Bottles and Flasks Set 2
Share
share

The Henry Ford owns approximately 10,000 pieces of glass, ranging from pharmaceutical and scientific glass to contemporary glass made by fine artists. This group is a small sampling of our most visually appealing historical bottles and flasks, all of which are on display in the Davidson-Gerson Gallery of Glass in Greenfield Village.
THF167454
Case Bottle, 1760-1850
Case bottles were designed for easy and efficient transportation. Their square bodies with flat, rectangular sides packed neatly into wooden boxes or cases. Case bottles were common from the 1600s into the 1900s and usually held gin or other alcoholic or medicinal spirits.
View ArtifactTHF167877
Decanter, 1815-1840
THF167891
Bottle, 1815-1840
THF168033
Chestnut Bottle, 1780-1830
THF300596
Flask, 1840-1855
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. This Baltimore-made flask's slogan while referencing the alcoholic content also points to the importance of the Maryland city in the world grain trade.
View ArtifactTHF167462
Snuff Bottle, 1760-1850
THF167890
Bottle, 1815-1840
THF167422
Flask, 1932-1942
THF302134
Calabash Bottle, 1850-1855
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks often were decorated with symbols of national pride. Other flasks, like this one, contain images of foreign newsmakers. Many Americans embraced Louis Kossuth, a mid-century Hungarian patriot and revolutionist. Kossuth arrived in the U. S. in 1851 after a failed attempt to set up a democratic Hungarian state.
View ArtifactTHF167501
Flask, 1825-1840
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national or civic pride, appealed to America's common man. Citizens of Baltimore, Maryland, would have recognized the image of the city's Washington Monument on this locally made flask. And the sloop would have been a familiar sight to those living in this port city.
View ArtifactTHF302467
Wine Bottle, 1821-1830
THF302461
Pocket Bottle, 1821-1829
THF167878
Bottle, 1815-1850
THF303180
Flask, 1865-1875
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. The clasping hands, shield and eagle represent the Union -- a cause many Americans fought to uphold during the Civil War.
View ArtifactTHF168017
Beer Bottle, 1845-1875
THF168008
Bininger's Bourbon Whiskey Bottle, 1861-1864
Abraham Bininger established a grocery business in New York City in the late 1700s. Family descendants carried on the trade into the late 1800s, selling alcoholic spirits in bottles with a variety of shapes. The bottles were often embossed with Bininger's name and description of the contents.
View ArtifactTHF167845
Flask, 1824-1840
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. Many flasks, like this one, contain images of an eagle -- a traditional symbol for America. The overflowing cornucopia found on the other side of this flask alludes to America's bounty.
View ArtifactTHF300660
Whiskey Bottle, 1855-1870
THF302119
Flask, 1815-1825
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. Many flasks, like this one, contain images of an eagle -- a traditional symbol for America.
View ArtifactTHF168071
Pickle Bottle, 1840-1880
Americans in the mid-to-late 19th century purchased a variety of pickled and preserved foods in inexpensive, commercially made glass containers. Though cheap, some of these utilitarian bottles were distinctive in their decorations. This gothic-inspired bottle with its pointed arches and trefoils appealed to the tastes of many 19th-century middle class Americans and was found sitting on pantry and cupboard shelves, or atop kitchen tables.
View ArtifactTHF167951
Pocket Bottle, 1800-1840
THF167887
Bottle, 1815-1835
THF300643
Flask, 1840-1855
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks appealed to America's common man. Many of these flasks contained symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation. Embellishments on other flasks, like this one, were purely decorative.
View ArtifactTHF167794
Jar, 1850-1870
THF167780
Water Bottle, 1857-1876
THF168067
Wine Bottle, 1735-1800
THF167575
Medicine Bottle, 1800-1850
THF303202
Flask, 1855-1870
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. Many flasks, like this one, contain images of an eagle -- a traditional symbol for America.
