Liquor/Spirits Bottles

One-fifth size liquor bottle in old amber color; click to enlarge.

Liquor of all types - bourbon, rye, gin, cognac, scotch, etc. - was bottled in a wide variety of bottle shapes and sizes ranging from small flasks that held a few ounces to demijohns and carboys that held gallons. As with virtually all of the bottle type categories to follow, liquor bottle diversity is staggeringly complex in depth and variety. The pictures on this page show just a small bit of this variety. However, there are definitive trends in shapes that mark a bottle as very likely to have been used primarily or originally as a container for high alcohol spirits intended for internal consumption, "medicinal" or otherwise.

Alcohol was of course an important ingredient in many other products also, ranging from wine, champagne, beer, and porter to most patent and proprietary medicines, bitters, and tonics to even preserved fruits. However, this section of the "Bottle Typing/Diagnostic Shapes" page just covers liquor bottles where the contained product was high in alcohol (20%+) and the intended use was not primarily medicinal - or at least the acknowledged medicinal utility was of secondary importance. For example, even though Hostetter's Stomach Bitters contained as much as 43% alcohol (86 proof!) during the early 1900s, it's primary intent was medicinal though undoubtedly many people who used this very popular product did not have self-medication in mind (American Medical Assoc. 1921). To be fair, ethyl alcohol was (and is) one of the better preservatives for products intended for internal consumption or external use. This example helps to point out the vague line that existed between liquor/spirits and medicinal products during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Whiskey was often labeled as - and sometimes even embossed - "For Medicinal Purposes Only" as early as the mid-19th century - long before National Prohibition took effect in January of 1920 (Wilson & Wilson 1968).

Though not quite on a par with the anti-slavery movement of the 19th century, temperance was a very significant morally based social movement in the U.S. and had its roots in the still pervasive damage done to some individuals and their families by the improper use of alcohol. To quote an important work on the subject: "For many observers of American Life the Temperance movement is evidence for an excessive moral perfectionism and an overly legalistic bent to American culture." This is a pervasive thread that still exists in current American politics and culture in aspects of human behavior well beyond just alcohol (Gusfield 1970). The growing strength of the Temperance movement and rising anti-alcohol fervor during the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the passage of ever increasing restrictions on the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages.

The power of the Temperance movement culminated in the addition of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution on January 16th, 1920. However, National Prohibition was already the law of the land through passage of the Volstead Act on November 21, 1918 which decreed that it was illegal to make or sell distilled spirits (as well as wine and beer) as a beverage after June 30th, 1919. (There were, of course, exceptions allowed under the law for "medicinal" products containing alcohol.) Repeal of the 18th Amendment came in December of 1933 with liquor required to be sold only in bottles; bulk sales in casks was prohibited in an attempt to exert tighter controls and prevent a resurgence of anything resembling the old time saloon. In January of 1935, federal legislation took effect prohibiting the resale or use of used liquor bottles and required that the following statement be embossed on them: FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS SALE OR RE-USE OF THIS BOTTLE (Busch 1987). See the picture above. This regulation was repealed in 1964 giving an effective dating tool of 1935 to the mid 1960s for this diagnostic feature (Munsey 1970). Be aware however that for some years after 1964 liquor could still be found in bottles with this embossing since not all liquor producers switched immediately to new bottles due to the expense of new molds or to deplete an existing supply of bottles (Ferraro 1966). Bottles known to date as late as 1974 still had that inscription on them; click 1970s liquor bottle to see an example which is also covered later on this page.

Pint Dandy flask with contents; click to enlarge.

(Note on Canadian liquor laws: Canada followed a similar trend as the U.S. in the gradual implementation of alcohol prohibition with the various Province's going "dry" between 1901 and 1917, though there was never a "national prohibition" passed in Canada. By time National Prohibition was fully implemented in the U.S. in January of 1920, the only area north of Mexico that was not totally "dry" was the Province of Quebec (Unitt 1972).)

The push for individual State and eventually National Prohibition came right at the time (1910s) that bottle makers were making the transition from mouth-blown to fully machine-made bottles. It is an almost absolute fact that if an American made liquor bottle is mouth-blown it pre-dates National Prohibition. It is largely true, though not nearly absolute, that if a liquor bottle is machine-made it dates from or after Prohibition. Prohibition makes a very convenient dating transition point for liquor bottles which is not available for other types of bottles. However, there were some machine-made liquor bottles and flasks that most definitely pre-date Prohibition. For example the labeled, colorless, flask (with contents) pictured to the left is actually dated on the tax seal as having been bottled during the fall of 1919 which is just weeks before National Prohibition fully took effect in January 1920. It is machine-made and a commonly encountered style of liquor flask that can date from before, during, and possibly, just after Prohibition (see the "Dandy Flasks" section later on this page).

NOTE: Attached to the "Bottle Types/Diagnostic Shapes" grouping of pages is a complete copy of a never re-printed, 280 page, 1906 Illinois Glass Company bottle catalog scanned at two pages per JPEG file. Click 1906 IGCo. Catalog to access the page that links to all the scans of this very useful catalog. Liquor bottles are listed primarily on pages 118-177.

Figured Flasks

Figured flasks is a generic name for the large class of liquor flasks primarily produced between 1815 and 1870. They are also variably referred to as "historical", "pictorial", or "decorative" flasks. The most simple classification of figured flasks are the "historical" flasks which are those with portraits of national heroes, presidents, personages; emblems or symbols of sovereignty, political parties, societies; inscriptions related to various subjects, famous sayings, or popular slogans; and "pictorial" flasks which bear purely decorative motifs (Munsey 1970; McKearin & Wilson 1978). Figured flasks were quite popular during this era because they were both functional and decorative typically having ornate embossing, designs, and/or molded features. Due to their esthetic and decorative nature, these flasks were infrequently discarded unless broken so many survived to the present day.

Generally following McKearin & Wilson (1978), figured flasks are loosely categorized in this section into the following groups: Decorative (e.g., scroll, sunburst, cornucopia, geometric designs); Masonic; Historical (emblems/symbols of the U.S., heroes and celebrities, Presidential candidates, shield & clasped hands); Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation; and Others (sports, Pike's Peak). Figured flasks also include calabash bottles, which are covered separately here because of their distinctive shape, and some flasks that fit the form description but are just embossed with lettering, i.e.,, glassmaker or purchaser name/location.

Unlike most other types of liquor bottles which are generally more common without embossing, figured flasks are by definition embossed since the embossed motifs and molded designs are what defines them as figured flasks, though many shapes are also unique to this group (e.g., scroll flasks, calabash bottles). Unembossed flasks with shapes similar to some of the later (1860s primarily) figured flasks are considered generically in the "Flask (not considered figured)" category.

