Historical flasks JARED SPENCER AND HIS TWO COUSINS

ANOTHER "HISTORICAL FLASK ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF

ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY

historical flask JARED SPENCER AND HIS TWO COUSINS historical flasks

Some of the recent headlines announce a historical flask embossed with the name Jared Spencer (McKearin GX-24) realized $66,000 at auction. And not only that, but two other very similar flasks, which lack the name Jared Spencer, realized $52,8000 (GX-25) and $29,700 (GX-26) at the same auction.

It kind of makes you wish you had invested your money in Jared Spencer stock, instead of IBM.

Friends of mine, who don't collect bottles and flasks, have seen the headlines, and asked me, 'Why the high prices?' The obvious answer of course, is scarcity, color, and desirability. And the Jared Spencer flask, and its two cousins, each have all of the above factors. But it's more than that -- the high prices reflect something akin to awe and reverence. This grouping of three flasks is something like the Holy Grail, Buddha, and the Golden Fleece, all rolled into one.

And much like the above icons, the history of these flasks is a little hazy and uncertain.

FANCY GEOMETRICS
These flasks are all listed in the Miscellaneous Group of McKearin numbers, because they don't fit into any of the other classifications. They also appear as numbers 2, 3 and 4 on McKearin's list of Most Desirable Flasks. (For those of you too lazy to look, number 1 on the list is GII-59, with an embossed eagle on one side and a 'Charter Oak' on the other).

Except for the horizontally ribbed edges, which is contained on a number of early New England flasks, these three flasks designs are completely unrelated to any other flask charted in the list. The only flask with a remote resemblance is the reverse of GIII-1 (the inverted cornucopia flask). GIII-1 contains a large circular beaded medallion, in the center of which is a larger star with six ribbed points at the star's center.

GX-25 carries a heavy ring between two narrow rings. Near the center is a circular depression, surrounded by a heavy ring. At the center of the medallion are four petal shaped depressions.

The three cousins all have nearly the same shape, with horizontal ribs along the sides. When looking at the obverse or reverse, the flasks are composed of three areas. The top third of the flask contains a large circular medallion on each side. The middle area has graduated curving ribs, which meet to form a shield shaped area. And near the bottom of the flask, the third area, is composed of diamonds diapering.

What distinguishes the three flasks from each other is what is contained in the circular medallion near the top of each flask. GX-24, has two convex rings with a concave center inside of the medallion. Around these convex rings is the name "JARED SPENCER" on the obverse, and "MANCHESTER. CON." on the reverse.

GX-25 lacks a heavy ring between two narrow rings. Near the center of the medallion is a circular depression, surrounded by a heavy ring. At the center of the medallion are four petal shaped depressions.

GX-26's medallion has a circle of what have been called raised 'pearls', surrounding a convex disk. Outside of this ring of pearls are eight pointed petals.

Now that we know what these flasks look like, who produced them? Well, that's our first mystery. In all probability, they were produced by either the Pitkin Glass Works, or John Mather's Glass Works, both located in East Hartford (renamed Manchester in 1823), Connecticut.

The town of East Hartford was formed in October 1783. At that time, the area was populated by a family by the name of Pitkin, which was both large and wealthy. Even before East Hartford was formed, on January 28, 1783, William Pitkin, his cousin Elisha Pitkin, and Samuel Bishop petitioned the General Assembly for money from the public treasury to establish a glass house.

Because of the expense involved, they asked the Assembly for an exclusive right to manufacture glass. The assembly granted them a 25 year sole manufacturing privilege, with a 10 year exemption from assessments of any profits, provided they began making glass within three years.

Such a generous offer, unfortunately, was not to be met, as the partners were unable to begin manufacturing glass in the three year time frame.

The glass house itself, built from native granite, stood 'four stories high, and wide enough to admit of any length'. Obtaining the necessary glassmen, the house was ready for operation sometime in 1787.

GX-24, marked "Jared Spencer" on the obverse, and "Manchester. Con." on the reverse.

By the spring of 1788, Robert Hewes, having spent less than a year at the Boston Glass Manufactory, moved to East Hartford and became the chief artisan and superintendent.

As with many early glass houses (and many modern businesses), financial pressure began to mount. It's difficult to secure financing to purchase needed raw materials without proving that you can produce glass. And it's impossible to produce glass without raw materials. It was Catch-22, circa 1788.

As things became financially difficult, the partners (which now number 9) became disillusioned with Robert Hewes. Finding him an easy scapegoat, he was removed from the firm and blamed for all of their troubles.

Seeking to raise necessary funds, the glass works held public lotteries in 1783 and again in 1791. Although neither was a resounding success, they did provide enough capital to keep the firm in production.

By about 1810, J.P. Foster, who had been superintendent of the works, became an active manager. The firm continued to operate until about 1830 (surviving the depression of 1817), until the availability and cost of wood fuel became intolerable.