View ArtifactTHF167913
Flask, 1800-1840
American glass factories produced flasks, like this one, from the late 1700s well into the mid-1800s. The pint-sized flask could hold water but more likely contained alcoholic beverages. Its textured decorative exterior -- formed when the hot glass was dipped into a pattern mold before it was blown -- made the flask easier to grasp. And its flattened shape fit nicely into pockets providing ready access to the liquid refreshment.
View ArtifactTHF302465
Wine Bottle, 1810-1830
THF167470
Bottle, 1830-1850
THF167529
Flask, 1815-1835
American glass factories produced flasks, like this one, from the late 1700s well into the mid-1800s. The pint-sized flask could hold water but more likely contained alcoholic beverages. Its textured decorative exterior -- formed when the hot glass was dipped into a pattern mold before it was blown -- made the flask easier to grasp. And its flattened shape fit nicely into pockets providing ready access to the liquid refreshment.
View ArtifactTHF168030
Pocket Flask, 1800-1840
American glass factories produced flasks, like this one, from the late 1700s well into the mid-1800s. The pint-sized flask could hold water but more likely contained alcoholic beverages. Its textured decorative exterior -- formed when the hot glass was dipped into a pattern mold before it was blown -- made the flask easier to grasp. And its flattened shape fit nicely into pockets providing ready access to the liquid refreshment.
View ArtifactTHF167800
Swaim's Panacea, 1829-1900
THF168016
Beer Bottle, 1845-1875
THF167809
Pickle Bottle, 1840-1880
Americans in the mid-to-late 19th century purchased a variety of pickled and preserved foods in inexpensive, commercially made glass containers. Though cheap, some of these utilitarian bottles were distinctive in their decorations. This gothic-inspired bottle with its pointed arches and trefoils appealed to the tastes of many 19th-century middle class Americans and was found sitting on pantry and cupboard shelves, or atop kitchen tables.
View ArtifactTHF167476
Flask, 1800-1840
American glass factories produced flasks, like this one, from the late 1700s well into the mid-1800s. The pint-sized flask could hold water but more likely contained alcoholic beverages. Its textured decorative exterior -- formed when the hot glass was dipped into a pattern mold before it was blown -- made the flask easier to grasp. And its flattened shape fit nicely into pockets providing ready access to the liquid refreshment.
View ArtifactTHF167898
Bottle, 1810-1830
THF167432
Shecut's Southern Balm, 1840-1860
THF168705
Wine Bottle, 1810-1850
THF167861
Chestnut Bottle, 1780-1830
THF167480
Flask, 1857-1873
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. Many flasks, like this one, contain images of an eagle -- a traditional symbol for America.
View ArtifactTHF168148
Flask, 1850-1855
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks appealed to America's common man. Many of these flasks contained symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation. Embellishments on other flasks, like this one, were purely decorative.
View ArtifactTHF167655
Bottle, 1800-1830
THF168012
Charles London Cordial Gin Bottle, 1860-1875
THF303225
Flask, 1855-1880
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. Many flasks, like this one, contain images of an eagle -- a traditional symbol for America.
View ArtifactTHF167828
Flask, 1870-1890
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks often were decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation. This late-century flask with its image of a hunting dog on the reverse may have appealed to hunters and sportsmen.
View ArtifactTHF302124
Flask, 1824-1825
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often decorated with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. In the mid-1820s, General Lafayette, a French aristocrat who helped America win its independence, revisited the United States. His image adorned flasks commemorating his tour.
View ArtifactTHF167464
Carter Ink Bottle, 1900-1920
THF302185
Flask, 1822-1835
Glass factories in America began producing inexpensive, mold-formed flasks in the early 1800s. These figured flasks, often embellished with symbols of national pride or political or cultural affiliation, appealed to America's common man. Purely decorative flasks, however, were another option. These flasks -- like this sunburst-pattern one -- held alcohol just as well as those with images of great men or patriotic emblems.
View Artifact