The figured flasks described here represent a small cross-section of the hundreds of different types made during their heyday. These type items are occasionally found on historic archaeological sites though usually as fragments since they were not usually discarded until broken. Most of the classification and dating information for this section is from McKearin & Wilson's epic work "American Bottles & Flasks and Their Ancestry" (1978). This book is the source of information on figured flasks and contains by far the most comprehensive listing (with illustrations) and is the accepted classification system for figured flasks. The listing of figured flasks - pages 521-677 - was an update and expansion to the original listing found in McKearin & McKearin (1941). An alternative classification for figured flasks in McKearin & Wilson, which is pertinent to their dating, is a section entitled "Bottle Form or Shape Groups" (pages 512-517). Here the authors divide figured flasks into 9 distinct "Form Groups" and includes dating ranges for when that form group was first produced. The book also covers most other types of 18th and 19th century American bottles and is an almost mandatory reference for serious students of American made bottles of the 18th and 19th century.

Note: Because of the beauty - and possibly the intrinsic value - of figured flasks, many have been reproduced at various times during the 20th century. Some of these reproductions are very hard to discern from originals to the inexperienced eye. These reproductions are not covered here but are discussed in McKearin & Wilson on pages 678-696, through the 1978 publication date. The bottles pictured in this section are all early to mid-19th century originals.

Decorative flasks

The decorative group of flasks is a category of "pictorial" flasks made up of four primary types: scroll, sunburst, cornucopia, and geometric. These are categories from McKearin & Wilson (1978) and are covered in that reference on pages 420-436.

Scroll flasks: The figured flask pictured to the left is commonly referred to by collectors as a scroll flask, though in the early days of collecting (and probably even now) they were referred to as "violin" flasks. What 19th century glass makers called these is lost to history. This style of flask was introduced around 1830 and were extremely popular through the 1840s and 1850s. Popularity apparently waned by the beginning of the Civil War (early 1860s) and it appears that very few if any were made after that time. Most scroll flasks were likely made by Midwestern glassmakers, though most do not have makers marks to allow for precise attribution. Scroll flasks are covered as Group IX in McKearin & Wilson (1978).

Scroll flasks were primarily made in half-pint, pint (most common size by far), and quart sizes, though smaller and larger examples are known, including a gallon size. Scroll flasks almost always have some type of pontil scar, i.e.,, glass-tipped, blowpipe, and iron pontils primarily; non-pontiled bases are rare in scroll flasks indicating that they likely do not post-date the early 1860s. The range of colors possible in these flasks is almost unlimited, though they were by most commonly made in shades of aquamarine - like the example above. Finishes found on these flasks included primarily the following: straight (sheared) and cracked-off (or subtle variations like the rolled, flare, or globular flare) sometimes with re-firing but often just left rough (example pictured to the right); rolled; double-ring; and champagne. If of interest, the details of scroll flask morphology nomenclature are discussed and illustrated on pages 422-423 of McKearin & Wilson (1978).

The aqua scroll flask pictured above is very typical in design and likely dates from the late 1840s or 1850s. It is classified as GIX-12a in McKearin & Wilson (1978) and has a straight flared finish (sheared/cracked-off with and some re-firing), blow-pipe pontil scar on the base, and was made in a two-piece key mold. Click on the following links for more images of this pint scroll flask from different views: side view; base view; shoulder/neck close-up view. To the right is pictured a very similar pint scroll flask (GIX-15) in an unusual yellow green color with a cracked-off and non-refired finish; click thumbnail image to enlarge. Click quart scroll flask to view a picture of a quart sized scroll flask with a double-ring finish. This quart scroll also has an iron pontil scar, is classified as GIX-1 or 2, and likely dates from the mid to late 1850s.

Sunburst flasks: Another very popular style of early figured flask is referred to as the "sunburst" flask, which encompasses various types based on the molded design on the body. Sunburst flasks are among some of the oldest of the figured flasks dating as early as 1812 to 1815 and as late as the 1840s for a few. Most are believed to have been primarily made by various New England glass works. Sunburst flasks are covered as Group VIII in McKearin & Wilson (1978).

Sunburst flasks were made in only pint and half-pint sizes. They all have pontil scars - either glass-tipped or blowpipe types - indicating early manufacture. Colors can vary somewhat widely, though the large majority are in shades of olive green and olive amber, various other true greens, shades of amber, and aqua. Finishes are typically straight (sheared) or cracked-off (or subtle variations like the rolled, flare, or globular flare) typically with with obvious re-firing; and occasionally with hard to classify variations of the double ring, mineral, or others. For more information on sunburst flasks check out the following external link: http://www.glswrk-auction.com/142.htm

The olive amber half-pint flask pictured above is a typical 1820s to early 1830s design from the Keene-Marlboro Street Glass Works, Keene, NH. It is classified as GVIII-10, has a blowpipe pontil scar on the base, globular flare finish (sheared/cracked-off with tooling marks and re-firing), and was produced in a key mold. Click on the following links for more pictures of this flask: shoulder and neck/finish view; base view; side view. As an example of how a given type of bottle can be used or re-used for a non-type typical product, click on the following links: sunburst with label; close-up of the label. This shows an example of this same type sunburst flask that was used (or more likely re-used) for "SPTS. CAMPHOR" by a Pennsylvanian druggist. Spirits of camphor was historically used internally (an expectorant) and still is used externally (muscle aches and pains) though is now considered to be a more or less hazardous substance if ingested. It is definitely not a liquor though it has "spirits" in the name.

The pint, clear green sunburst flask pictured to the right is an earlier product of same Keene, NH. glass works as the flask above and is one of the earliest figured flasks dating from between 1815 and 1817 (McKearin & Wilson 1978). It is classified as GVIII-2, has a glass-tipped pontil scar on the base, a straight (sheared/cracked-off) fire-polished finish, and was produced in a two-piece hinge mold. These flasks are often called "two pounders" by collectors as they are almost decanter-like with heavy glass weighing between 2 and 3 pounds. Click the following links to view more pictures of this flask: shoulder and neck/finish close-up; base view; side view.

Cornucopia flasks: Flasks with the cornucopia and/or urn with fruit were a popular theme on flasks between about 1820 and 1850. They are covered as Group III in McKearin & Wilson (1978). Some of these flasks have an eagle design instead of the urn on the reverse, but are otherwise very similar. The symbols of the cornucopia and urn were easily recognized during the time as symbolic of the young country's (U.S.) good prospects and was a favorite motif in arts and crafts through the first half of the 19th century (McKearin & Wilson 1978).

Cornucopia flasks were made in only the pint and half-pint sizes. These flasks seem to all have pontil scars - typically either a glass-tipped or blowpipe pontil - reflecting their early manufacturing dates; iron pontils are unusual. Colors are once again variable but dominated by olive green, olive amber, other shades of amber and green, and aqua. Finishes are almost always a of the straight (sheared) or cracked-off varieties (or subtle variations like the rolled, flare, or globular flare) typically with with obvious re-firing.

