# Odd closures are so AWESOME!!!!!



## UncleBruce (Oct 10, 2020)

Mail call today and I became very excited to receive a bottle, which has its original *EDWIN L. LLOYD* closure still intact.  It is a wonderful and welcome addition to my closure collection.  Patent #325181 from 1885.


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## hemihampton (Oct 10, 2020)

Not sure if I've seen that type of Stopper before. Congrats. LEON.


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## Mjbottle (Oct 10, 2020)

Thats realy neat! Congrats on the addition, id love to see other odd closures you have.


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## Dogo (Oct 10, 2020)

Nice!  First on I've ever seen that was complete.


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## UncleBruce (Oct 10, 2020)

Mjbottle said:


> Thats realy neat! Congrats on the addition, id love to see other odd closures you have.


I will do that someday *Mjbottle*


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## Robby Raccoon (Oct 10, 2020)

It seems to exert uneven pressure and uses excess material. I see why it didn't take off, but it does look pretty cool.


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## sandchip (Oct 12, 2020)

Very cool.  I can see why you're so excited to add an example in such great condition.


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## UncleBruce (Oct 12, 2020)

Mjbottle said:


> ... id love to see other odd closures you have.


This oddball is an AMERICAN company using a GERMAN blob & closure design.  Not sure what the closure was called, I just refer to it as a DRESDEN closure.


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## Bohdan (Oct 15, 2020)

Robby Raccoon said:


> It seems to exert uneven pressure and uses excess material. I see why it didn't take off, but it does look pretty cool.



"...uneven pressure..." perhaps because it is broken?


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## UncleBruce (Oct 28, 2020)

This is a *SUSEMIHL* closure Patent #217425 from 1879. Looking at the image in the patent the closure is shown on a different style blob top.


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## sandchip (Oct 30, 2020)

Great stuff, Unc!


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Nov 11, 2020)

UncleBruce said:


> I will do that someday *Mjbottle*


I think a lot of people would love to see and contribute to a closure post.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## nhpharm (Nov 12, 2020)

Anyone interested in odd closures should buy Saving the Fizz by David Jones.  Incredible book.


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## UncleBruce (Nov 17, 2020)

I nearly forgot about this thread until just recently when I added a new example of a beer bottle to the collection.  Upon receiving it I was a bit stunned in that it still had an intact closure type mechanism.  I had not expected this as I was simply interested in the bottle itself.  This beer bottle looks like it may have been used only a single time in its life.  It is super shiny, no wear at all even on the base, body surfaces or on the high points of its embossing.  After a period of contemplation I've decided that the mechanism on this bottle is genuine, correct and original.  This type mechanism was possibly one of the top five successful closures ever invented.  The PUTNAM wire closure was designed to simply hold a CORK in place to keep the contents sealed in and prevent the CORK from being force out.  So successful Henry W. Putnam became a major force in the bottle industry.  The only drawback was it still required a secondary device to remove the cork.  The beauty of it was that it was extremely easy to install compared to the older methods of securing a bottle cork.  Notice on this FRED. MILLER BREWING CO. beer that the blob is somewhat taller than the later blob tops and it reminds me more of a whiskey bottle top.  Enjoy the photos below, which include a shot of Patent #23263 for the PUTNAM mechanism and the MILLER beer bottle.  PS: the cork itself is not original to the bottle, just the mechanism.


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## hemihampton (Nov 17, 2020)

Cool, I got a couple of those. Question, would these type of Bottles say Putnam on Bottom. I've seen & have some that do say Putnam on Bottom but those don't have a intact Closure? LEON.


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## hemihampton (Nov 17, 2020)

Bruce, What kinda Closure would of been on this rare oddball Bottle with extra Bulge on neck? Bottom half of Rusty Closure was there when dug but top half of closure must of rusted away? LEON.


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## UncleBruce (Nov 17, 2020)

hemihampton said:


> Bruce, What kinda Closure would of been on this rare oddball Bottle with extra Bulge on neck? Bottom half of Rusty Closure was there when dug but top half of closure must of rusted away? LEON.


I'm not sure it resembles a Joseph Conner blob, but I don't think it is.  It is way cool.  Any way to get a few closeups of the blob?


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## UncleBruce (Dec 30, 2020)

Paraphrasing from _SODA & BEER CLOSURES _by David Graci:
*Joseph Conner* invented the *BULBOUS TOP*, but used a different cork retainer/stopper.  *John Matthews* at some point acquired the patent improved the stopper by using a metallic stopper with a rubber seal. I have always called these Joseph Conner blobs, but *MATTHEWS/CONNER* may be more appropriate. Doesn't really matter as it is still a great blob style. Here is an example from the collection and a copy of the two documents on the closure.
GEORGE EHRET'S LAGER BEER
BOTTLED BY LOUIS RUSH
New York, NY



PATENTS #127851 and #172757


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## hemihampton (Dec 30, 2020)

Sorry for delay, did not notice you asked for close up until now. Thanks for the info. LEON.

