Message in a Bottle

Lots 1251 to 1255 in our upcoming British & Continental Ceramics & Glass auction (10 October) are a selection of late 18^th century mallet-form glass bottles. This form of bottle became popular during the 1750s, and slowly replaced the more globular onion-shaped bottles that had become predominant from the 1690s onwards.

The hand-blown green glass has an almost sculptural quality to it, with the small air bubbles, divots and dents, revealing the ‘marvering’ process the glass blower would have utilised to individually craft each piece. It is hard to say for certain what they would have contained, as bottles of this variety would have been used for a wide range of alcoholic beverages, from port to rum. Indeed, in many instances large numbers would have been kept by individual families, who would have then taken them to a wine or spirit merchant to be refilled.

Each Lot of two bottles has an attractive estimate of £150-250 on it, and will find good company within an auction filled to the brim with our usual selection of the very best of British and Continental ceramic and glassware.

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James Bruce

Email hannahmurphy@mctears.co.uk for a free, no obligation auction estimate.