The pictured flask (both sides shown - cornucopia side to above left; urn to right) is a product of Coventry Glass Works, Coventry, CT. and is classified as GIII-4. It has a straight to slightly flared finish (sheared/cracked-off and fire polished), blowpipe pontil scar, and was name in a key mold. Click the following links to view more pictures of this flask: base view showing the blowpipe pontil scar; side view showing the multiple vertical ribs that are commonly found on this style of flasks which generally date between the 1820s and about 1850.

Geometric flasks: These flasks are very rare, very early (1810s or early 1820s), unusual, and unlikely to be encountered. Thus they are not covered. If interested in these types of flasks, refer to McKearin & Wilson (1978) page 436 (part of Group X: Miscellaneous flasks). Users can also find some information on these type flasks, including pictures, at the following link: http://www.glswrk-auction.com/144.htm

Masonic flasks

The flask pictured to the right is one of a relatively large and varied group of figured flasks that feature the somewhat variable Masonic motifs of the Freemasons, a potent political and social force during the first half of the 19th century. These could also be considered as "historical" flasks by some (Munsey 1970). Masonic flasks are covered as Group IV in McKearin & Wilson (1978). Most Masonic flasks have some type of design on the reverse that features an American eagle. These types of flasks are some of the earlier of the figured flasks dating primarily between 1815 and the 1830s though a few date as late as the Civil War. These later flasks have more simplistic Masonic-like emblems than their earlier ancestors (see McKearin & Wilson 1978:436-440). All of the Masonic flasks pictured/linked in this section are from the earlier era. (Note: One of the later type Masonic flasks is covered in the calabash section.)

These earlier Masonic flasks were only made in pint and less frequently, half-pint sizes. Like most figured flasks, the Masonic flasks can be found in a wide range of colors though most were produced in different shades of aqua, amber, and green (olive green, blue-green, olive amber). All of these earlier Masonic flasks are pontil scarred, usually of the glass-tipped or blowpipe type. Iron pontils are rare or possibly unknown (empirical observations). Finishes are usually straight (sheared), cracked-off, or rolled with occasional double ring or other simple applied finishes.

The above pictured blue-green Masonic flask has a stylized eagle embossed on the reverse and dates between 1817 and about 1825. It is classified as GIV-1 in McKearin & Wilson (1978) and was produced by the Keene-Marlboro Street Glass Works (Keene, NH.). It was made in a two-piece hinge mold, has vertically ribbed sides, and a glass-tipped pontil scar on the base. Click on the following links for various view images of this flask: reverse side view with eagle; base view. Click Masonic-eagle flask to view a somewhat similar Masonic pint flask that likely dates from the early 1830s and is classified as GIV-17. It was also made at the same Keene glassworks as the previous flask, though a decade or more later. It has a fire polished sheared/cracked-off finish, blow-pipe pontil scar, and was blown in a two-piece hinge mold. Click Masonic-eagle reverse to see the other side of this flask.

Another shape type variation of Masonic-eagle flask - and a common flask shape during the 1820s, 1830s and 1840s - is pictured to the right. These flasks were made by the Zanesville Glass Manufactory (Zanesville, OH.) around 1826-1828 (McKearin & Wilson 1978). These flasks are classified as GIV-32 in McKearin & Wilson (1978). Click reverse side view to see the beautiful and elaborate eagle design on the reverse of this flask and the embossed name J. SHEPARD & CO. (below the eagle) who was one of the owners of the glassworks; click side view to see the ribbed sides; and click base view to see the glass-tipped pontil scarred base that shows the straight mold seam indicative of a hinge mold. As noted, this shape of flask in pints & half pints with ribbed sides was a very common style for figured flasks made between about 1820 and 1850 and is found with various embossed designs, portraits, etc..

Historical Flasks

This grouping of flasks is quite varied as to embossing, design, and shape. The unifying theme of these flasks - and what differentiates these flasks from other groups - is their historical connection be it emblematic, symbolic, or human. The following sub-categories are taken from McKearin & Wilson (1978) where the historical flasks are covered as all or parts of Groups I, II, X, XII primarily; see pages 440-491 of that reference for much more information.

Emblems/Symbols of the U.S.: The most popular image on figured flasks is not surprisingly the American eagle - often embossed on both sides of the flask. Of the 323 flasks charted by McKearin & Wilson (1978), 159 are designated specifically as eagle flasks (Group II) with dozens more that have eagles on the designated reverse side. The diversity of different types of eagles is amazing, ranging from the bold and artistic eagles like shown to the right to stiff and simplistic eagles like shown at this link - Pike's Peak-eagle flask reverse view. In general, the more detailed and artistically pleasing eagles are on the earlier flasks (1820s to 1840s) and the more simplistic ones on the later flasks (1850s and 1860s) though there are exceptions of course (Munsey 1970). Other emblems/symbols found much less commonly include American flags, stars, sailing ships, anchors, monuments, cannons, the Liberty tree, and Columbia/Liberty.

Eagles or other symbols of the U.S. can be found throughout the entire date range of figured flasks - 1815 to about 1870. Because of this shapes, sizes, finishes, mold types, and manufacturing processes vary as widely as the period allows with no particular diagnostic features unique to the group like some of the other figured flask types. It is recommended that users interested in this particular group of figured flasks consult McKearin & Wilson (1978) for more specifics.

The flask pictured above is a "beaded edge" Washington-Eagle flask (GI-2) that dates from the 1820s or 1830s and was likely made by an early Pennsylvania glass company. It has a sheared/cracked-off and fire polished straight finish, glass-tipped pontil scar on the base, and was produced in a two-piece key mold. Click on the following links to view more images of this flask: pontil scarred base; shoulder and neck close-up; beaded and ribbed side view. The reverse of this flask features a bust of George Washington and is pictured below.

Another variation of the American eagle were the quite artistic versions found on the flasks produced by several Connecticut glass factories. The pint flask pictured to the right above is a product of the Willington Glass Company of West Willington, CN. and is so embossed on the reverse. It classifies as GII-62, has a smooth cup mold base (a very unusual mold type for the era), and a crudely applied double ring finish. These flasks were produced using both pontil rods (pontil scarred) as well as a snap-case tools (smooth base). This company was in business from 1815 to 1872 with these flasks dating from the late 1850s and 1860s (McKearin & Wilson 1978). Click on the following links for more pictures of this flask: reverse side view, cup mold base view, side view, shoulder and neck close-up.

Yet another variation of the American eagle is found on highly ornate flasks that were likely first made by one of the many Louisville, KY. glass companies during the mid to late 1840s (pictured to the right). This pint flask (examples also were produced in the quart and half gallon sizes) has a blowpipe pontil scar, was blown in a two-piece key mold, and is classified as GII-24. Click on the following links for more pictures of this flask: side view, base view, shoulder and neck close-up.

