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matching 19th century bottle
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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Medicine Bottle, J.C. Ayer & Co, 1868-1878
The glass medicine bottle is an example of an early 20th-century medicine bottle. Moulton glass was blown into a two-piece mould and a tool with an inscription was used to stamp the base. The mouth was added after the bottle was blown. The bottle has encrustations and residue on the surface of the glass. The cargo of the Falls of Halladale included medicine. It was made by Ayer & Co. and its shape and maker's mark matches one of Ayer's early style bottles that contained J.C. Ayer's Hair Vigor, which was made from about 1868 to 1915. James C. Ayer, born in Connecticut, US in 1818, was a medicine manufacturer. His first medicine was Cherry Pectoral, for pulmonary illness. His medicine was very popular in the 1850s. Ayer died in 1878. A section of his home town Groton Junction was nameed 'Ayer' in his honour. The FALLS of HALLADALE 1886 – 1908: - The sailing ship Falls of Halladale was an iron-hulled, four-masted barque, used as a bulk carrier of general cargo. She left New York in August 1908 bound for Melbourne and Sydney. In her hold was general cargo consisting of roof tiles, barbed wire, stoves, oil, benzene, and many other manufactured items. After three months at sea and close to her destination, a navigational error caused the Falls of Halladale to be wrecked on a reef off the Peterborough headland on the 15th of November, 1908. The captain and 29 crew members survived, but her cargo was largely lost, despite two salvage attempts in 1908-09 and 1910. The Court of Marine Inquiry in Melbourne ruled that the foundering of the ship was entirely due to Captain David Wood Thomson's navigational error, not too technical failure of the Clyde-built ship. The Falls of Halladale was built in1886 by Russell & Co., at Greenock shipyards on the River Clyde, Scotland for Wright, Breakenridge & Co of Glasgow. The ship had a sturdy construction built to carry maximum cargo and was able to maintain full sail in heavy gales, one of the last of the 'windjammers' that sailed the Trade Route. She and her sister ship, the Falls of Garry, were the first ships in the world to include fore and aft lifting bridges. The new raised catwalk-type decking allowed the crew to move above the deck in stormy conditions. The medicine bottle is an example of medicine containers in the late 19th to early 20th century. It is also significant for its association with the historic cargo ship Falls of Halladale, wrecked in local waters in the early 20th century. The ship is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, No. S255. It was one of the last ships to sail the Trade Routes and one of the first vessels to have fore and aft lifting bridges. The ship is an example of the design, materials and fittings of a late-19th-century sailing vessel. Its cargo represents several aspects of Victoria’s shipping trade. The wreck is now protected as a Historic Shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.Clear glass bottle with a green tinge. The bottle has a rolled applied lip, narrow mouth, slim neck, rounded shoulders and straight rectangular body and an indented base. The body has side seams and irregular thicknesses of glass. Glass has imperfections and bubbles, and one shoulder is missing. An embossed inscription is on the base. The bottle was recovered from the wreck of the Falls of Halladale. "AYER"flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, falls of halladale, iron ship, four-masted ship, sailing ship, clipper ship, windjammer, shipwreck, peterborough, 1908 shipwreck, russell & co., fore and aft lifting bridges, medicine bottle, health care, ayer, j c ayer & co., james c ayer, hair vigor, men's hair care, personal care -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware, bulb shaped bottle,with flared rim opening.Chinese writing on base.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, aldo gios, buckland valley -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found. Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Black / dark brownchinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, buckland valley, aldo gios -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Brownchinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, buckland valley, aldo gios -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Brownchinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, aldo gios -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Black / dark brownchinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, buckland valley, aldo gios -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Dark brownchinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, aldo gios -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening.Chinese writing on base.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Brown/ greychinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Black.Fine Chinese writing on base -possibly a stamp.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening.Brown.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening.Chinese writing on base.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening.Chinese writing on base - possibly maker's stamp.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Light / dark brown.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol -
