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The Merrimack Valley
bottle show on September 26th produced several
new additions to the book and a few new variations
of known bottles
An unlisted CLARK
STANLEY (right side) SNAKE OIL (front)
LINIMENT (left side) was discovered on
a table just inside the main door. The bottle
is in the typical tall, narrow, square shape,
and in the usual clear color. The embossing is
quite different from the other known Stanley bottles
and the height and width are also different measuring
4 5/8" tall by 13/16" on a side. The dealer who
sold this bottle to me said he had never seen
this example before.
The selling price
of $25.00 was above the upper end of what I feel
these bottles are worth, $10-20. Normally I couldn't
justify this much for an unlabelled Stanley but
it is an unusual example and the price was reflective
due to rarity.
An unusual CASWELL
MACK & CO. bottle showed up on the table
of a New Hampshire dealer. The bottle, RI-086
in Antique Bottles Of Rhode Island, is a "weak
tea" color and is heavier in weight than other
examples. While the color was different, it was
the shape of the bottle that drew attention. Basically,
it is square with bevelled corners, similar to
reported versions, but the shoulders are not squared
off like known examples. The shoulders taper up
and in to the neck which sports a great, crude,
flared lip. The body is just as odd. The front
and back are straight vertically while the sides
belly out in the middle. The overall unusualness
in appearance is quite obvious especially when
placed next to a "normal" example.
While I would love
to say this is the way the bottle was supposed
to have been made, I feel it was deformed somehow
during manufacture. Regardless, it is a "new"
variation because of the color alone and a very
interesting bottle all around.
Anyone who knows
the Caswell-Hazard, Caswell-Mack, Caswell-Massey,
and Hazard-Hazard bottles in this form and embossing
know the common color is cobalt blue. Any of these
in any other color are rare, and for the $40.00
price tag this bottle was an especially good deal.
The table of a Woonsocket
digger revealed the next bottle, a previously
unreported RI mineral water. The bottle, embossed
WOONSOCKET / MINERAL WATER CO. (in slugplate),
is light green aqua and stands 7 1/8" tall. This
discovery is enhanced because the bottle first
appears to be a Hutchinson but is actually a Thomas'
Patented Stopper bottle which is just as rare
if not more so than the elusive RI Hutch. This
closure came late in the 1800's and was never
as accepted as the Hutchinson or Lightning style
closures. The only other RI bottle to use this
closure is RI-725, McKENNA BROS. / PROVIDENCE,
R.I. which are fairly scarce themselves. The
bottle has some light spotty haze and several
spots of high point wear on the embossing at the
heel but otherwise is free of chips and cracks.
The selling price?
A mere $20. A real bargain considering the rarity
and closure.
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