Heroes, Celebrities & Presidential Candidates: The likeness of many people are emblazoned on the sides of figured flasks. However, none were as popular as George Washington with at least 72 flasks bearing his likeness. Other flasks have the likenesses of General Lafayette (Revolutionary War hero), DeWitt Clinton (Erie Canal), Zachary Taylor (12th President), Jenny Lind (singer), Andrew Jackson (7th President), Louis Kossuth (Hungarian Patriot), William Harrison (9th President), and others. Most of these flasks are referred to as "portrait flasks" and are included within Group I in McKearin & Wilson (1978).

Flasks in this category are a mixed lot with little physical commonality except that they are flasks and made during the figured flask period of 1815 to 1870 or so. Colors, shapes, sizes, finishes, and other manufacturing methods vary as widely as the period allows. There are even a few late 19th century flasks that were produced for Presidential elections (Grover Cleveland, William Jennings Bryan, William McKinley) that are cataloged within this group.

The flask pictured above right is a Washington-Eagle flask (GI-2) that was discussed above with links to more pictures of the item. It is embossed GENERAL WASHINGTON encircling the embossed portrait of the first president.

Some of the most common flasks in this category are the Washington-Taylor series of flasks, which contains at least 37 different examples. The picture to the right is of a very common quart size version (GI-37) with General Taylor on one side (with the embossing GENERAL TAYLOR NEVER SURRENDERS - a reference to his Mexican War exploits in 1847) and George Washington on the other (with the embossing THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY). These flasks originated during Taylor's 1848 Presidential campaign but appear to have been produced up until about the Civil War. The pictured example has a smooth base (no pontil scar), a very crudely applied "packer" type finish (single collar) that was laid around the cracked-off neck end, and was blown in a two-piece hinge mold (straight mold seam dissecting the base). Click on the following links for several more pictures of this flask: reverse view with George Washington embossing; base view with dissecting mold seam. Most of the Washington-Taylor flasks were blown at the Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, PA.

Shield & Clasped Hands: During the 1860s the struggle to preserve the Union was paramount in peoples minds and the images related to that struggle popular. The "shield & clasped hands" flasks usually have at least the following embossing pattern on one side (close-up picture to the left): clasped hands inside of a shield, stars embossed above the shield, branches with pinnate leaves to the side of the shield, and often the work "UNION" somewhere in the pattern. There are many embossing variations with additional items like the one pictured which has a Masonic-like compass below the clasped hands; others have makers marks incorporated into the pattern. Though variable, the reverse side of these flasks usually have a flying eagle with a ribbon banner in its beak (pictured in the next section on calabash bottles).

Although the pictured shield & clasped hands bottle is "calabash" in shape, most are flatter more typical flasks shaped similarly to the Pike's Peak flask noted later in this section ("Other Figured Flasks"). Click on the following links to see the front and reverse pictures of a typical shaped pint shield & clasped hands flask: GXII-17 front, GXII-17 reverse (photos courtesy of Jeff Noordsy Antiques). These type of flasks were made in quart, pint, and half-pint sizes. As these flasks date from the later end of the figured flask era (primarily 1860s), they are infrequently pontil scarred, and when pontiled they are usually an iron pontil. Finishes on these bottles vary substantially from sheared and/or cracked-off and fire polished, to champagne style, to an oil type finish like the pictured bottle. Most of the shield & clasped hands flasks are included within Group XII in McKearin & Wilson (1978), though a few are in Group IV like the pictured bottle.

The pictured bottle has an embossing pattern that is quite typical of the shield & clasped hands flasks, just a different shape - calabash. As noted, the embossing does include a Masonic type compass and is included within the Masonic flask group as GIV-42. These bottles were made by A. R. Samuels of Philadelphia, PA. (Keystone Glass Works) which was in business for a relatively short period from 1866 to about 1874 (McKearin & Wilson 1978). This particular bottle has a blowpipe pontil scar and was blown in a two-piece post mold. This is about as late as pontil rods were generally used on bottles but shows that they indeed did see use well into the 1860s on some items. Click on the following links for several more pictures of this bottles: reverse view, base view with pontil scar, side view, neck and finish close-up.

Calabash bottles

Calabash bottles are large, gourd or pear shaped bottles (sometimes called flasks also) which were quite popular during the mid 19th century, i.e.,, 1850 to 1870. The name presumably originates from the resemblance of these bottles to the hard shelled, gourd-like fruits of the tropical American "calabash tree" - Crescentia cujete (Gilman & Watson 1993). Calabash bottles as a group are lumped together in most peoples minds by their shape but are actually classified in McKearin & Wilson (1978) by what is portrayed via the embossing so they fall out in many groups.

Calabash bottles are referred to as "quart" size, but usually held around 1.5 quarts, though different types do have varying capacities (McKearin & Wilson 1978). Most calabash bottles were blown in two-piece post molds, can be found with various pontil scars or with smooth (non-pontiled) domed bases, and virtually always have some type of applied finish - usually a brandy, bead, oil, or blob finish. Unlike most other groups of figured flasks, calabash bottles were not apparently made with straight (sheared or cracked-off) finishes.

The calabash pictured above right has an image of - and the words - JENNY LIND embossed on the front and is classified as GI-99. Jenny Lind, a singer who was know as the "Swedish Nightingale", was lured to the America by P. T. Barnum for a series of performances in 1850 and 1851. The reverse side has an embossed building with a smokestack and the words GLASS WORKS / S. HUFFSEY and was likely the product of the Isabella Glass Works (New Brooklyn, NJ). These bottles date from the 1850s though there is evidence that the mold was used as late as 1870 (McKearin & Wilson 1978). Click on the following links for more pictures of this calabash bottle: reverse side with glass works embossing, base with pontil scar.

The calabash to the right was described in the previous section on shield & clasped hands flasks, though this is an image of the reverse showing the eagle with the banner in its beak. It dates from the mid to late 1860s. Click on the following links for several more pictures of this bottle: base view with pontil scar, side view, neck and finish close-up.

Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation theme flasks

This is another broad class of figured flasks that include embossing and motifs that deal with U.S. economic and social life such as agriculture, transportation, commerce, and even temperance! These flasks are a mixed lot with little physical commonality except that they are flasks and made during the figured flask period of 1815 to 1870. The do not have a group of their own, but are instead listed among several groups in McKearin & Wilson (1978). Colors, shapes, sizes, finishes, and other manufacturing methods vary as widely as the period allows. A couple flasks within this category are shown for examples representing the earlier and later ends of the period. For more information see McKearin & Wilson (1978) pages 491-495.

