Amber glass bottle (a) with flat base and rounded square shaped body, tapering up into a cylindrical neck with a handle connecting the neck to the body; opposite the handle is a short spout which protrudes from just below the neck and stretches upwards, tapering into a small opening which curves st…
Amber glass bottle (a) with flat base and rounded square shaped body, tapering up into a cylindrical neck with a handle connecting the neck to the body; opposite the handle is a short spout which protrudes from just below the neck and stretches upwards, tapering into a small opening which curves straight out towards the side; a wooden stopper (b) sits in the neck of the glass.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
a - bottle: Length 7.2 cm X Width 5.0 cm X Height 12.3 cm
b - stopper: Length 4.9 cm X Diameter 2.1 cm
Provenance
Owned by donor
Dates
1880
1913
circa 1880-1913
Date Remarks
Based on "A Dating Key For Post-Eighteenth Century Bottles" by T. Stell Newman.
Material
glass: amber
wood: brown
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A5-6 Box 3 Row C
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Some bubbles inside the glass and potentially some minor chipping.
Olive oil was used in various pharmacy recipes for home use and at the pharmacists.
This type of bottle is called a cruet, and is most often used to hold vinegar, oil, or sacramental wine. The word "cruet" was first attested circa 1300, and most likely comes from the Old French "crue", meaning an earthen pot. Related to the word "crock".
Amber, the colour of this glass, was a popular colour for glass just after the American Civil War and during the 1930s-1950s, and is one of the many colours which are often cited when referring to "Depression Glass". Amber glass comes from iron, sulphur, and carbon being added to molten glass. Amber glass is good for protecting liquids, as it blocks UV light and other light wavelengths under 450 nm, which is why it is often used to store medicines, alcohols, and oils.