Bright & District Historical Society operating the Bright Museum
Bottle
Brought to the Ovens Goldfields by Chinese men working in the area in the 19th century. Most likely made in China.Aldo Gios recorded the location of where most pieces in his collection were found. Some maps, drawn by Aldo Gios, also give more detail. This detail is rare as most pieces of broken crockery were discarded and complete items were usually collected with no thought to recording the location where they were found. This object is part of one of the largest collections of Chinese ware found in the Upper Ovens area and the only one recording the location where found.Stoneware bulb shaped bottle with flared rim opening. Black / dark brown.chinese, bottle, glaze, stoneware, alcohol, gios -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle and Pen, Caldwell’s Ink Factory, Early 20th century
This shaped ink bottle made by Caldwell's is called a 'boat ink bottle'. It was shaped especially to hold a nib pen when the pen was not in use. The design of the bottle is sometimes called a ‘cottage’ or ‘boat’ shape. The Caldwell’s handmade glass ink bottle was mouth-blown into a two-piece mould, a method often used in the mid-to-late 19th century. The glass blower burst the bottle off the end of his blowpipe with a tool, leaving an uneven mouth and sharp edge on the bottle, which was usually filed. The bottle was then filled with ink and sealed with a cork. More expensive bottles would have a lip added, which was more time-consuming and costly to produce. The capacity for a bottle such as this was about 3 ½ oz (ounces) equal to about 100 ml. Pen and ink have been in use for handwriting since about the seventh century. A quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used up until around the mid-19th century. In the 1850s a steel point nib for the dip pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. The nis only held a small amount of ink so users had to frequently dip the nib into an ink well for more ink. Handwriting left wet ink on the paper, so the blotting paper was carefully used to absorb the excess ink and prevent smudging. Ink could be purchased as a ready-to-use liquid or in powdered form, which needed to be mixed with water. In the 1880s a successful, portable fountain pen gave smooth-flowing ink and was easy to use. In the mid-20th century, the modern ballpoint pen was readily available and inexpensive, so the fountain pen lost its popularity. However, artisans continue to use nib pens to create beautiful calligraphy. Caldwell’s Ink Co. – F.R. Caldwell established Caldwell’s Ink Company in Australia around 1902. In Victoria, he operated from a factory at Victoria Avenue, Albert Park, until about 1911, then from Yarra Bank Road in South Melbourne. Newspaper offices were appointed as agencies to sell his inks, for example, in 1904 the New Zealand Evening Star sold Caldwell’s Flo-Eesi blue black ink in various bottle sizes, and Murchison Advocate (Victoria) stocked Caldwell’s ink in crimson, green, blue black, violet, and blue. Caldwell’s ink was stated to be “non-corrosive and unaffected by steel pens”. A motto used in advertising in 1904-1908 reads ‘Makes Writing a Pleasure’. Stationers stocked Caldwell’s products and hawkers sold Caldwell’s ink stands from door to door in Sydney in the 1910s and 1920s. In 1911 Caldwell promised cash for returned ink bottles and warned of prosecution for anyone found refilling his bottles. Caldwell’s Ink Stands were given as gifts. The company encouraged all forms of writing with their Australian-made Flo-Eesi writing inks and bottles at their impressive booth in the ‘All Australian Exhibition’ in 1913. It advertised its other products, which included Caldwell’s Gum, Caldwell’s Stencil Ink (copy ink) and Caldwell’s Quicksticker as well as Caldwell’s ‘Zac’ Cough Mixture. Caldwell stated in a 1920 article that his inks were made from a formula that was over a century old, and were scientifically tested and quality controlled. The formula included gallic and tannic acids and high-quality dyes to ensure that they did not fade. They were “free from all injurious chemicals”. The permanent quality of the ink was important for legal reasons, particularly to banks, accountants, commerce, municipal councils and lawyers. The Caldwell’s Ink Company also exported crates of its ink bottles and ink stands overseas. Newspaper advertisements can be found for Caldwell’s