# embossed Case Gin Bottle, c. 1860



## LyndaK (Apr 2, 2009)

Hi just wondering if some has ever seen a Case Gin Bottle like this one and can give me more info maybe on the maker? It has FORWARD embossed on the front. The applied lip measures 1" The bottle is 9 1/4" tall, dark olive green and a BIM bottle with 1 1/2" pointil mark in the base. This form of bottle with the sloped shoulders dates to c. 1860. 
 So that's about all I know, oh nah wait I know it was dug in Nigaria and was for the last 40+ years in an Attic.


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## deepbluedigger (Apr 3, 2009)

I believe it's an English bottle. That type, and similar bottles embossed 'AFRICAN' and 'NIGERIAN' are found along the coastal areas of Nigeria and Cameroon, although the 'FORWARD' bottles are not as common as the other two. There's one river bed in Cameroon that is carpeted with broken gins of all three types for several hundred metres: must be tens of thousands of them. They probably came from London companies (I know the 'AFRICAN' brand did - not 100% sure of the others) and were exported to west Africa in the 1880s - 1900s.


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## LyndaK (Apr 3, 2009)

Hi deepbluedigger, thank you for the Reply. 
 I have some African Case Gins, too. They actually where made by Hasekamp in Schiedam, Neatherlands. But if they are found together like you said I wonder if the "Forward" Bottle could be also a Hasekamp then? I would bet on it it is from the Neatherlands, I have seen the same style the glass is blown and the lip is applied also on Van Den Bergh & Co Bottles, so that would be another posibbility. This is just one of the Bottles you can not find in any Book or anywhere else, I have been trying to find anything about it for weeks now, lol. So the info of where a lot are found will get me a good bit closer in my Puzzle. Thank you, sincerely Lynda


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## RED Matthews (Apr 3, 2009)

Hello Lyndak,  Welcome as a new member.  I can see from your picture that the bottle was made in a three-part mold because it shows the shoulder parting line going up from the side panel top arch.  I would think the bottles lower two leaf mold parts would not have required a pontil mark.  So I would like to see a picture of the bottom, please.  I think I have a FORWARD bottle - but can't put my finger on it right now.

 I have been studying the history of Case Gins and collected a few to help me relate them to the stages of manufacturing changes to meet the demands for the containers.  The shoulder molding segments were hinged on the back of the side panel mold parts.  They became a necessity for controlling the capacity of bottles so the countries tax collectors knew how much gin to tax.    Earlier Case Gin bottles were free formed in the shoulder and neck.  The differences in the forming was producing bottles without good capacity control.

 Nice bottle though, and thanks for posting it.  RED Matthews


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## glass man (Apr 3, 2009)

DEEPBLUEDIGGER: YOU SAY A RIVER IS CARPETED WITH GIN BOTTLES. COULD IT BE THE ONES KATHEREN HEPURN THREW IN THE RIVER IN THE MOVIE THE " AFRICAN QUEEN'?[]


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## LyndaK (Apr 18, 2009)

Hi again, sorry it took so long, but I was on Easter vacation. I have some more info now on the Bottle from a friend of mine in Holland and thought I share it with you. Red you were right this is not a pointil mark. I included a Photo of the bottom. The markings are from v. Marken. This Bottle was only made in 1870 for a very short time. Jacob Cornelis van Marken had gotten married in 1869 and his Sister in Law was married to a reformer. Van Marken was so Impressed that he started to revolutionize his whole Company. He dramatically improved the work and living conditions.  he promoted employee savings and arranged insurance to cover sickness, accidents and death. He went so far in 1884 to open Agneta park, a possibility for Employees to own their own home, he and his wife build their own home there.
 " Forward" was made to promote the progress into Social Welfare.


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## cyberdigger (Apr 18, 2009)

That's some great information, Lynda! Thank you for sharing with us!! I was wondering why it would be embossed with "FORWARD".. thought it was reserved for the blokes in the forward section of the ship[] ..very cool!!!


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