# For the New England Historical flask collectors a 1 of a kind.



## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

I picked up this neat railroad 1/2 pint in size historical flask at the December 3rd Conestoga live internet auction. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/10321074   I thought I was bidding on and then won a  Mckearin charted  GV-10 LOWELL Railroad flask which in the case of this bottle had quite a longer in length neck, not usually seen on these flasks. This was the description given in the auction catalog of the flask.

 Upon receiving the flask today a flask matching some of the Coventry attributed GV-11's traits described in Mckearins chart was sitting in my hands.Here is the description of what the bottle looks like and what is on the flask. First the Horse drawn side ,the embossing with the lettering BOSTON ,a relief picture of a Horse drawn Rail car, and  embossed again RAILROAD over top of the car and the horse turned sideways like all of the charted railroad flasks.I highlighted the embossing with paint to show the lettering

 On the other side of the flask is an American Eagle surrounded by stars turned 90 degrees (mounted sideways ) on the vertical standing flask.The eagles wings are spread wide and he is perched on what appears to be a large tree branch.The color of the flask is a vibrant amber not seen to often in the early Connecticut glass houses or the Keen glass works which made the majority of the railroad flasks. They were also produced in New York state at Lancaster and Mount Vernon glass works. 

 The bottom has a very rough blow pipe pontil mark very similar to all of the early New England made historical glass.There were only two flasks in the 1/2 pint size that Mckearin charted. They were the GV-10 and GV-11.Neither of these were charted in Bright Orange Amber.None of the Railroad flasks mention or have embossed on them Boston.The neck on this flask is one third the entire height of the bottle.The bottle stands quite irregularly and leans noticeably to one side.

 I am certain this is not a reproduction flask by the Clevengers or any other glass works. The only known reproduction railroad flasks were in the pint size only and they were copy's of the GV-3, 4 and 5 embossed with the lettering SUCCESS TO THE RAILROAD.The pontil marks on all of the reproduction bottles were just an impressed circle made to appear that it was a pontil mark. 

 The color of this bottle almost looks like glass that came from the Stoddard glass works.  Have any of you ever seen a Boston embossed historical flask.All of the pieces in the auction that I purchased  were cataloged with a number usually seen on mueseum pieces.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

5.  The eagle side of the bottle.This flask has a very weak impression.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

6.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

7.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

8. The neck is like none I have ever seen before on a historical flask from the 1820s and 30s.  Item 214 on this page.
 http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/27277/page5


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## Penn Digger (Dec 28, 2011)

Steve,

 It appears to be an odd, crisp, weird one to say the least.  Hope it works out for ya.

 PD


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 28, 2011)

Lets try the item link again.  http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/10321074


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## blobbottlebob (Dec 28, 2011)

Cool discovery Steve. Whom could you turn to in order to confirm your theories? Are there national experts (besides yourself) that could further research it? Spectacular bottle of historic significance!


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

Bob,
  I am hoping Jeff kungfufighterjet and Mike-Mortgage for a bottle-earlyglass (just kiddin Mike ) will see this and ad to the discussion.I may take the bottle over to Dick Watson as he lives close by and I respect his opinion immensely The bottle is different looking for sure, an ugly crude sucker but old and historic none the less.You know the name of the Lowell seen on the charted railroad flasks was really paying homage to the Boston and Lowell Railroad. Anyone here at this forum who collects New England historical flasks and has seen one before or has information about the flask please give me your thoughts.Thanks Steve.


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## andy volkerts (Dec 29, 2011)

[8D] Hello Steve. It looks real to me, I have looked at a lot of historical flasks in 45 yrs of bottle collecting, and this is one of the crudest I have ever seen. I dont think this could be reproduced today by our current craftsmen and get it as correct as this one looks. Could be you have found a good one. Best of luck to ya........Andy


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## botlguy (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm really interested in what others have to say.


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## sandchip (Dec 29, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  botlguy
> 
> I'm really interested in what others have to say.


 
 Same here.  I don't really know what to think at this point.  I'm sure in hand would make a big difference.

 Best of luck on this one, Steve.


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## bostaurus (Dec 29, 2011)

Wow that is crude.


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## Wheelah23 (Dec 29, 2011)

That is cool! The color and especially the neck are unlike any I've seen on a flask.