Ink Company up until 1934 when the company said they were the Best in the business for 40 years.This pen and ink bottle set is of significance as the bottle has its original cork and retains remnants of ink, which was made from a recipe that at the time was over 100 years old, according to Caldwell.. The handmade, mould blown method of manufacture is representative of a 19th-century handcraft industry that is now been largely replaced by mass production. The bottle and its contents are of state significance for being produced by an early Melbourne industry and exported overseas. The pen and ink set is historically significant as it represents methods of handwritten communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century when fountain pens and modern ballpoint pens became popular and convenient and typewriters were becoming part of standard office equipment.Victorian boat ink bottle; small rectangular clear glass ink bottle with horizontal grooves made in the glass for resting and holding the pen. The set includes one pen and nib with the bottle and cork. The bottle is made by Caldwell's and contains its Flo-Eesi Blue Black Ink brand."Caldwell's Flo-Eesi Blue Black Ink."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, ink, nib pen, writing ink, writing, copying, banks, lawyers, commerce, student, permanent ink, flo-eesi, blue black ink, stationery, record keeping, handwriting, writing equipment, writing accessory, office supply, cottage bottle, boat bottle, mouth-blown bottle, two-part mould, sheer-lip bottle, burst-lip, cork seal, f r caldwell, caldwell’s ink company, albert park, south melbourne, inkstands, stencil ink, copy ink, quicksticker, zac cough mixture -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle, 19th to early-20th century
This design of ink bottle or ink well was commonly referred to as a ‘penny ink well’ because it was very inexpensive to produce. It is also known as a dwarf bottle. Pen and ink has been in use for hand writing from about the seventh century up until the mid-20th century. Up until around the mid-19th century a quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used. In the 1850s the steel point pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. In the 1880s a successful portable fountain pen was designed, giving a smooth flowing ink and ease of use. Ink wells, used with steel nib dip pens, were commonly used up until the mid-20th century. The pens only held a small amount of ink so users had to frequently dip the nib of the pen into an ink well for more ink. Hand writing with pen and ink left wet writing on the paper, so blotting paper was carefully used to absorb the excess ink and prevent smudging. Ink could be purchased, ready to use, or in the powdered form, which needed to be mixed with water. After the invention of fountain pens, which had a reservoir of ink, and then ballpoint pens, which also had ink that flowed freely, the dip pen was slowly replaced. However, artisans continue to use nib pens to create beautiful calligraphy.This ink well is historically significant as it represents methods of hand written communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century, when fountain pens and ballpoint pens took over in popularity and convenience.Ink bottle or ink well, sometimes called a Penny Ink Well. Cylindrical body, salt-glazed, brown ceramic stoneware bottle, handmade. Stoneware bottle. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, writing equipment, writing accessory, office equipment, stationery, domestic, stoneware, clay, ceramic, pottery, ink well, inkwell, ink bottle, penny ink well, nib pen, dip pen, ink, hand writing, record keeping, household, business, vintage, blotting paper, dwarf bottle -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ceramic - Hot water bottle, late 19th - early 20th century
This hot water bottle was designed to lay flat in a bed between the sheets. Its purpose was to warm the bed before use. The bottle was filled with hot water then a stopper was placed in the top to seal it, preventing the water from running out. The inscription on the attached label of this hot water bottle gives both the donor's details and the location of the bottle when it was first displayed at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. the "P.M.O." are the initials for the Port Medical Office. The donor's details are also written in pencil on the base of the bottle. In the 16th-century people warmed their beds with the 'bed warmer', which was a long-handled, metal pan filled with hot coals and embers and covered with a lid. The pan was placed between the bedsheets to warm the bed before the person retired to sleep for the night. In the early 19th-century earthenware bed warmers came began to be used for the same purpose. They would be filled with hot water and sealed then often wrapped in fabric. The ceramic material would hold the heat for quite some time, without being too hot for the person in