# Onion bottle



## bermuda bottles (Jul 23, 2006)

I found this diving yesterday,its 7" across the base & 6" tall,no seal,anyone have any idea of age & value?Finds like this definitely makes bottle collecting worth the time spent searching!


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## cowseatmaize (Jul 23, 2006)

Hey, aren't you getting water-logged yet. I see your really going at it down there. Nice finds!


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## bearswede (Jul 23, 2006)

Nice onion, Brion...

  I love those disproportionate shoulders you often see in 18th century bottles... I've got a modified mallet on ebay now with wonky shoulders...


  Ron


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## DIGGER DAVE (Jul 23, 2006)

Nice " Horse Hoof " !! Dont let that one go for anything less than a hundred, that is of course if you could part with something so awesome. I would not be able too !! Great find , congradulations !!


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## deepbluedigger (Jul 23, 2006)

That's an English onion, not a 'Dutch' one. Dates about 1700 - 1720. Worth several hundred $$ in todays market in good condition (minor chips to string rim generally quite acceptable), I think. Can't be more precise than that!
 DBD


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## bearswede (Jul 23, 2006)

> English onion, not a 'Dutch' one.


 
  Hey, Jerry...

  How exactly do you tell them apart?

  Thanks,

  Ron


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## capsoda (Jul 23, 2006)

Hey Ron, Too much bottom for a Dutch onion. They were pushed up alot more than english and usually not as dark showing a lot more color.


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## deepbluedigger (Jul 24, 2006)

capsoda gives a nice summary. The Dutch ones do tend to have more 'neck', with the horses hoof type being extreme. The string rims are also often a give-away clue. The v-shaped string rim on this one of several styles of string rim typical of English bottles (and rare on Dutch ones) up to about the 1730s or 1740s. It's also sometimes just the general look of the bottle, as much as any single feature. 
 There are a couple of good books which have great pictures and descriptions for comparing English with Dutch or continental European freeblown bottles. The best is probably Van den Bossche 'Antique Glass Bottles', published (in the UK anyway - not sure about the US) by The Antique Collectors Club. There have been quite a few of these going cheap on eBay in the past year or two.
 Jerry


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## deepbluedigger (Jul 24, 2006)

> ORIGINAL: deepbluedigger
> The Dutch ones do tend to have more 'neck'


 
 ... although the really early English shaft and globe bottles, about 1630 - 1670, (worth very big money these days in good condition, even without a seal) sometimes have so much neck that it seems to be 90% of the bottle!
 Jerry


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## cowseatmaize (Jul 24, 2006)

I found this bookmark from some reading I did a couple years ago. Maybe you'll like.
http://www.cosbert.com/bottles.html


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## deepbluedigger (Jul 24, 2006)

Here's a typical dutch example on eBay at the moment. Looks completely different from English ones.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Magic-18th-Century-Onion-Bottle_W0QQitemZ190010659006QQihZ009QQcategoryZ13909QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 DBD


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## bearswede (Jul 24, 2006)

Thanks, Jerry, Warren and Eric...

  I'm starting to get a handle on it, now...


  Ron


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## capsoda (Jul 24, 2006)

There used to be a poster out that showed all the different known types but I can't remember just who put it out. Seems like some historical society or state/ federal historical parks group. I'll try and find out  if I can remember where I saw it last.


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## Mihai (Jul 24, 2006)

Another good book on this matter is "English Glass Bottles for the Collectors" by Geoffrey Wills. Plenty of pictures of onions and other "vegetables".[]


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## bermuda bottles (Jul 25, 2006)

Thank you all for the replies & info,yes it is an English onion for sure.Bermuda is a british dependant territory which means a large number of old bottles found here originate from England or other parts of Europe,on that note i have also found a large number of  bottles especially embosed medicines originating from all over the eastern U.S.A.


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## bearswede (Jul 25, 2006)

> especially embosed medicines originating from all over the eastern U.S.A.


 
  We'd love to see some...

  Ron


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## dirtflicker (Jul 25, 2006)

DUTCH OR ENGLISH...........thats a SWEEEEEEEEEEEET piece of early colonial history there!!! WELL DONE!!![]

 DF


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## bermuda bottles (Dec 22, 2007)

This i probably the oldest bottle in my collection 1680-1720,i have another in a olive color.


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## bearswede (Dec 22, 2007)

> Thank you all for the replies & info,yes it is an English onion for sure.Bermuda is a british dependant territory which means a large number of old bottles found here originate from England or other parts of Europe,on that note i have also found a large number of  bottles especially embosed medicines originating from all over the eastern U.S.A.


 
 Hey Brion...

 Have you ever found any Broad Arrow Admiralty bottles down there...?

 Ron


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## idigjars (Dec 22, 2007)

Brion great find.  Awesome bottle, thanks for sharing the pic.  Isn't it cool how all these folks are willing to share information.  

 If I could just retain all this information []  

 Good luck with your collecting.   

 Paul


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## bermuda bottles (Dec 22, 2007)

Hey Ron,interesting you ask about a broad arrow bottle,i found my first one this year it is a medicine with the broad arrow above the letters W.D which is WAR DEPARTMENT,it also has the dosage marks running up the sides.How do you know of these,they are rare finds.


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## bearswede (Dec 22, 2007)

Hi Brion...

 Do have a photo of that one?

 I started collecting them after a Forum member posted some pics and a link to this site:

http://members.shaw.ca/coffinisland/

 Unfortunately, I've had to unload a bunch of them recently... Needed the scratch... I still have a "lime juice" with seal stamped "VR" and an inverted anchor, and a cobalt poison...

 Ron


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