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## RED Matthews (Dec 29, 2011)

Hi Steve and everyone else.  I just got out of the hospital world today and back to my computer.  I like what I am seeing here better than where I have been for a few weeks.  Best enjoyment is looking at bottles.  RED Matthews


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

Good to hear from you Red,I hope the trips to the hospital are over for you. Have you ever seen a more crudely made historical flask.This bottle I believe was made at the end of the day from as many of the pots that were available to the gaffer. It has Green ,aqua,black glass like potstones, and streaks of clear glass.Here are some pictures taken outside in the last few minutes.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

5. On this picture you can make out the horse to the right pulling the two wheeled cart to the left very similar to the GV-11 LOWELL/RAILROAD flask except this one says BOSTON.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

On this picture you can make out the Eagles wings and the branch he is resting on.


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

Red this flask might be a nominee for the cold mold whittle effect of the year bottle.


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## earlyglass (Dec 29, 2011)

Hey Steve,

 Hope you are doing well!

 First, I commend you for "taking a chance" on such a piece. I purchased a couple items in that sale and saw this flask, but assumed it was a reproduction. Honestly, I didn't look very hard at it. I remember seeing an example on Ebay a couple years ago that was made the exact same way, but was in aqua. I stayed away from that one as well, although it raised some concern with New England flask collectors. 

 I still think this is a reproduction, but do not have any proof. It looks like it was made to look like the GV-10 Lowell Railroad flask, but the mold may have been a very rudimentary execution. This is not a known mold by any means. The original molds were well-defined even after years of use. The glass is "pretty and bubbly", but not really natural for even the primitive glass factories. The color is a bit off as well. There is no base wear and the luster is of a recently blown object, in my opinion. 

 The 1/2 pint grapes flask was probably worth the purchase price, so you are safe even if it is proven to be a reproduction. If it is found to be original, well then your doing really good. 

 Mike


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## cyberdigger (Dec 29, 2011)

[8|]

 Happy New Year everyone!! []


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 29, 2011)

Thanks Mike,I have some of the same concerns.The flask does have base wear but it sits crooked and teeters on two small spots.Is it possible someone made a mold impression with plaster using an original and made this. Could this be the flask that is spoken about in Mckearins book the GV-11 which has what appears to be a ghost image on it.If this is the flask then it was around in the 1930s when these were first charted by Stephen Van Rensalaer.I spoke to Lewis Bechtold the cataloger  from Conestoga Auctions and he stated the New Jersey collector they had acquired them from got most of his collection from a museum in Philadelphia.The collection was amassed over a 50 year period. Yes the main reason I purchased this lot was to get the rare Coffin and Hay flask.I now have all of the charted Coffin and Hays.This flask was and still may be a bonus.I am going to take it over to Dick Watson and get his thoughts also.Thanks for checking in.


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 29, 2011)

Whether it's an authentic American flask is important to know but the quest to find out is REALLY the fun thing to me. Now it's in your capable hands and I hope you'll keep us posted.
 If it's a repro it's got to be worth something just for the attempt to make it and the limited quantities they must have made.
 Well worth the chance IMO.


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## cobaltbot (Dec 29, 2011)

Just got back from a night-time cart ride on our railroad with the oldest and her new boyfriend and it was fast as there was ice on the rails so I clicked on your post and thought it was ironic because of that and earlier tonight I was looking at these in Mckearins.  I have always wanted one of them.  It sure has the seed bubbles!  Hope it works out in the best way, either way we all get to learn something.


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## JOETHECROW (Dec 29, 2011)

> Just got back from a night-time cart ride on our railroad with the oldest and her new boyfriend and it was fast as there was ice on the rails


 
 Steve...That sounds truely fun!

 Steve / Sewell....Interesting flask...beyond crude....


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## tigue710 (Dec 30, 2011)

its an early reproduction...  These were either made in Czechoslovakia or were one of the earliest clevenger attempt... there is some documentation out there on them.  I picked a few nice bottles in the sale, if I had had more money I would of picked up most of them!


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## kungfufighter (Dec 30, 2011)

I am firmly on the reproduction train as well.  Still a fun discussion piece!


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## kungfufighter (Dec 30, 2011)

Reminds me of the Albany Glass Works 1/2 pints blown in plaster molds.


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## baltbottles (Dec 30, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  kungfufighter
> 
> Reminds me of the Albany Glass Works 1/2 pints blown in plaster molds.


 
 Plaster holds some water on a atomic scale and when exposed to the extreme heat of molten glass this water is released in the form of steam causing the very pebbly and undefined surface. Heated metallic molds create a much sharper defined image on glass.

 Chris


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## Steve/sewell (Dec 31, 2011)

Everything everyone says makes a whole lot of sense when you step back and look at the flask rationally.Thanks Tigue710,Jeff,Mike and Chris for your thoughts.Heck it was in a museum,it is a cool looking bottle.I picked up all of the Lacy salts in that auction,well worth it,one is rated as extremely rare and another as unique by Neals.


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