P.S. Notice my wire was under first bulge instead of 2nd bulge?


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## UncleBruce (Dec 30, 2020)

hemihampton said:


> Sorry for delay, did not notice you asked for close up until now. Thanks for the info. LEON.


I really haven't got a clue on this one.  What do you know about the company?  Are there any maker marks?  What did the closure look like and do you still have it?


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## hemihampton (Dec 30, 2020)

It's got a big A.G.W.L. on bottom for makers mark. A Friend with access to all the Detroit Directories said it was only listed for one year, 1897 or maybe 1898, forgot. BUT, a 1 year or less then 1 year run of any bottle from 1800's would be hard to come by. I only know of 1 other, rumor of maybe 2 known besides mine. LEON.


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## PlaneDiggerCam (Jan 5, 2021)

Dug these Baltimore Club whiskey bottles with an odd porcelain closure on them.


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## UncleBruce (Jan 5, 2021)

PlaneDiggerCam said:


> View attachment 216600
> Dug these Baltimore Club whiskey bottles with an odd porcelain closure on them.


Those are very odd.


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## UncleBruce (Feb 12, 2021)

Shown here is an ALBERT ALBERTSON "*GRAVITATING STOPPER*". Patent #44684. This example is the only bottle I have that retains the actual stopper. For display I wound a rubber band around the end so that I could display the bottle with the stopper in place. I have seen these made of a different kind of material, which I am not sure what the composition of those are, but my example is glass. There is a bit of faint tiny writing on the side of the stopper. It is embossed: 
*PATENTED 
AUG. 26, 1862
OCT. 11, 1864
APRIL 15, 1873*


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 12, 2021)

UncleBruce said:


> Shown here is an ALBERT ALBERTSON "*GRAVITATING STOPPER*". Patent #44684. This example is the only bottle I have that retains the actual stopper. For display I wound a rubber band around the end so that I could display the bottle with the stopper in place. I have seen these made of a different kind of material, which I am not sure what the composition of those are, but my example is glass. There is a bit of faint tiny writing on the side of the stopper. It is embossed:
> *PATENTED
> AUG. 26, 1862
> OCT. 11, 1864
> ...


I love your stuff brother! Thanks for deciphering the embossing. I cannot remove this one. I thought my stopper said 1862 I just wasn't sure. I thought i was seeing things. Any chance this invention was in use by Albert Albertson before the sale of the patent to Matthews in 1864?
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## nhpharm (Feb 12, 2021)

That's a real good question.  I've never seen one.  The attached is the earliest version I have seen (where it still says Albertson's Stopper and has the 1864 patent date only).  This style had a wooden stopper rather than glass.


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## UncleBruce (Feb 12, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I love your stuff brother! Thanks for deciphering the embossing. I cannot remove this one. I thought my stopper said 1862 I just wasn't sure. I thought i was seeing things. Any chance this invention was in use by Albert Albertson before the sale of the patent to Matthews in 1864?
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


This is all I've got from BOTTLE CLOSURES by David Graci


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## hemihampton (Feb 12, 2021)

It seems that when Hutchinson invented his Hutchinson Spring Stopper closure in 1879 it quickly took over & made the Gravitating Stopper Bottle obsolete. LEON.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 13, 2021)

UncleBruce said:


> This is all I've got from BOTTLE CLOSURES by David Graci
> View attachment 218919
> View attachment 218920
> View attachment 218921
> ...


What book is this from??  Would love to get a coiled spring stopper with the bottle of course...lol! I love that it prevented drinking from the bottle, or at the very least made it difficult. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 13, 2021)

nhpharm said:


> That's a real good question.  I've never seen one.  The attached is the earliest version I have seen (where it still says Albertson's Stopper and has the 1864 patent date only).  This style had a wooden stopper rather than glass.


This might be the missing link? So to speak.





nhpharm said:


> That's a real good question.  I've never seen one.  The attached is the earliest version I have seen (where it still says Albertson's Stopper and has the 1864 patent date only).  This style had a wooden stopper rather than glass.


That is one I never saw. I wonder if there are ones without Matthew's name. Thanks for the pictures nhpharm! Could make a replacement stopper on a wood lathe. I also have to mention, my wandering eyes spotted a Cannon in the background. Wow! Would love to dig one of those!
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## nhpharm (Feb 13, 2021)

Haha...that's an old bronze Dutch VOC ships cannon that someone built a beautiful field cannon carriage for.  Not the correct carriage but looks cool.  Unfortunately not something I dug!


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 13, 2021)

nhpharm said:


> Haha...that's an old bronze Dutch VOC ships cannon that someone built a beautiful field cannon carriage for.  Not the correct carriage but looks cool.  Unfortunately not something I dug!


Still very neat. Thanks again!
ROBBYBOBBY64


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