# "Union Made" half pint flask



## LIBOTTLE (Sep 25, 2011)

Hello again everyone, I have a bunch of warranted flask, registered flasks, etc.  Just curious if this bottle is unique in any way.  Also, I keep seeing "strap side" bottles.  Can someone please explain what they are exactly?  I believe this is one since it looks like pictures I've seen of them.  Bottle tapers towards the base. Hopefully the pic will show, but it says "FULL MEASURE" "UNION MADE" "1/2 PINT".  I believe it is fairly common but haven't sen this one online so far.  Any info would be much appreciated.  Thanks


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## LIBOTTLE (Sep 25, 2011)

1


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## cyberdigger (Sep 25, 2011)

That'sa mouth full of embossing for one of those.. the design is called 'coffin flask' ..it's a later version, 1900+ ..strapsides are different cause they have like a strap design going around the thin edges.. actually I'm finding it difficult to articulate linguistically, so I'll dig up a pic for ya.. brb


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## surfaceone (Sep 25, 2011)

Hey LIBOTTLE,

 I'd call yours a "Shoo Fly" Flask.

 The strap sided guys all have a "strap" of glass with a raised edge. Like this:


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## Wheelah23 (Sep 25, 2011)

I believe those are common. But what you have is not a strap side flask. There are tons of different flask shapes, each distinct. Yours looks to be a "shoo-fly" flask. Don't quote me on that, though, there might be other names for it... [8D]

 This would be a strap sided flask...

 EDIT: Looks like me colleagues have got ye covered... [8D]


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## LIBOTTLE (Sep 25, 2011)

Ahhh, ok...knew there had to be a logical explanation for the name....so is this warranted flask a side strap?  And Cyberdigger, what makes you think this is 1900+?  Just curious...thanks again.


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## LIBOTTLE (Sep 25, 2011)

2


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## LIBOTTLE (Sep 25, 2011)

3


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## cyberdigger (Sep 25, 2011)

Yep that's a strapside.. and it's the "Union Made" embossing that smacks of the 20th century.. []


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## LIBOTTLE (Sep 25, 2011)

so if ot says "union made" then 20th century? Thanks again, been a lot of help.


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## RED Matthews (Sep 26, 2011)

Hello Lil-Bottle; I guess they have you headed in the right direction.  I have several strap-side flasks and like them.  One point I wanted to pass on to you, is that I think the oldest ones were made in what is called a *key mold*.  This is a two leaf bottom hinged mold that had a round center pin in the mold assembly.  The half of the mold that fastened to the work station of the gaffer had the center round pin fastened to that half on the bottom.  The opening half of the mold tilted out and the top swiveled down for the gaffer to insert the parison form on his blow-pipe.  The mold boy closed the front mold half and that half closed around the front half of the center round pin. If you look at the diagonal mold seam on the bottom you will usually see that that half of the mold seam around the center round pin will be rough like the diagonal mold seam across the bottom of the bottle.  Mold seams that open have a mold seam that is tight when the mold is new, but use burns and breaks down the match edge making the rough seam you will see.   I could go on some more but this is to help you recognize the older ones.
 RED Matthews


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## LIBOTTLE (Sep 26, 2011)

Well, thank you all for your sharing of knowledge....I know I have a lot to learn.  One of these days hopefully I will post something a little more interesting, lol.  Thanks again guys


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