historical flask THE KEEN EMBOSSED AND SIMILAR SUNBURST FLASKS historical flasks

ebay By Bill Ham nasa

Sunbursts are considered one of the oldest of the American Geometric and Historical Flasks and are generally attributed to the period of 1815 to the early 1830's. This dating results from historical research (see bibliography 1, 2, 3) and the manufacturing techniques of the flasks. The Sunburst Flasks are all made with 2 piece molds with pontil scar bases and most having shred mouths. Except for the letter embossing on three forms, the sunburst patterns on both sides of the sunburst flask forms are essentially identical.

With many types of antique bottles and flasks, such as bitters, sodas, and medicines, the embossed names, products and locations, advertising, and paper labels greatly simplifies their historical research. Very limited historical information is available for sunburst flasks because they are from the early periods of the glass houses when good records were not maintained, or destroyed in glass house fires. Only 3 of the approximately 33 sunburst forms are letter embossed. There were no paper labels on the flasks because they were purchased without contents and then filled and refilled in bars and saloons.

The three sunburst forms having letter embossing are the GVIII-8, GVIII-9, and GVIII-10, with “KEEN” in the center on one side and “P & W” on the other. These three flasks are attributed to the Kenne-Marboro-Street Glass Works, Keene, New Hampshire. All the other sunburst flasks have been attributed to glass houses or regions through historical search of records, digging in the ruins of the various glass houses(2) and the similarity of glass quality and color between a sunburst form and other flasks forms from known glass houses. Two very similar sunburst forms that do not have the letter embossing, the GVIII-11 and GVIII-12, have been attributed to the Keene-Marboro-Street Glass Works and New England, respectively.(4)

It has been postulated that the misspelling “KEEN” on the three flasks forms was due to a mold makers error. If so, the same error was made on the molds for all three forms. Phonetic misspellings were also very common during this time. H.H. White(2) speculated that an attempt had been made to correct the mold by adding three parallel lines to the back edge of the “N” making it “N”. The “P & W” represents “Perry and Wood” and/or “Perry and Wheeler”.

The Keene-Marboro-Street Glass Works as it is called today was originally organized in 1814 by Daniel Watson and Timothy Twitchell to produce flint glass(5) products. Daniel Watson put up the original capital. Henry Schoolcraft, who was superintendent of the Vernon Glass Works, was hired to operate the business. The first items were produced in November 1815. During the first years, it was known as the Flint Glass Factory, and also as the South Glassworks. Financial difficulties occurred and capital was borrowed from Justus Perry. The glasshouse continued to have financial difficulties and was forced to admit financial failure.

In 1817, Perry took over on the glass house due to loan default. He then operated the glass house until his retirement. In 1822, John V. Wood, Perry's brother-in-law, joined the firm and it was renamed “Perry & Wood”. Four years later in 1826, Wood left forming another glass house to make window glass. Perry's half-brother, Summer Wheeler, then joined the firm and it was renamed “Perry & Wheeler”. The younger brother, Quincy Wheeler, joined the firm in 1830, with the firm name being then changed to “Perry, Wheeler, & Company”. This partnership was dissolved in 1835 when Perry retired. The firm continued operating under the two Wheeler brothers as “S & Q Wheeler” until it closed permanently in 1850.

These three letter embossed flask forms, therefore, were probably made in the time period of 1822-1830 when the firm was operating under the names of “Perry & Wood” and “Perry & Wheeler”. This is therefore the best identification of the period and glasshouse of any sunburst flask.

The GVIII-8 is a pint sized flask and has been observed in a variety of neck shapes varying from short to long shear mouths as shown in figure 1 and photo 1a. Most long necks are slightly flared. The inside diameters of the necks vary from the typical pint flask size of approximately 7/8 inch inside diameter, down to approximately 3/16 inch inside diameter. The colors observed in this flask have been shades of medium to dark olive green, olive amber, and amber.