For all of the years of production, what actually was made at the Pitkin works? Most likely, they produced not only the famed New England 'chestnuts' (large, freeblown bottles, with long neck and chestnut shaped bodies), but also demijohns.

Excavation at the site of the works yielded fragments of Sunburst (GVII-5, GVII-5a, GVII-7, and GVII-16) flasks. In addition GII-57 (Eagle astride a ribbon with the initials J.P.F. (Joseph P. Foster on obverse, and a cornucopia on the reverse) and GI-58 (similar to the above, but lacking the ribbon and initials) were confidently attributed to Pitkin.

The most famous product of the Pitkin Glass Works was, of course, pocket flasks produced by the German 'half-post' method of production. Called by the name 'Pitkin flasks' by collectors, these flasks were also produced at both the Coventry and Glastenbury glass works, both in the state of Connecticut. As well as at the Keene-Marlboro Street works in New Hampshire, and the Gloucester Glass Works in Clementon, New Jersey.

Finally, because GX-24 (Jared Spencer) was inscribed with the name Manchester, it was always assumed that it, along with GX-25 and GX-26, were also produced at the Pitkin works. However, even though Pitkin was the most famous glass house in the area, there was another, owned by John Mather.

Little is known about the Pitkin Glass Works, but even less is known about the glass works of John Mather.

John Mather was a merchant of some importance in Hartford, Connecticut. Advertisements for his general store from 1802 through 1804, mention that he sold the usual items, such as molasses, wines, spirits, teas and tobacco. But apparently Mather, much like Dyott, wanted to be more than a mere merchant.

In a typical Connecticut Yankee fashion, Mather diversified his holdings to include not only the distribution of finished goods, but their manufacture as well. Obtaining land in East Hartford in 1803, Mather soon created a small settlement of mills and manufacturing facilities. His settlement was dubbed 'Parker Village'.

GX-26's medallion has a circle of what have been called raised 'pearls', surrounding a convex disk. Outside of this ring of pearls are eight pointed petals.

In August 1805, Mather was advertising for cut and split wood at the site of his 'new' glass house. Apparently wishing to compete with Albany, New York and Boston, Massachusetts for the manufacture of Window glass, Mather began experimenting with producing this difficult product.

Being a businessman and not a skilled glass man, his attempt at learning the secrets of window glass production seems to have eluded him. However, later advertisements of Mather's bears witness to the fact that his works were producing bottles "of an improved quality superior in strength and beauty, to any before made in this country".

By 1815, Mather was advertising that his East Hartford store carried bottles, gin bottles, demijohns, and junk bottles. Although the advertisement doesn't state whether Mather's works were creating this glass, it seems quite likely that they were.

In a February 10, 1817 advertisement in the Connecticut Mirror, Mather was advertising that he also carried 'figured pocket bottles' as part of his inventory. It was soon after these advertisements appeared that all mention of Mather and his glass works disappear. McKearin and Wilson, however, speculate that the works continued in operation, and Joseph Merrow and James Bidwell, Jr. may have acquired the works some time after the mid 1820s. By 1827, Merrow and Bidwell were advertising that they were owners of the Hartford Glass Manufactory'.

So, who made these three cousins? As the Jared Spencer flask is marked with the name of Manchester, Connecticut, and this town didn't exist until 1823, this flask was made in 1823 or later. As Pitkin was definitely still in producing glass at this time, and Mather may have been still in production, it's sort of a toss-up.

The only but of documentary evidence which exists, shows that Jared Spencer purchased bottles from the Coventry and Willington Glass Works, in addition to John Mather's. There is no record however, of his purchasing any glass from Pitkin.

Now, who was Jared Spencer? No one is quite sure. Because of the scarcity of Jared Spencer flasks, it is quite likely that he provided the mold to the glass works for 'private label' production. Quite likely, he was a merchant of some type, possibly whiskey or other spirits, who was bottling his own 'name brand' of drink.

And as for the other two flasks, GX-25 and GX-26, what is their relationship to Jared Spencer? Or to glass houses in Manchester, Connecticut? They are too similar to GX-24 to be a coincidence, yet lack either the name of a town or person.

Like most mysteries, there are still more questions than answers. I'll continue my search, sell my IBM stock, and look for another investment.

REFERENCES
McKearin, Gearge S. and Helen "American Glass", New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. 1989

McKearin, Helen and Kenneth M. Wilson, "American Bottles and Flasks and Their Ancestry", New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. 1978.

Van Rensselaer, Stephen "Early Bottles and Flasks" Revised Edition Peterborough, NH: Transcript Printing Company 1926.

Did you enjoy this article? Every month Antique Bottle and Glass Collector magazine gives you neat stories like this one.