bed to also warm their feet as they went off to sleep. Hot water bottles were later made from glass, copper, brass or tin. Some manufacturers made them into decorative pieces that still had practical use. In 1903 a patent was taken out for the first rubber hot water bottle, invented by Slavoljub Eduard Penkala, a Croatian engineer. This bottle is of historic significance, as an example of personal heating equipment used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Hot water bottle, earthenware, pale colour with brown glaze on top over the shoulder and mouth section and clear glaze on the remainder of the sides. The cylindrical bottle tapers to a slightly narrower base. One side of the bottle, about a sixth of the circumference, is flat. The base of the bottle has a handwritten inscription. An inscription was on the paper label originally attached to the bottle. Inscription hand written on base of bottle "Mrs K. Rob _ / Browns Rd / Offic / 3 _ _ 9" Inscription on paper label " "Mrs K Robinson Browns Rd Officer 3809 - Hot water bottle P.M.O." flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, domestic item, hot water bottle, heating equipment, ceramic bottle, stoneware bottle, potter, earthenware, personal item, bed warmer, foot warmer, flat-sided hot water bottle, household item, stoneware, clay, ceramic -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Juggling Club, late 19th to early 20th century
This wooden juggling club or exercise club may also be referred to as a juggling pin. It is very similar in shape to a bowling pin or an Indian club. It dates approximately to the early 20th century. It may have been used as one of a pair for gymnastics or exercise, or part of a larger set used by a juggler for entertainment in a circus or carnival. At some time it may have been used with a ball or disc as part of a Skittles or bowling game set. The historical collection of Federation University Australia, Victoria, includes a very similar but slightly shorter club, labelled ‘timber skittle”, as can be seen in their photograph. Another example of very similar-shaped, same-sized clubs can be seen in the collection of Nobelius Heritage Park and Emerald Museum, Emerald, Victoria. JUGGLING Jugglers entertain audiences with their tricks and routines at events such as circuses, amusement parks, parties, shows on television or theatre, schools and parties. Juggles also compete at International Championships to obtain world records, performing as individuals or in groups or teams. Contemporary champion juggler David Cain performs a Juggling History Show that both entertains and educates his audience. His routines date from the early 1600s to the 20th century. He uses a wide variety of equipment in his acts including juggling clubs. EXERCISE Exercise clubs or Indian clubs were used in 19th century Victorian times as part of exercise or strengthening programs when they were swung in certain patterns and movements. Even in the early 20th century workplace a few minutes of Indian club swinging was common practice for the relief of tension. A video clip of an American school room in 1904 shows a group of boys and girls skilfully wielding clubs in an exercise sequence (see ‘Links” section). The 1904 and 1932 Olympic Games had an event called Club Swinging. Rhythmic gymnastics was added to the Olympic Program at the L.A. Games in 1984 where competitors use apparatus such as rope, hoop, ball, ribbon and clubs. The clubs come in a variety of weights and heights and have been used from the mid-1800s until around the 1930s in schools and military institutions. They are decorated in a variety of patterns and colours and some have feature lines or scored rings on them. This juggling club is significant for its association with education, entertainment and sport in the late 19th and early 20th century.Wooden juggling club (or pin, skittle or Indian club). Vintage, bottle-shaped club with a flat, slightly concave, base. Its turned, solid timber body tapers out from the base then in again to a very narrow handle with a round knob joined onto the top. Two concentric feature lines are scored into the wider part of club. It was possibly used in exercise, gymnastics or as a skittle. Sections of the club have two brown painted stripes; paint on the lower strip has been worn off at the base . There are remnants of white paint in two areas, possibly the remains of a maker’s name or decoration. There also appears to be an inscription stamped into the wooden handle but this is illegible. Late 19th to early 20th century.Remnants of what appears to be stamped lettering and painted labelling.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, wooden skittle, entertainment, bowling skittle, wooden juggling pin, wooden juggling club, wooden exercise club, indian club, exercise club, club swinging, rhythmic gymnastics, sport equipment, juggling equipment, wooden club -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle, Late-19th to early-20th century