GVIII-12 (Figure 2) is very similar to the GVIII-8 except that there are no base rings, neck rings, or lettered embossing. Three different neck forms have been observed in the GVIII-12, a short slightly flared shear mouth (Gardner Auction No. 849)(6) and the specimen shown in Photo 1b (private collection), a long cylindrical neck with shear mouth (Gardner Auction No. 1865, resold Blaske Auction(7) No. 674, now in the collection of Mark Vuono), and a long neck with sloping collard mouth (Corning Museum also pictured in Van Rensselaer(3) Plate No. 56). Dimensional checks of the GVIII-8 mold. The extremely rare(8) GVIII-12 flask form has been observed in deep aqua, light sea green, medium olive green, and dark olive green.

The GVIII-9 and GVIII-10 are both embossed 1/2 pint flasks. There is an irregularity in the sunburst pattern of the GVIII-9 and several dimensional differences that can be checked to differentiate it from the GVIII-10. These differences are as follows and are illustrated in figure 3 and figure 4.

On the P&W side of the GVIII-9, there is a small protrusion out of the sunburst oval at approximately 11:30. Although it has been smaller on some flasks than others, this anomaly has been present on all of the numerous GVIII-9 flasks examined. This probably the easiest method of differentiating between the two forms.

The shoulders are flatter, wider and more square on the GVIII-10 giving it a “broader shoulder” look as shown in figure 4. Although the GVIII-10 is slightly thicker, the flasks have approximately the same maximum width and base to neck height. Volume measurements revealed that both hold approximately 10 fluid oz. when filled to the base of the neck.

Because the variations between the two are so slight, even the most experienced flask collectors have had difficulty in distinguishing between them. However, study of figure 3 and figure 4 should make it easier.

The GVIII-9 has been observed with a number of neck forms, but usually is found with a sheared mouth. The flared mouth and the rounded collared mouth are extremely rare. It is most commonly observed in medium to dark olive green, olive amber and amber. Variations of these colors in honey yellow, light olive yellow, orange amber, and reddish puce, have been observed. Although extremely rare(8), there are a few aqua specimens of this form. These include one with a round collared mouth in the Henry Ford Museum, the ex-Gardner specimen in the B. Hogan Collection, and specimens in the collections of Roy Brown and the author.

The GVIII-10 has been observed in shear mouth and flared mouth in medium to dark olive green, olive amber, and amber. Too few specimens of this flask have been observed, however, to make any general statements as to color or mouth forms. Although classified as rare(7), I believe this flask is less abundant than the rating indicates

The GVIII-11 which is also a 1/2 pint flask is shown with a GVIII-9 and GVIII-10 in Photo 2. Dimensional checks of the GVIII-11 (figure 5 and photo 3) revealed that its mold could have been modified by adding letter embossing and a base ring to make the GVIII-10. Most specimens have a long neck with sloping collared mouth as shown in Photo 3a. However, a short neck with sloping collared mouth (photo 3c), a medium height neck with sloping collared mouth (photo 3b) and a sheared mouth (B. Hogan Collection, photo 3d) have been observed. Most specimens are a light to medium yellow green color. A dark olive green (photo 3d) and a dark olive amber specimen have been observed although these colors are extremely rare. These flasks are all relatively crude with variations in glass thickness, color and sunken areas in most specimens. It should be noted that this flask is catalogued(4) as common, however, it is my opinion that it is very rare(8). Brown(9) reported that it is “scarce as hen's teeth”.

In regards to collecting, the GVIII-8, GVIII-9 and GVIII-10 are not only attractive but are the only letter embossed sunbursts. In these three the lighter colors and top variations from the sheared mouth are the more desirable. The GVIII-10 is the rarest of the three forms and the aqua GVIII-9's are probably the most desirable specimens of these three forms. I believe the GVIII-11 and GVIII-12 are two of the more desirable of the complete sunburst group from the standpoints of general attractiveness, form, rarity, and crudeness in appearance. Any specimen in these two forms is very desirable.

The olive greens, olive ambers and ambers of these flasks are the natural New England colors and were usually referred to as “green” or “bottle” glass during the period of their use for these products. These are the colors which occur with New England area sand, wood ash, and often common salt formulas, without decolorizers (clearing) or inorganic (coloring) agents. The ambers are the golden tones and range in color density from golden yellow to black amber. The olive greens are the yellow tone greens and range in density from medium to dark olive green. The olive ambers result from glass chemistries which are in between the olive green and amber. The hue of these reflects the golden amber tones. The orange, red, and puce tones characteristic of Baltimore area glass houses are extremely rare in these flasks.

