# Is this a colonial Williamsburg repro



## geordie (Jul 25, 2008)

Shaft and globe style European bottle with WM below a crown seal (William and Mary?) small kick up in base with solid broken pontil mark.I have already posted on UK bottle digging site and they came to the conclusion it was a Williamsburg repro, I have decided to post here as you folks may have already seen another one.


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## geordie (Jul 25, 2008)

Sorry I am having trouble adding images.Edited should have images in post


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## GuntherHess (Jul 25, 2008)

It seems like something they could of made, or the Jamestown Glasshouse. The Williamsburg stuff is often marked CW. It doesnt seem to be a piece they currently make. Its hard to really tell much from that photo. If its a repro it looks like it was made pretty well. Show a photo of the pontil mark if you can and a close up of the seal.


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## geordie (Jul 25, 2008)

Picture of the seal


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## geordie (Jul 25, 2008)

Picture of the bottom


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## geordie (Jul 25, 2008)

Picture of the base


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## GuntherHess (Jul 25, 2008)

after seeing the bottom it appears to be a modern bottle but i cant say who made it at this point.


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## geordie (Jul 26, 2008)

If it is a modern bottle it was made in the United States as that is where I got it from, there must be others out there as surely it must be too much trouble to produce a one off, the seal stamping device would be far more costly to produce than the bottles value. I will be suprized and a little puzzled if no one has seen another. Thanks for your help and advice, opinions.


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## geordie (Jul 26, 2008)

I am adding a link to the original post on the Bottle digging UK site.http://www.bottledigging.org.uk/Forum/Topic74148-5-1.aspx


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## GuntherHess (Jul 26, 2008)

Seems like they require you to be a member to view that post.


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## geordie (Jul 26, 2008)

Thats a pity I just thought it would make it a little more interesting. Gunter thanks for your time in taking an interest in my post, I am 99% resigned to the fact that it is a repro but I would still like to know its origins. The lady I purchased it from told me she bought it many years ago  in a upmarket antique shop in Pennsylvania for what was at the time quite a lot of money.


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## whiskeyman (Aug 1, 2008)

GEORDIE...Welcome to the Forum.[/align]The color, clarity ,and quality look similar to the Wmsburg repRoes,ie..._Jno. Greenhow_... but I'm not familiar with this one...[/align]It is "modern" , but who made ? I dunno.....[/align]


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## geordie (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks for that  Whiskeyman, however I have only seen the Greenhow Williamsburg in picture and they dont come close to this one for the look of authenticity, they look the wrong shape and the colours are too modern.   http://imagehost.vendio.com/bin/imageserver.x/00000000/phildaflyer/.mids/greenhowteal1.JPG


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## GuntherHess (Aug 4, 2008)

The colors are a little better on the Jamestown glasshouse repros...
http://www.eparks.com/store/search.asp?keyword=Repro1Bottles
 Yours looks better though. 
 I think the earlier Jamestown/Williamsburg items were nicer, not sure if they are importing them from china now or what.


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## geordie (Aug 5, 2008)

The Williamsburg Greenhow which is linked into my last post was made by Royal Leerdam Crystal, also known as Royal Leerdam , is the designing and glass blowing  department of Dutch glassware producing factory, Glasfabriek Leerdam. The company was founded in 1765 as a manufacturer of bottles in the Dutch city of Leerdam. I am not sure whether that is their most recent that is currently sold at Colonial Williamsburg.  I believe Colonial Williamsburg was founded in 1928 so they could have been making repro bottles there for some time which I guess would make them collectables in thier own right. Thanks again, Geordie.


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## geordie (Nov 30, 2008)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270294980543


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## geordie (Feb 19, 2009)

Just trying to keep this thread alive as I've had nothing concrete come back as to the origins of this bottle. Would dearly love someone to post an exactly the same bottle or point to a manufacturer. In the meantime there is a Greenhow repro colonial Williamsburg on sale at ebay UK.  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=150327325698


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## cyberdigger (Dec 28, 2009)

Is it just an illusion, or does this bottle have a huge bird swing running across it? Right behind the seal...


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## CWBookAuthor (Dec 30, 2009)

I know of several seal bottles just like yours that were produced at Jamestown. We have one that just has the letter "J" and 2 stars beneath the "J" that was purchased in 1968 at the Jamestown site. The one we have was made in Jamestown, but I don't have any information on later imports. Someone should come along with some informaton on other varities. Good luck.

 Mike


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## Just Dig it (Jan 1, 2010)

I m seeing that Charlie...Damn good eye


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## geordie (Aug 24, 2010)

Not sure about the bird wire it could be a bird in the garden behind the bottle and the window pane behind the bottle but not exactly sure.