The transportation related flask to the right has a horse drawn wagon on tracks and the embossed lettering SUCCESS TO THE RAILROAD. The railroad flasks (there are several different variations covered as Group V in McKearin & Wilson (1978)) celebrated the burgeoning railroad system which began in the 1820s. The pictured flask was likely first produced about 1830 and has the same embossing pattern on both sides. It has a straight to slightly flared finish (sheared/cracked-off and fire polished with some tooling), blowpipe pontil scar, and was produced in a two-piece key mold. The pictured example classifies as GV-3 and was produced by the Keene-Marlboro Street Glass Works, Keene, NH. Click on the following links for more pictures of this very crude flask: base view showing the pontil scar, side view showing the vertical ribs, close-up view of the shoulder and neck.

The agriculture/commerce related flask to the right has a large ear of corn embossed and the embossed lettering CORN FOR THE WORLD. The reverse side has the Baltimore Monument embossed with the word "Baltimore." This quart size flask classifies as GVI-4, has a smooth (non-pontiled) base, applied double ring finish, and was blown in a two-piece hinge mold by the Baltimore Glass Works, Baltimore, MD. This particular flask likely dates from the 1860s, though other "Corn for the World" flasks also appear to date as early as the 1840s (McKearin & Wilson 1978; Hagenbuch 2005). Click on the following links to view more pictures of this flask: base view, reverse view with Baltimore Monument, side view, close-up view of shoulder, neck, and finish.

Other Figured Flasks

This category of figured flasks covers the flasks that do not fit into the previous categories. This includes flasks that have primarily sports related themes (hunting, fishing, horse racing, bicycling - mostly in McKearin & Wilson's Group XIII), those with just lettering (Group XIV & XV), and the large grouping of Pike's Peak items (Group XI). These flasks are also a mixed lot with little physical commonality except that they are flasks and made during the figured flask period. Colors, shapes, sizes, finishes, and other manufacturing methods vary as widely as the period allows. For more information on these variable flasks see McKearin & Wilson (1978) pages 491-495.

The pictured flask is one of the Pike's Peak assortment and is classified as GXI-17. This flask has a smooth base, an applied finish that is a cross between a packer and patent finish type, and was blown in a two-piece key mold. Click on the following links for more pictures of this flask: reverse side view, base view, close-up of shoulder, neck, and finish. This group of flasks typically have a prospective miner walking with a cane and stick/bag over his shoulder on one side and an eagle on top of an oval frame on the reverse. These popular flasks played on the excitement of the 1858-1859 gold rush to Colorado, which was then part of Kansas-Nebraska. Given that fact, we know that none of these flasks pre-dates 1859 which is confirmed by the majority being smooth based; pontils scars are known but very uncommon in these type flasks. The best source of additional information on the Pike's Peak flasks, besides McKearin & Wilson (1978), is Eatwell & Clint's book "Pike's Peak Gold" (2000).

The flask pictured to the right is listed in McKearin & Wilson (1978) as a figured flask (GXV-5), but has only embossed lettering (CUNNINGHAM & IHMSEN / GLASS MAKERS / PITTSBURGH, PA). This flask dates from between 1857 and 1867 (probably latter end of that range as it is not pontil scarred) and is fairly typical of this category of flasks, though they do vary a lot in form (McKearin & Wilson 1978). (See the "Flasks (not considered figured)" section below for a large assortment of other type liquor flasks, including this flask.)

Cylinders

There is a wide variety of liquor/spirits bottles in which the bodies are round in cross-section, i.e., cylindrical. These types of bottles vary in size and design substantially, but all share the fact that they are round when looking straight on at the base. The evolution of the cylinder liquor bottle is generally from wider and squattier to narrower and taller as time progressed (Wilson & Wilson 1968; Jones 1986). (Note: The evolution of spirits/wine bottles is discussed and illustrated in McKearin & Wilson (1978) on pages 205-221.) The following bottles represent some of the more common shapes of cylindrical liquor bottle progressing in general from oldest to newest. As with all the bottle types described on this site, there is almost endless variations on any shape theme so a user should not get too caught up in subtle details, though admittedly some subtle details can be very diagnostic; these are noted where possible.

1822 dated Ricketts molded bottle; click to enlarge.

Squat spirits/utility cylinder bottles (earlier): The earliest liquor bottles manufactured during the time span covered by this webpage tended to be shaped like the bottles pictured here with a wide, moderate height body, and a moderate length neck. Compared to the next few cylinder liquor bottle types, these would be called "squatty" in conformation. These bottles tended towards olive green, olive amber, and black glass in color. To view an example of an earlier - early to mid-18th century - liquor bottle click on Belgian type liquor bottle. The linked bottle likely dates between 1700 and 1730 and is Dutch or Belgian in origin; this is a shape that was likely never actually manufactured in the U.S. but imported to some degree (McKearin & Wilson 1978). These earlier round but non-cylindrical shaped bottles were displaced beginning about 1730 for various reasons including the cylinder shape being more conducive to storing and stacking and the increasing use of the "dip mold" for forming bottles; a mold type which could not be used for the earlier shapes (Jones 1986). (See the dip mold discussion on the Bottle Body Characteristics & Mold Seams page for more information on this technique.)

The olive green bottle to the left is a sand pontiled three-piece Ricketts' mold produced (see Bottle Body Characteristics & Molds Seams page) spirits bottle which is blob sealed and dated 1822, which is likely about the date of manufacture. It is also embossed H. RICKETT'S & CO. GLASS WORKS BRISTOL on the base and PATENT on the shoulder. Click Rickett's base for a close-up picture of the pontil scar and some of the embossing. Though English in origin, this shape of bottle was commonly made and/or used in the U.S. during the first third of the 19th century (McKearin & Wilson 1978). This particular bottle has the early version of the applied mineral finish with the relatively short upper part which was common during the 1820s to 18440s era on Rickett's and similar bottles.

The black glass (very dark olive amber) spirits or ale/porter/cider (wide beverage usage) bottle to the right is of early American origin being blown by the New England Glass Bottle Company (Cambridge, Mass.) between 1827 and 1845 (McKearin & Wilson 1978). The company name is embossed very faintly on the base of this bottle - click NEGBCo base marking to view a picture of the base. The center of the base has a sand pontil mark that is typical of the era. Click shoulder, neck & finish to view a close-up of those portions of this bottle. Like its English counterpart, this bottle was also made in a three-piece Rickett's type mold though very similar types were also free-blown and produced in dip molds. This bottle also has the early variation of an applied mineral finish, even though the crudity makes it somewhat difficult to determine exactly what the glassmaker was trying to achieve.

This type of bottle was also used for wine as well as the other noted products. One of the better sources of information on these earlier wine/spirits/beer bottles is Olive Jones 1986 work entitled "Cylindrical English Wine & Beer Bottles: 1735-1850" (Jones 1986). Also see Hume's (1991) "A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America" for more information on this subject including an illustrated time series of primarily English-made wine/spirits bottles from 1652 to 1834.