The design of the bottle is sometimes called a ‘cottage’ or ‘boat’ shape. This handmade glass ink bottle was mouth-blown into a two-piece mould, a method often used in the mid-to-late 19th century. The glass blower burst the bottle off the end of his blowpipe with a tool, leaving an uneven mouth and sharp edge on the bottle, which was usually filed. The bottle was then filled with ink and sealed with a cork. More expensive bottles would have a lip added, which was more time-consuming and costly to produce. The capacity for a bottle such as this was about 3 ½ oz (ounces) equal to about 100 ml. Pen and ink have been in use for handwriting since about the seventh century. A quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used up until around the mid-19th century. In the 1850s a steel point nib for the dip pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. The nis only held a small amount of ink so users had to frequently dip the nib into an ink well for more ink. Handwriting left wet ink on the paper, so the blotting paper was carefully used to absorb the excess ink and prevent smudging. Ink could be purchased as a ready-to-use liquid or in powdered form, which needed to be mixed with water. In the 1880s a successful, portable fountain pen gave smooth-flowing ink and was easy to use. In the mid-20th century, the modern ballpoint pen was readily available and inexpensive, so the fountain pen lost its popularity. However, artisans continue to use nib pens to create beautiful calligraphy.This ink bottle still retains its original cork. The method of manufacture is representative of a 19th-century, handcraft industry that is now largely replaced by mass production. The ink bottle is historically significant as it represents methods of handwritten personal and business communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century when fountain pens and modern ballpoint pens became popular and convenient and typewriters were becoming part of standard office equipment.Victorian 'boat' shaped ink bottle; small rectangular clear glass ink bottle with grooves in shoulders for holding pen. Bottle has side seams and a 'burst-lip'. The bottle retains its cork.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, ink, nib pen, writing ink, writing, copying, banks, lawyers, commerce, student, permanent ink, stationery, record keeping, handwriting, writing equipment, writing accessory, office supply, cottage bottle, boat bottle, mouth-blown bottle, two-part mould, sheer-lip bottle, burst-lip, cork seal, stencil ink, copy ink -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Torpedo Bottle, Last quarter of the 19th century
This bottle has come from the aerated waters factory of John Fletcher of Warrnambool. This factory in Koroit Street was established in the mid 19th century by John Davis. As a young boy John Fletcher worked at the cordial factory of John Rowley in Banyan Street, Warrnambool and then worked for a number of years for John Davis at his Union Cordial Factory. In 1885 John Fletcher succeeded John Davis and continued in this business until 1930. The business was then taken over by Ralph Reeves. John Fletcher manufactured aerated waters, soda, tonic waters, lemonade, ginger ale, hop beer, hop bitters, sarsaparilla and cordials. The bottle would have been sealed with a cork stopper. The torpedo shape of the bottle would ensure that it was stored on its side, keeping the cork moist so that it didn't shrink and cause the bottle to leak its contents.The bottle is significant for its unusual torpedo shape and for being sold by the long standing John Fletcher's soft drink business in Warrnambool who was a prominent soft drinks manufacturer in Warrnambool for over 40 years.Torpedo shaped green glass bottle, name of manufacture of contents, John Fletcher Late and J. Davis, of Koroit St Warrnambool, is impressed in the glass."John Fletcher Late and J. Davis Koroit St Warrnambool"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, torpedo shaped glass bottle, torpedo bottle, bottle, john fletcher late and j. davis koroit st warrnambool, john fletcher late and j. davis, john fletcher late, j. davis -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Education, Pen Nibs ' R. Esternbrook Co. Ltd, 20thC