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## geordie (Aug 24, 2010)

Yes Ive also seen them before they often pop up on ebay and they dont appear to be as good quality or as good of a copy as this particular example.


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## geordie (Mar 25, 2011)

Still have this bottle,still researching, so any new contributions are most welcome, also just aqquired a Drakes plantation bitters bottle here in the UK, guy I purchased it from bought it from a charity shop (I think you guys in the states refer to them as thrift stores).Will post up images in a new post coming soon.


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## coboltmoon (Mar 25, 2011)

This looks like one I had from the Jamestown Glasshouse.  Mine had a seal for Joseph Frances


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## geordie (Mar 25, 2011)

Yeah would agree coboltmoon it does look similar, but at the same time the one that you have posted looks exactly as it should a very good repro copy of a late 17 century wine bottle, where as the bottle I posted is a little bit cruder or not as good as a reproduction if you follow my drift. What was the age of the bottle. Thanks for your interest, Geordie.


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## geordie (Mar 25, 2011)

The seal on the bottle is William and Marys monogram  http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A1jl:Royal_Monogram_of_William_and_Mary_of_Great_Britain.svg


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## old.s.bottles (Mar 26, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  geordie
> 
> Not sure about the bird wire it could be a bird in the garden behind the bottle and the window pane behind the bottle but not exactly sure.


 What cyberdigger is referring to is the string of glass that goes from side to the other on the inside of the bottle, known as a birdswing.


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## geordie (Mar 27, 2011)

Well thats a new one to me and I still aint sure what a birdswing is!


> ORIGINAL:  old.s.bottles
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## old.s.bottles (Mar 27, 2011)

maybe this will help explain better...
 https://www.antique-bottles.net/forum/m-135227/mpage-1/key-birdswing/tm.htm#135227


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## geordie (Mar 27, 2011)

hold on i may be getting it, there is a large inclusion in the glass on the right hand side of the seal it is white, could it be lime?


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## geordie (Mar 27, 2011)

Got it, there is no bird swing what you can see is the washing line in the back garden.


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## geordie (Apr 24, 2011)

Really dont mean to drag this post out but feel I must find the origins of this bottle. Here is a more commonly seen repro currently listed on  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320689906493&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT       For sale is this beautiful reproduction bottle from the Colonial Williamsburg Restoration. This bottle is an extremely detailed and hand made reproduction of a 1770 John Greenhow Williamsburg bottle. Blenko made these bottles from 1936-66 and used pieces of original bottles to assure that they were as accurate as possible. After 1966 Royal Leerdam received the contract but used the same design. This bottle measures 8" tall and is in mint condition


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## geordie (Feb 18, 2015)

*Re:  RE: Is this a colonial Williamsburg repro*

Well after nearly seven years another one turns up not quite the same shape but the same seal and repro manufacturer still interested who and  why they were made http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm...ame=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


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## andy volkerts (Feb 19, 2015)

*Re:  RE: Is this a colonial Williamsburg repro*

If it was made by Colonial Williamsburg, it was made for tourists who could watch the bottles being blown in the glass factory in Colonial Williamsburg. It is a way to help support the historic presentation of American history that C W hosts at various sites in the park. there are blacksmiths, weavers, and I believe even a pottery shop and kiln, everybody dresses in colonial style clothing and its a living history lesson on early colonial life.......Hope this helps to answer where and why


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## andy volkerts (Feb 19, 2015)

*Re:  RE: Is this a colonial Williamsburg repro*

I believe the above post is accurate, I am sure someone will reply if it is not, or maybe even add more info........


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## andy volkerts (Feb 19, 2015)

*Re:  RE: Is this a colonial Williamsburg repro*

Colonial Williamsburg was created by Rockefeller for the federal govt as a park to promote American colonial History as it was created and lived......Google is great!!!!


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## anj2006 (Dec 23, 2015)

You are correct  andy, it was there way of promoting the history of the collinies.  Basically a history lesson.


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## CreekWalker (Dec 23, 2015)

Tennessee has a similar community of artisans at Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains. Great post.


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## andy volkerts (Dec 26, 2015)

I have never seen as neatly a made seal as this one on a real shaft and globe bottle, it is too perfectly round and the edges are of the same dimension thruought the cir***ference of the seal, plus the lettering is to neatly made, it doesn't have the small crudities that a piece of glass this age should have, never mind that there is no base wear on this piece, as there should be. I am pretty sure that it is a modern repro, but do not know who made it. its a shame they aren't marked as such, as I feel that means an intent to deceive is apparent.........Andy


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