Additional images/information on early squat spirits bottles:

H. RICKETT'S & CO. GLASS WORKS BRISTOL - This bottle is another same sized example of the Rickett's mold type squat liquor bottle as was discussed above. It is also embossed with PATENT on the shoulder, was produced in a 3-piece mold, and has all the other characteristics of the one above except that it does not have a body blob seal and is dark olive amber ("black glass") in color. It is embossed on the base with the noted Rickett's embossing around a sand pontil scar; it dates from the 1821 to 1840 era.

Dating summary/notes: This style of spirits/ale bottle was most commonly produced during the period between the late 18th century and maybe 1850. Most have pontil scars, were made in three-piece (Rickett's) or dip molds, and have applied finishes. It should be noted that these type bottles were used for containing products that diverged greatly from the usual spirits/wine/ale liquid contents including use for caraway seeds and ground pepper (McDougall 1990).

Image of a mid-19th century spirits/ale bottle; click to enlarge.

Tall, moderately slender bulged neck spirits/utility cylinder bottles: Transitional from the earlier squattier type bottles above to the taller narrower cylinder "fifth" shapes shown below are bottles generally shaped like that pictured to the left. This taller, narrower shape was used for spirits as well as ale/porter, wine, and likely other liquid consumables (Wilson & Wilson 1968). These types show the stylistic trend towards taller more graceful (less "squatty") forms in the mid 1800s. Typical of these bottles is the bulged or bulbous neck; later spirits styles/types were dominated by straight sided necks as discussed below. Although similar shaped American made spirits bottles can date occasionally from the late 18th century, they really began to dominate by the 1820s and 1830s. These shapes gave way to variations of the standard "fifth" bottle in popularity in the U.S. by the mid-19th century, but never actually disappeared like the earlier squat bottles above (McKearin & Wilson 1978).

The bottle pictured the left was blown in a dip mold which is indicated by the textured surface to the bottle body below the shoulder and the smooth glossy glass surface at the shoulder and neck (click photo to enlarge). It has a crudely applied mineral finish (with a bit taller upper portion as compared to the earlier bottles above), a faint sand pontil scar on the base, and likely dates from the 1850s. Click on the following links for more images of this bottle: shoulder/neck close-up, base view. Of interest on this bottle is a faint bluish cast to the apex of the moderately pushed-up base. This is frequently seen on mid 19th century (and earlier) black glass bottles and is likely the result of the pontil rod and/or hot iron rod that was used to form the push-up base (with pontiled bottles this was most likely the same rod). These types of bottles were also mouth-blown in two and three-piece molds and later (late 19th and early 20th centuries) in turn-molds.

This general shape continued to be used for liquor bottles - particularly for foreign produced spirits - throughout the 20th century and is still used for some spirits today; many "single malt" Scotch bottles (e.g., Glenlivet®) use this bottle shape and still have cork sealed mineral type (more or less) finishes. Similar bottles from the mid to late 20th century were also machine-made with external screw threads. The illustration to the right is of a "Tom Gin" bottle from the 1906 Illinois Glass Company's bottle catalog which is very similar in shape and size (1/5th gallon) to the 1850s bottle pictured above. Bottle maker catalogs of the early 20th century also offered many other variations of this same general shape (i.e., tall, relatively narrow cylinder with a bulging neck and two-part mineral type finish) attesting to its continued popularity. The proprietary style names of some variations include "Belle of Anderson", "The Primrose Whiskey", "Scotch Whisky", "Sweet Wines", "Black Wines", "Pittsburgh Brandy", "Tall Bulb Neck Brandy", "English Rum", "Crown Prince", "Irish Whisky", and others (Illinois Glass Company 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920). Though used for a very wide period of time, bottles from different eras are usually easy to differentiate and comparatively date based on manufacturing related diagnostic features covered in other portions of this website.

After the 1870s, black glass bottles like that pictured above largely disappeared and lighter greens, olive greens, shades of amber, and colorless glass dominated. The medium amber brandy bottle pictured to the left is embossed: SCHLESINGER & BENDER/ PURE / CALIFORNIA / WINES / & / BRANDIES / SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. The finish on this bottle could be considered a variation of the mineral finish which was typically used for brandy and similar spirits even to the present day, as noted above. Wilson & Wilson (1968) estimated the manufacture of this bottle to between 1890 to 1895, though on close inspection the bottle appears more likely to date from the early 1900s (1900-1915) based on diagnostic features, i.e., "improved" tooled finish, multiple air venting (including on the base), and very neat manufacturing methods. Click here for more images of this bottle: base view (with several vent marks visible), shoulder/neck/finish view.

Additional dating information for the Schlesinger & Bender bottle is available from several sources which when taken together help confirm and refine the manufacturing based date range at bit. It is known that this particular bottle was found in a dump that was likely in use from some point after 1900 to the 1920s, not prior to that time (empirical observations). The company also is known to have continued in business until 1917, though was likely incorporated beginning in 1914 (Edmonson 1992; www.pre-pro.com website). Since similar bottles are known that have Schlesinger & Bender, Inc. embossed on them - and the subject bottle does not - it is probable that this bottle was made no later than 1913 (Wilson & Wilson 1968; Barnett 1987). Add these informational tidbits together and we have a likely manufacturing date of about 1905 to 1913 - about as close as one can get without more extensive research, which may not refine the date further anyway. This information was included here to show that bottle specific dating is a difficult, often messy, and rarely totally precise endeavor, and that all the information one can find must be considered together in arriving at a reasonable age estimate.

Dating summary/notes: This general style of bottle was used for a lengthy period of time so the age must be determined using other features besides shape. The following dating trends apply:

Earlier bottles from the 1870s or before, like the pictured black glass version, have applied mineral finishes, were made in three-piece or dip molds, and may be pontil scarred.
Bottles produced after about 1885 to 1890 usually have tooled finishes and in colors other than black glass (i.e., shades of amber, colorless, lighter olive greens).
Bottles produced after about 1915-1918 are machine-made with those made from the 1930s on increasingly with external screw cap finishes, though cork finishes are still seen occasionally to the present (empirical observations).
Machine-made bottles with the embossing "Federal Law Forbids Sale or Re-use of this Bottle" were made between 1935 and the late 1960s.

Dyottville cylinder fifth; click to enlarge.

Tall, moderately slender bodied, straight neck early "Patent" style spirits cylinders (mid-19th century): During the 1850s the bulged neck, cylinder bottle noted above "evolved" closer to a general shape that continues in popularity to this day (though with different finishes and manufacturing methods of course). This style is represented by the bottle pictured to the left which has a neck of similar (moderate) length as the previous style, but which is straight sided instead of bulging. The straight sided neck usually has a bit of a taper inwards from the base of the neck to the base of the finish. The body length is typical of the bulged neck cylinder above in that it is relatively tall and moderately slender. This type of bottle is often referred to as the "cylinder fifth" as its size is about 1/5th of a gallon - or 5 to the gallon as bottle makers referred to them. The actual capacity of these and later bottles varied from about 1/6th of a gallon up to a quart or so.

