# Stoddard



## deepwoods (Sep 19, 2004)

Before I ask my question I'd like to express the wish that the powers of goodness be      with Mr.Metcalfe,his family and friends during this difficult time. My question is, and this   is one Ive asked experts before without getting what I consider a clear explanation, is    how do collectors determine if an unembossed piece is Stoddard Glass? - I see alot of     old bottles and other receptacles designated Stoddard,a very early glasshouse, and I'd   like to know how this is determined definitivly. Thanks.


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## woody (Sep 19, 2004)

I guess it would boil down to studying the verified pieces of Stoddard glass and comparing an unembossed piece to it.
 Stoddard glass is known for its characteristic seedy bubbles in the amber to amber/olive green colored glass.
 The downfall of Stoddard glass was it's inability to produce clear glass when there was such a demand for it.
 Also, the technique of the pontil is very definitive in the Stoddard glass bottles.
 I suppose that you must compare the bonafide pieces to the unembossed and see the characteristic traits that is indicative to Stoddard in order to say if an unembossed piece is, in fact, from the Stoddard Glassworks.
 I live in New Hampshire and have only found a handful of Stoddard pieces that I can assuredly say that are from Stoddard, N.H.
 I do find broken pieces, though.[&o]


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## woody (Sep 19, 2004)

Here's a listing on eBay that is a piece of Stoddard glass.

 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=895&item=6118989418&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 I would have to diagree that it is a medicine bottle, though.
 I believe this to be a labeled only master ink bottle instead.
 Only because I dug one with a bunch of ink bottles a few years ago.
 Mine has the same chip on the flared lip, also.


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## deepwoods (Sep 19, 2004)

Woody - I have a o.p snuff jar that I dug thats a classic olive/amber, full of seed            bubbles, crude and unembossed. Looks a fair amount like some of the pieces that are     called Stoddard, but I dont have a clue. Btw, is that Farly's Ink you have Stoddard?


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## woody (Sep 19, 2004)

Yes, the Farley's ink I have is a verifiable Stoddard piece.
 I believe it's in the book "On the trail of Stoddard Glass" by Joan Papas.

 Maybe you can post a picture of your snuff to let us see if we can determine if it's Stoddard.


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## woody (Sep 20, 2004)

Here's a picture of the olive/amber Farley's ink I dug three years ago.


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## woody (Sep 20, 2004)

Another view.


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## woody (Sep 27, 2004)

Here's a good example of a stoddard piece that has the mold line going through the pontil scar on the base.
 This is very indicative of a stoddard pontil scar.


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## woody (Sep 27, 2004)

Two stoddard pieces.
 Notice the ink on the right has more of an olive green/amber tone to it.
 Both of these, I believe, are ink bottles.
 The one on the left was a label only.


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## deepwoods (Sep 27, 2004)

Woody,  Beautiful photos. Im still working this camera thing out, but the pontil on my      olive/amber snuff (rectangle,4 3/8) looks very much like the pontil in the pic , minus      the seam running through. Do stoddards always have the seam on the bottom?


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## woody (Sep 27, 2004)

Most of the pontils that I have seen on verified stoddard pieces do have the seam running through the pontil scar.
 I can't say if all of them do, but it is a good indication that it is a "verified" stoddard bottle.


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## woody (Sep 27, 2004)

Here's another example I found on eBay.
 Notice the seam going through the pontil scar????

 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13910&item=6121181906&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 Surely this is a "verified" stoddard bottle.


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## Gunsmoke47 (Sep 27, 2004)

Nice bottles Woody!  Are all Stoddard bottles Pontil scarred? Kelley


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## woody (Sep 28, 2004)

No, Kelley. Not all stoddard bottles are pontiled. There are smooth base stoddard bottles, also.
 The earliest, and most desireable, are pontiled.


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