Dip pens emerged in the early 19th century, when they replaced quill pens. They were generally used prior to the development of fountain pens in the later 19th century, and are now mainly used in illustration, calligraphy, and comics. A nib pen usually consists of a metal nib with capillary channels like those of fountain pen nibs, mounted on a handle or holder, often made of wood. Other materials can be used for the holder, including bone, metal and plastic. Generally speaking, dip pens have no ink reservoir; therefore the user has to recharge the ink from an ink bowl or bottle in order to continue drawing or writing. Birmingham, England was home to many of the first dip pen manufacturers. John Mitchell pioneered mass production of steel pens in 1822; prior to that the quill pen had been the most common form of writing instrument. His brother William Mitchell later set up his own pen making business in St Paul's square. The Mitchell family is credited as being the first manufacturers to use machines to cut pen nibs, which greatly sped up the process. Germany 1842 began at the factory of Heintze & Blanckertz in Berlin By 1860 there were about 100 companies making steel nibs in Birmingham, but 12 large firms dominated the trade. Dip pens are rarely used now for regular writing, most commonly having been replaced by fountain pens, rollerball pens, or ballpoint pens. However, dip pens are still appreciated by artists, as they can make great differences between thick and thin lines, and generally write more smoothly than other types of pens. Dip pens are also preferred by calligraphers for fine writing. Richard Esterbrook was a Cornish Quaker from England who saw an opportunity in the United States to manufacture Steel Pens. In 1856 R.Esterbrook traveled to the US to set up shop as 'The Steel Pen Manufacturing Company' where Richard made these steel pens by hand using special tools and machines (mostly that Richard had to invent). In 1858 he was able to establish himself as the sole pen manufacturer in the USA and he changed the company name to 'The Esterbrook Steel Pen Mfg. Co.' The company settled down in Camden, New Jersey. Quality was a key factor in his success. His steel pens were versatile, long lasting, and came in many different styles to fit the varied writing styles of the public. Sadly, Richard Esterbrook didn't see the 'empire' his company was to become as he passed away in Atlanta on October 12th 1895 . in 1896 they started an Esterbrook branch in England to join the ranks of the other main pen manufactures in Birmingham . In 1912 the company had gotten so large that they erected a 5 story building, just to continue manufacturing pens. By 1920 the fountain pen was fast becoming more popular amongst people who were tired of 'dipping.' To meet this demand the company manufactured its first fountain pen. In 1930 the company sought less expensive means of manufacturing pens because gold and 'jewel' tips were too expensive and in this same year they began selling fountain pens in England . The Esterbrook Company began using the metal Iridium which they called 'Durachrome.' To meet the fountain pen demand the company reformed as 'The Esterbrook Hazel Pens Ltd.' In 1940 war had come to strike a blow at the Esterbrook company. On November 19th 1940 their England location was hit by an incendiary bomb destroying half of the location! To make matters worse, when putting out the fire using a human water bucket chain, someone accidentally grabbed a bucket of paraffin and set the place further ablaze. Oddly enough, the company was able to rebuild the structure during the war. However, the government had placed a stipulation that 50% of its capacity was to be used for government related purposes. In 1947 the company bought out John Mitchell and the American branch had already acquired Hazel Pen Co. The company re-formed again as 'The Esterbrook Pen Company.' This is the last company name the dip pen nibs were manufactured under. A box of Steel dipping nibs for writing pensOn Box; Photo of man / R. Esternbrook Co. / PENS / PROBATEsteel nibs, writing pens, education, schools, writing, caligraphy, artists, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, dip pens, inkwells, fountain pens, mitchell john, birmingham england, esternbrook richard, maple barbara -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Functional object - Kitchen Equipment, Coolgardie Safe, c1900
The invention of the Coolgardie Safe is credited to Arthur Patrick McCormick, a contractor in Coolgardie, and later the Mayor of Narrogin. Coolgardie is in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. Gold was first discovered there in 1892; the townsite became a municipality in 1894, and by 1898 its population of 15,000 made it the third largest town in Western Australia after Perth and Fremantle. In the last decade of the 19th century, Coolgardie was the capital of the West Australian goldfields. Being 180 kilometres from the nearest civilisation, food supplies were initially scarce and expensive. As fresh food was a valuable commodity there was incentive to preserve it, and keep it out of reach of scavengers such as birds, dingos, dogs, ants, and flies. It was in an effort to do this, in the extreme heat of the Australian Interior, that McCormick came up with his design for the Coolgardie Safe. McCormick noticed that a wet bag placed over a bottle cooled its contents. He further noted that if this bottle was placed in a breeze, the bag would dry out more quickly, but the bottle would get colder. What McCormick had discovered was the principle of evaporation: ‘to change any liquid into a gaseous state requires energy. This energy is taken in the form of heat from its surroundings.’ Employing this principle, McCormick made a box for his provisions which he covered with a wet hessian bag. He then placed a tray on top, into which he poured water twice daily. He hung strips of flannel from the tray so that water would drip down onto the hessian bag, keeping it damp. As the water evaporated, the heat dissipated, keeping the food stored inside cool and fresh. The success of McCormick’s invention would not have worked without a steady supply of water. Fresh water was scarce in the eastern goldfields at this time but the demand for water from a steadily growing population encouraged innovation. The solution was to condense salt water. Heating salt water in tanks produced steam that was condensed in tall cylinders, cooled and then collected in catchment trays. By 1898 there were six companies supplying condensed water to the goldfields, the largest company producing 100,000 gallons of water a day. In the early 20th century, Coolgardie Safes were also manufactured commercially. These safes incorporated shelving and a door, had metal or wooden frames and hessian bodies. The feet of the safe were usually placed in a tray of water to keep ants away. (MAV website) The early settlers of Moorabbin Shire depended on this type of Food Safe to protect their food from flies and vermin as they established market gardens in the fertile area around the notorious Elster Creek A metal framed, 4 sided structure standing on 4 legs with 2 hinged doors on one side, a metal tray at base of food safe and a metal cover over top. Ridges on which to rest trays carrying food are inside safe. The Safe is enclosed by fly-wire mesh.'...IN.....GEELONG' A manufacturer's oval metal plate is embossed on one side of Safe but it is illegible.elster creek, moorabbin, brighton, dendy's special survey 1841, market gardens, infant mortality, disease, cemeteries, fruit, vegetables, pioneers, coolgardie safe, mccormick arthur patrick, dendy henry, vaccination, jones martha, jones ethel may -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Education kit - Wood shaft writing pens and nibs, Steel Nib Manufacturer, mid 20thC
A dip pen usually consists of a metal nib with capillary channels like those of fountain pen nibs, mounted in a handle or holder, often made of wood. Dip pens have no ink reservoir, so the user must recharge the ink from an ink bowl or bottle to continue drawing or writing. Dip pens emerged in the early 19th century, when they replaced quill pens and were generally used before the development of fountain pens in the later 19th centuryThe pioneer settlers in the Moorabbin Shire area valued education and established schools for their children in Cheltenham and East Brighton c1860's These wood shaft pens and steel nibs are typical of the type used up to the mid 20th Century in school classes.3 wood shaft writing dip pens with steel nibs schools, education, writing equipment, victoria melbourne, market gardeners, pioneer, settlers, cheltenham state school no. 84., bentleigh east state school no. 2083, st stephens c of e school tucker road east brighton, pen steel nibs -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Bottle, Mid to late 19th century
A mass produced hand made bottle made for containing sparkling wine no history or manufacturing provenance currently available.This bottle is an example of bottles produced in the mid-to-late 19th century. It is currently not associated with a historical event, person or place at this time and is being used to augment Flagstaff's village display.Bottle, dark green glass cork in neck, concave base. Handmade.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, bottle, green glass bottle, glass technology -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Bottle, Mid to late 19th century
A mass produced hand made bottle made for containing sparkling wine no history or manufacturing provenance currently available.The bottle is a good example of those produced in the late 19th to early 20th century. It is currently not associated with a historical event, person or place at this time and is being used to augment Flagstaff's village display. Bottle, dark green glass cork in neck Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, bottle, green glass bottle -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Bottle, Mid to late 19th century
... 19th century bottles. At at this time cannot be associated ...A mass produced hand made bottle made for containing sparkling wine no history or manufacturing provenance currently available.The bottle is a good example of mid-to-late 19th century bottles. At at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown.Bottle, dark green glass cork in neck Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, bottle, green glass bottle -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Bottle, Mid to late 19th century