The pictured example is embossed DYOTTVILLE GLASS WORKS PHILA. in a circle around the outside perimeter of the base which indicates the maker and location. It has an applied mineral finish, lacks evidence of air venting commensurate with its age (1860s), was made in a 3-piece mold, and often have iron pontil scars though this example does not. This style of tall 3-piece molded cylinder bottle was commonly manufactured and used between 1844 and 1880, with most appearing to date between the 1850s and 1870s (McKearin 1970). Most of these type bottles appear to have been made in a Rickett's type 3-piece mold which is discussed and described more on the Bottle Bases page. Click on the following links to see different views of this bottle: base view showing the domed base center and relatively flattened round ring which surrounds the center (a classic Rickett's mold base); shoulder, neck and finish close-up view which shows the mineral finish common to these bottles. The combination of the mineral finish and the noted base attributes (with the base ring frequently embossed with a glass makers name) are defining elements of this cylinder "fifth" liquor bottle type compared to the similar variety discussed next.

As noted, this style was popular and blown by numerous eastern American glass houses up until about 1880; a majority are so marked on the base similar to the Dyottville bottle above, a company that was in business from 1833 to 1923 (Toulouse 1971). Some examples of other base markings (with the business date of the company in parenthesis) on this type of bottle are: Weeks & Gilson / So. Stoddard, N.H. (1853-1873), Whitney Glass Works (1813-1918), Willington Glass Works (1815-1872), Ellenville Glass Works (1836-1896), Bushwick Glass Works (1865-1890s), Cunningham & Ihmsen (1857-1878), W. McCully & Co. (1841-late 1860s), and likely others (McKearin & Wilson 1978; Lockhart, et al. 2004, 2005[b]). As the business dates show, all of these companies were active during the height of this bottle types popularity - the 1850s and 1860s.

This style was typically produced with either a mineral finish (like shown) or towards the latter end of the date range the brandy finish (which blends into the cylinder "fifth" style covered next). The production in a three-piece mold leaves a diagnostic horizontal mold seam around the bottle at the junction of the body and shoulder. Many of these type bottles also have the word PATENT embossed on the shoulder (though not the pictured examples) which was apparently a purely stylistic feature harkening back to the original Rickett's 1821 English "patent" spirits bottles (which also had PATENT embossed on the shoulder) and is no reference to any particular patent in the U.S. This type of bottle is often referred to as a "Patent cylinder fifth" (or words to that effect) by collectors.

The Civil War era (1860-1870) bottle pictured to the right is also embossed with the same DYOTTVILLE GLASS WORKS PHILA. base embossing as the bottle above. It has the original label indicating that it was used for brandy. It also has an applied mineral finish, was made in a 3-piece mold, lacks any evidence of air venting, and has a "smooth" (non-pontil scarred) base. Click on the following links for more images of this bottle: base view showing the embossing; close-up of the shoulder showing the three-piece mold seams (but no PATENT); close-up of the applied mineral finish. (Images from eBay®.)

The bottle pictured to the left could be considered a transitional bottle that dates from the same era, i.e., 1861 to about 1870. It was blown in a three-piece mold but has attributes of the later cylinder fifth's in that it is slightly taller and sports a straight brandy finish, in this case with internal threads. This bottle is embossed WEEKS & POTTER on the shoulder which was a Boston proprietary medicine concern, founded in 1852 and operating well into the 20th century. They produced many patent & proprietary medicines including the Sanford's Radical Cure and several Cuticura products including the famous Cuticura System of Curing Constitutional Humors (Baldwin 1973; Fike 1987). These bottles most definitely held liquor as labeled examples have been observed by the author noting that they contained "Old Bourbon Whiskey."

Dating summary/notes: The "Patent" style (with or without the shoulder and/or base embossing) of liquor bottle with Rickett's mold attributes was commonly manufactured and used between 1844 and 1880, with most appearing to date between the 1850s and 1870s. They typically have a mineral type finish and were made in a three-piece mold. Colors vary widely with shades of amber and olive being the most common by far. Pontiled versions (almost always an iron pontil) likely date from the Civil War or before with non-pontiled examples being from after that period into the 1870s. The "Patent" style can be difficult to differentiate from the cylinder type discussed next, though there are usually enough subtle differences to the experienced eye to be of value for dating.

Tall, moderately slender bodied, straight neck spirits cylinders (late 19th & 20th century): By the early 1870s the "Patent" style tall cylinder had generally evolved a slightly longer neck at many glass works, including the new glass companies on the West Coast. The finishes on these type bottles were dominated by the brandy and straight brandy types with the mineral finish being rarely seen on cylinder liquor bottles after about 1880. The base of these bottles do not usually have the Rickett's type base characteristics, though can be somewhat similar at times. The typical shape and size of these was slightly more graceful in appearance due to the bottle being about the same diameter (around 3") but a bit taller overall than the earlier "Patent" style, primarily because of the neck length. These differences are, however, subtle and variable.

This general style of liquor bottle, along with some subtle variations (like the rest of the cylinders discussed below), were most popular from the 1870s through the 1910s until National Prohibition in 1919-1920. The illustration to the right is from a 1906 bottle makers catalog and shows three of their cylinder liquor bottles - "standard", "extra tall", and "short" cylinder moulds (Illinois Glass Co. 1906). The "standard" and "extra tall" cylinders are similar to the bottles pictured here. The "short cylinder mould" (bottle on right in illustration) is similar to the colorless (faintly amethyst) liquor fifth described below in this section. The catalog notes that the "standard cylinder" came in sizes ranging from 1 ounce (sample size) to 1/2 gallon, though the most common sizes were the "fifth" and the slightly larger quart size. A common name for this style is just the "standard fifth" or if embossed, a "lettered brandy" (Illinois Glass Co. 1903; Wilson & Wilson 1968; Barnett 1987; Thomas 1998a & b; empirical observations).

The above pictured shape and size ("fifth") of spirits bottle was very popular in Western America, but was used throughout the country extensively. This bottle was most likely made at the San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works (San Francisco, CA. - 1876-1902) between 1876 and the mid 1880s based on the star on the base, the "old amber" color (yellowish olive amber), and the crudely applied brandy finish (Toulouse 1971; Zumwalt 1980). From the early to mid 1910s through the rest of the 20th century this general tall, cylinder, long neck, style was made by automatic bottle machines (i.e., machine-made). The two styles at the bottom of this cylinder section are more typical of the later types of cylinder liquor bottles from the 1910s on.

