tho Andy I put a question mark after it. Puce? They both were described as puce with the latter purple one being said to be pure puce by Jeff when they sold in the ABA auctions. 

 The main reason for the post was to just help us get a better understanding of the true color, and also the influences. ex. peach puce, and the rest of the spectrum. No arguing, just trying to better define it since the word is so often misused. []

 ~Tim


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## bottlekid76 (Nov 25, 2012)

Jim... lol


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## epackage (Nov 25, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  bottlekid76
> 
> 
> Jim... lol


 []


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