# Help Aging a snuff bottle



## mkeenan (Feb 3, 2018)

I found this snuff bottle in a creek bed along the UP railroad in Longview, TX. This sort of thing is out of my wheelhouse, so I would like some help giving it an approximate age range. Seam continues through the lip. The bottom has no dots or manufacturer markings. Bottom contains valve mark? Thanks in advance for the help.


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## CanadianBottles (Feb 3, 2018)

Looks to me like it dates from the 1910s to the 1930s, beyond that I don't think it would be possible to narrow it down unfortunately.  I'm not sure how long those rough machine scars were used in the US, here they remained in use into the 30s but the Americans did tend to adopt newer equipment a bit faster.


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## mkeenan (Feb 4, 2018)

Awesome! Thank you much! I've been wondering about this thing for a long time now.


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## logueb (Feb 11, 2018)

Welcome to the forum.  It appears on the base that it has an "O" in a square.  This is probably an Owens snuff made before the year 1929 when they merged with Illinois.  This bottle is similar in shape to the ones used by Levi Garrett.  Other companies probably used this type bottle also.  Hope this helps.  Buster


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## oldbtlesfamily23 (Oct 6, 2020)

I don't believe the dots help age the bottle at all. The dots were probably used in the process of making the jars. I have found some information on early Snuff jars (https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibit/snuff-bottle-12) as well as a some interesting history that was provided by another user on this site (https://www.antique-bottles.net/threads/levi-garrett-snuff-bottle.216731/).

I have an early jar that I was fortunate enough to purchase years ago that has the original label. I have attached a photo of the info on the Levi Garrett & Sons Mfg Co as well as a photo of my bottle.

I hope this helps.

Here is the history provided by the user: https://www.antique-bottles.net/threads/levi-garrett-snuff-bottle.216731/
Garrett snuffs trace back to the efforts of John Garrett who built several mills (grist, lumber, and snuff) on the banks of Red Clay Creek near Yorklyn, Delaware in 1726. His son, Levi Garrett, inherited the snuff mill (the only one that made money). Levi is referred to as a tobacconist with offices in Philadelphia. Levi had two sons, William Evans, Garrett and George Howell Garrett. The snuff business was renamed Levi Garrett and Sons, from where the name of the rappee snuff derives. W.E. stuck with the snuff, but George split. W.E. changed the name of the company to William E. Garrett Company, from whence the name of the Scotch and Sweet Snuff brand name derives. In 1857, with the maturation of his sons, the name is changed to William E. Garrett and Sons. The W.E. Garrett and Sons Scotch Snuff is trademarked in 1870, being one of the first ten trademarks in US history, number 7, and the oldest trademark still in use in the US. After the death of William E. Garrett and William Garrett Jr., the remaining brother Walter sold the snuff mill to three of his employees for one dollar. That was the end of the Garrett name in ownership.

James "Buck" Duke bought up every tobacco producer in the US in the late 1800's, including the Garrett snuff brands, as the American Tobacco Company. His monopoly was busted up by Teddy Roosevelt in 1907, and the snuff side became American Snuff Company. The other companies were George W. Helme, whom I've never heard of, and the United States Tobacco Company, which nowadays produces Skoal, Copenhagen, and related products. The American Snuff Company moved to Memphis in 1912. After buying up some small producers in North Carolina, the company changed names to Conwood Company, L.P., to reflect the new diversity in 1966. In 1975 Levi Garrett chewing tobacco was introduced as a tribute to the founder of American tobacco production.

Garrett snuff is one of the oldest products ever produced on North American soil."


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