The colorless (very slight amethyst tint), 11.8" tall, mouth-blown cylinder "fifth" to the left is embossed within a plate with E. C. JORGENSEN & CO. / (monogram of E C J & Co intertwined) / PORTLAND, OR. It has a "improved" tooled straight brandy finish (click close-up of neck and finish to view such) and was produced in a cup base mold with three air venting marks on both the front and back shoulder indicating an early 20th century production. Daniele Marx and Emil C. Jorgensen began their wholesale and retail liquor business about 1877 with Marx leaving the company in 1902. This bottle dates from just after that point, i.e., between 1902 and 1905 when the company was dissolved (Thomas 1998a). This date range is consistent with the fact that this particular bottle was found under the floor of an old store in Summit, OR. (near Corvallis) which was reportedly built about 1901.

A slight variation of this style is slightly wider in the body as portrayed by the bottle pictured to the right of an amber Old Castle Whiskey "fifth" (San Francisco, CA), which is closer to a quart in size. It is embossed boldly on one side with THE / F. CHEVALIER & CO. / OLD (embossed castle) / CASTLE WHISKEY / SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. Click on the following links to view additional pictures of this bottle - base view; shoulder, neck, and finish. This bottle has a tooled inside thread finish ("brandy finish" with internal threads) and was made in a two-piece cup mold. It has the makers mark PCGW on the base indicating it was manufactured by the Pacific Coast Glass Works, which began business in 1902, placing this bottles manufacturing between 1902 and about 1910 (Toulouse 1971). Inside thread whiskey bottles from the late 19th and early 20th century are particularly common in the West and apparently uncommon east of the Mississippi (Wilson & Wilson 1968; Munsey 1970). Click HERE to view a close-up picture of this bottles hard rubber stopper which matches the threads inside the finish.

Dating summary/notes: The standard "fifth" style liquor bottle was made for a lengthy period of time so the age must be determined using other diagnostic features besides just the shape. (This will be a common refrain throughout the "Bottle Typing/Diagnostic Shapes" pages). However, the following dating trends have been noted:

Bottles dating from the 1870s through the 1880s will usually have an applied brandy finish and have been blown in a post base mold. Dominant colors during this period are shades of amber and olive amber, with the occasional colorless bottle and rarely pure olive green or aqua. For an example of one of the earliest (ca. 1869-1871) olive amber, Western American (San Francisco, CA.) whiskey bottles (J. H. Cutter Old Bourbon) of this style click on the following links: full view; base view; neck and finish close-up; embossing & body close-up (Thomas 2002).
Bottles made after about 1890 have almost exclusively tooled brandy and straight brandy finishes with mouth-blown ones being made up until National Prohibition which began after 1919. These bottles were also almost always blown in a cup base mold.
Mouth blown quart size cylinders in this shape tend to primarily date no earlier than the late 1890s with most being post-1900 to National Prohibition. The quart size was popular with consumers and was most likely driven by the proliferation of mail-order liquor dealers that usually used quart sized bottles. Mail order liquor became very popular as the number of states passing statewide alcohol prohibition laws (making them "dry" states) increased in the early 1900s making the mail the only way to acquire "legal" liquor. However, the Webb-Kenyon Interstate Liquor Act of March 1st, 1913 ended the mailing of liquor to "dry" states (Wilson & Wilson 1968). (Note: This law is still in effect to various degrees.)
Turn-mold examples of this style appear to date from the late 1880s or early 1890s to 1910s with the earlier examples having applied finishes (up until the mid-1890s) and are usually some shade of amber or red amber (empirical observations).
Liquor bottles with inside screw thread finishes date primarily between 1890 and about 1915 or so and are always mouth-blown (we are just waiting for someone to point out an exception to this "always"). Inside thread cylinders (and a few flasks) produced during this era were primarily used by Western American liquor companies and infrequently by Eastern companies for unknown reasons (Wilson & Wilson 1968). Colors are dominated by colorless and shades of amber. (See the Bottle Closures page for earlier "Eastern" exceptions to this dating for inside thread bottles.)
Machine-made fifth/quart versions are common from the mid-1910s, through National Prohibition ("For Medicinal Purposes Only"), and to the current day with some variations (as shown by the last bottle covered in this section below). From the 1930s on, external screw threads increasingly dominated though cork closures are still seen on occasion. Bottles with the embossing "Federal Law Forbids Sale or Re-use of this Bottle" were made between 1935 and the 1960s.

It should be noted also that this shape - in several sizes and usually in colorless or aqua glass - was also used for olive oil, vinegar, and a few other "food" products during the first few decades of the 20th century (Zumwalt 1980; empirical observations). For example the mouth-blown "fifth" sized bottle at this link - Navelade Fruit Juice - is embossed within a plate with NAVELADE / TRADE MARK / FRUIT JUICE CO. / LOS ANGELES, / CAL. though is of the typical shape of a mouth-blown liquor bottles produced during the 1900 to 1915 era (when the pictured bottles was made also).

Cylinder quart with fluted shoulders; click to enlarge.

Decorative shoulder spirits cylinders: A variation on the fifth/quart cylinder discussed above is a class of somewhat more decorative or ornate containers represented by the quart liquor bottle pictured to the left. These bottles are similar to the above but have fluted or swirled features molded into the shoulder and/or lower neck. Glassmaker names for the many variations of this style were "Fluted Neck Whiskey", "Minnesota Brandy", "Maverick Brandy", "Starlight Brandy", "Chicago Fancy", and most likely others (Illinois Glass Co. 1906; Cumberland Glass 1911; Obear-Nester 1922). Some variations have additional decoration on the lower body near the base; others have the decorative molding just on the neck itself.

The pictured quart cylinder liquor bottle was used by the Oregon Importing Company (Portland, OR.) and dates between 1904 and 1915, when statewide Prohibition was effected in Oregon (Thomas 1998). This bottle has an improved-tooled straight brandy finish, has multiple air venting marks almost hidden with the shoulder design, and was blown in a two-piece cup base mold - classic diagnostic features of a post-1900 mouth-blown bottle. Click on the following links for more pictures of this bottle: base view; shoulder, neck, and finish view. Many fluted shoulder liquor bottles have the more gentle slope to the shoulder like the pictured bottle, while other have the more abrupt shoulder like the cylinders discussed in the box above. This particular company noted in their advertising and bottle embossing that they "Neither Rectify Nor Compound" - a reflection of the ongoing battle just after passage of the 1906 Food and Drugs Act between "pure" whiskey producers and the "rectifiers" or "compounders" who blended their whiskey, often with a large proportion of neutral spirits and flavoring compounds. Both were placed on an equal legal footing by the so-called "Taft Decision" of 1909 - a presidential decision that established "standards of identity" for various types of whiskey; many of which are still followed today (Downard 1980).