Historical information

This clear ‘gallon’ type liquor bottle has been handmade by a glassblower from 1840s-1870s. The bottle was found in the coastal waters of Victoria about 100 years from when it was made. It is part of the John Chance Collection.

This bottle was made in a three part mould. The lower part was cylindrical, gently tapering to the base, which allowed for ease of removing. The upperpart was in two pieces, one each side of the neck. The moth-blown glass formed the shape of the inside of the mould. The bottle was broken off the end of the glassblower’s pipe. Once removed from the mould the base was shaped at the heel using a pontil tool, or ‘ponty’. Often this was used for form a ‘push-up’ base. The tool would leave a ‘ponty’ mark. The mouth was then finished with the lip – there were many different styles of ‘applied’ lips, depending on the glassblower or his customer’s needs. This bottle was sealed with a cork, which has fallen into the bottle. The surface of the bottle is a little bumpy due to the blowing process. Also, the vertical bubbles in the bottle were formed as the glass was blown into the bottle.

The bottle’s shape was referred to a ‘gallon’; six of these bottles would contain a total of a gallon of liquid. The bottle holds approximately 750 ml.

Significance

Although the bottle is not linked to a particular shipwreck, it is recognised as being historically significant as an example of bottles imported for use in Colonial Victoria in the mid-to-late 1800s.

The bottle is also significant as it was recovered by John Chance, a diver in Victoria’s coastal waters in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks have since been donated to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection by his family, illustrating this item’s level of historical value.

Physical description

Bottle; clear glass with opalescence, tall, cork-top style, handmade. Roughly applied square lip band. Neck tapers slightly outwards to shoulder, seams on neck, seam between shoulder and body. Body tapers inwards towards base. Heel is thick and uneven. Concave base with pontil mark and air bubble. Bubbles and imperfections in glass. Cork has fallen into base of bottle. Sediment on outer surface. Bottle has polystyrene balls inside. Mouth is chipped.