... currently available. This bottle is a good example of late 19th ...A mass produced hand made bottle made for containing sparkling wine no history or manufacturing provenance currently available.This bottle is a good example of late 19th century bottles. At time it cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown.Bottle, dark green glass cork in neck Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, bottle, green glass bottle -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Fruit Preserving Jar, John Landis Mason, 1858-1910
The Masons patent of Nov 30th, 1858 phrase was originally embossed on countless glass fruit jars and canning jars, most ranging in age from circa 1858 to the mid-1910s. John Landis Mason was awarded patent No 22186, issued on November 30, 1858, by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office it was termed an "Improvement in screw-neck bottles", for his invention concerning the process of creating a threaded screw-type closure on bottles and jars. Similar screw-threading had been done before on some bottles, but the process of forming the upper lip area of the container so that it was smooth, even, and sturdy enough for a lid of standard size to be screwed thereon was difficult and expensive to do properly, often with unsatisfactory results. His improvement revolutionized home canning in the United States and many other countries. In any case, throughout the next 60-odd years, production of jars with the Nov. 30, 1858 embossing continued at a high rate, with untold tens of millions being produced. The phrase was soon considered an important marketing device, adding to the perception of quality and reliability of the container to the average consumer. This perception continued to at least 1879 21 years after the patent was issued, nearly every glass bottle factory was likely producing their version. The 1880s and 1890s likely saw the peak of popularity of these jars. A considerable percentage have a mold number or letter on the base, a means of identifying the particular mold in use at the factory.An early item used in most kitchens by women who preserved fruit and vegetables before the arrival of refrigeration giving a snapshot into the domestic lives of families during the late 19th to early 20th century's and how they preserved food for later use without refrigeration. Preserving jar, glass, with metal screw top lid. Glass has side seams, impurities and slightly concave base. It has been hand blown into a mould. Inscription is moulded into glass. Moulded into glass: MASON'S / PATENT / NOV 30TH / 1838"warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, food preserving, mason jar, john landis mason, domestic container, glass jar, fruit & vegetable jar, domestic jar, food preparation, handmade glass, blown glass -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Fruit Preserving Jar, John Landis Mason, 1858-1910
The Masons patent of Nov 30th, 1858 phrase was originally embossed on countless glass fruit jars and canning jars, most ranging in age from circa 1858 to the mid-1910s. John Landis Mason was awarded patent No 22186, issued on November 30, 1858, by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office it was termed an "Improvement in screw-neck bottles", for his invention concerning the process of creating a threaded screw-type closure on bottles and jars. Similar screw-threading had been done before on some bottles, but the process of forming the upper lip area of the container so that it was smooth, even, and sturdy enough for a lid of standard size to be screwed thereon was difficult and expensive to do properly, often with unsatisfactory results. His improvement revolutionized home canning in the United States and many other countries. In any case, throughout the next 60-odd years, production of jars with the Nov. 30, 1858 embossing continued at a high rate, with untold tens of millions being produced. The phrase was soon considered an important marketing device, adding to the perception of quality and reliability of the container to the average consumer. This perception continued to at least 1879 21 years after the patent was issued, nearly every glass bottle factory was likely producing their version. The 1880s and 1890s likely saw the peak of popularity of these jars. A considerable percentage have a mold number or letter on the base, a means of identifying the particular mold in use at the factory.An early item used in most kitchens by women who preserved fruit and vegetables before the arrival of refrigeration giving a snapshot into the domestic lives of families during the late 19th to early 20th century's and how they preserved food for later use without refrigeration. Preserving glass jar. Glass lip with metal screw top lid. Inscription pressed into glass."Mason's Patent Nov 30th 1858"warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, food preserving, mason jar, john landis mason, domestic container, glass jar, fruit & vegetable jar, food storage, preserving jar