Figures 1-5 were made from measurements taken on specimens of the mold forms. Every effort has been made to make these accurate in details and dimensions. In some instances very small dimensional differences were found in comparing the same form due to variances in blowing of the specimens. This is supported by the presence of mold anomalies on the specimens such as shown in Figure 3. The terms “neck rings” and “base rings” refer to ring patterns which go completely around that part of the flask. “Side corrugations” include those which are on the side only and are not part of neck or base rings.

GVIII-8 (olive green)

GVIII-8 (yellow amber)

GVIII-9 (yellow amber)

GVIII-9 (olive amber)

GVIII-9 (yellowish green with rare expanded mouth)

GVIII-11 (blue green)

GVIII-12 (moss green)

After studying the information available and examining specimens of these flasks, I believe that the GVIII-11 and GVIII-12 were probably experimental and the molds modified to improve productability with lettered embossing added making the GVIII-8 and GVIII-10. The square broad shoulders of the GVIII-10 were difficult to produce and so the 1/2 pint mold was remade creating the abundant GVIII-9. The following supports this theory:

1. Dimensional measurements on the GVIII-8 are very similar to the GVIII-12. The GVIII-12 mold could have been modified by adding base rings (strengthening the base), neck rings (enlarging the base of the neck and making it easier to blow) and identification marking.

2. Dimensional measurements on the GVIII-10 are very similar to the GVIII-11. The GVIII-11 could have been modified by adding a base ring (strengthening the base), and identification marking.

3. The colors in the GVIII-11 and GVIII-12 vary considerably and include the more unusual as well as the commonly used ones for this time period. There are specimens of each form in “bottle” glass as well as deoxidized, refined colors. Henry Schoolcraft was experimenting with flint glass(3) while at the Vernon Glass Works prior to coming to Keene, New Hampshire. The GVIII-11 and GVIII-12 could have been experimental products from the early years of the Keene-Marboro-Street Glass Works.

4. The GVIII-10 and GVIII-11 have “square” shoulders which would be more difficult to produce. There is a scarcity of specimens of these flasks. The more rounded shoulders on the GVIII-9 could have resulted from a remaking of the pint mold to make a more easily produced form.

5. The two ex-Gardner GVIII-12 specimens have neck and mouth forms similar to GVIII-8 specimens. For example, the neck forms of ex-Gardner GVIII-12 (Auction No. 1865) and GVIII-8 (Auction No. 2484) were very similar. The ex-McKearin GVIII-12 specimen (Corning Museum) has a sloping collared mouth. Although catalogued(4) no sloping collared mouth GVIII-8 was observed during this research. The ex-Gardner GVIII-12 (Auction No. 849) shear mouth is similar to that commonly found on GVIII-8 flasks.

As a closing thought, a quote from H.H.White(2) comes to mind; “On the part of the research amateur there exists too strong a desire - if I may speak frankly - to discover something - new facts, startling ideas. The seeming necessity of discovery should not run away with good judgment.”

Bibliography and References

1. McKearin, Helan and Wilson, Kenneth M., American Bottles & Flasks and Their Ancestry, Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, 1978.

2. White, Harry Hall, Keene, New Hampshire, Antiques, Volume XI, 6, June 1927.

3. Van Rensselaer, Stephen, Early American Bottles and Flasks, Transcript Printing Company, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1926.

4. Reference 1, page 610-611. These flasks forms are part of the sunburst flasks identified as GVIII (group eight) of the fifteen flask groupings.

5. Reference 1, page 8, Flint glass is glass in which the silica was in the form of calcinated flint and implies high quality.

6. Heckler, Norman C., American Bottles in the Charles B. Gardner Collection, Robert B. Skinner, Bolton, Massachusetts, 1975.

7. Heckler, Norman C., Blaske Collection American Historical Flasks, Robert B. Skinner, Bolton, Massachusetts, 1983.

8. Reference 1, page 501, extremely rare 1-10 specimens; very rare 10-20 specimens; rare 20-35 specimens.

9. Brown, Roy, Historically Speaking, Antique Bottle World, Vol. 1, No. 4, July, page 29-30.

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