Wooden Cased Pharmaceutical Bottle By S. Maw, Son & Sons, London, England

Description

Up for bid is a mouth-blown bottle with a ground, snug-fitting stopper. The bottle with stopper, measures 4 by 1-15/16 in., is mouth blown and has a slightly concave ground and polished bottom. The bottom edge of the stopper has a shallow, tiny chip (1/8 in. wide) in which the (chip) glass has not separated because the curved fracture that formed it is not complete. The inside rim of the bottle opening has several very tiny nicks which I could not capture in my photos. The stopper (which has mold lines indicating a 2-piece mold) was hand ground and fitted to the bottle, which insures (assuming the contents are liquid) no evaporation of the contents. The bottle fits perfectly into a custom made, hand turned case (with finely cut "V" threading) which I understand is pearwood, after researching other similar bottle/case online offerings made by this company. The case measures 5-1/16 by 2-5/16 in., and has the maker's logo very finely stamped at the top center. There is no damage to the case, and inside the top is what appears to be the original cotton wadding to cushion and protect the stopper. The manufacturer underwent at least half a dozen name changes between 1828 and 1940, at which time it was acquired by the American company, AT&T. Extensive research may determine the year or specific period between 1901 and 1918 during which this wooden cased bottle was actually manufactured! This rare and very collectable antique is priced much lower than any similar pharmaceutical, wooden cased bottle I have found offered for sale online.