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ANOTHER "GREAT FEATURE ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF

ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY

For generations "Pitkin type" bottles have become increasingly popular. Available in a range of colors and aesthetically pleasing swirled and basket-like patterns they are a nice addition to any collection. Unusual colors and sizes are most eagerly sought by even the most advanced collectors. These "Pitkin types" were produced in many American glass houses during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries.

Sign placed on the grounds of the Pitkin Glass Works during Manchester's sesquicentennial celebration (1823-1973).

It is particularly with these "Pitkin types," that were actually manufactured at the Pitkin Glass Works in East Hartford, Connecticut, that we are concerned with here. There has never been any conclusive published evidence that these bottles were made there – Until now...

The first member of the Pitkin family to migrate from England was William Pitkin. He arrived in Hartford, Connecticut in 1659. There he taught school and was admitted a freeman in 1662. He married Hannah Goodwin who bore him eight children. William took part in church business and was active in politics. He bought a large amount of land and entered into partnerships in a gristmill and a sawmill.

During the next several generations the Pitkins became a prominent family in the Hartford area. Through their participation in church and state affairs and extensive land holdings the Pitkin family became well known. In local government the Pitkins served as town treasurer, town clerk and selectman. In state affairs they were judges of the courts, delegates to the General Assembly of the colony and members of the Governor's Council. In 1765 William Pitkin III was elected Governor of the colony.

Richard Pitkin (4^th generation of the Connecticut Pitkins) moved eastward and established his home in Orford Parish (later East Hartford, now Manchester) where the Pitkins owned a large tract of land. There he built his house and then a tavern. Around these grew the small business center of town; a general store, a pottery, a blacksmith shop and finally the glass house with its outbuildings and homes for workers.

In 1775 Richard Pitkin, as lieutenant of his company of volunteers from Orford Parish, answered the Lexington Alarm. Later, during the War of the Revolution, he was promoted to captain, but was sent home to attend to his powder mill as he supplied much needed gunpowder to the Continental Army during the War. The powder mill struggled during these times. Not only did Richard have to accept worthless Continental Money but he also donated large amounts of gunpowder to the War Effort. Because of the failing gunpowder business the Pitkins started looking into other industrial pursuits.

The romantic ruins of the Pitkin Glass Works located in Manchester, Connecticut. During the 19th century the town's people affectionately referred to it was Pitkin Abbey. The large archways were for easy access of horse carts delivering fuel and raw materials. These combined to the large window openings privded extra ventalation for the workers.

Toward the end of the War, Richard's sons, William and Elisha Pitkin together with Samuel Bishop presented to the General Assembly of Connecticut a Memorial (petition) asking to be granted the exclusive right and privilege to manufacture glass in the state.

Because of their father's active role during the Revolution the assembly promptly granted them the "sole and Exclusive right in the state to make glass of any kind for the term of twenty-five-years..." and also a ten year tax exemption on any profits that may arise from such manufacture (January 1783).

A lovely grouping of New England “Pitkin” flasks and inks exhibiting a range of shapes and sizes.

Such were the humble beginnings of Connecticut's first successful glass house; the East Hartford Glass Works – later known as the Pitkin Glass Works. It operated until about 1830 when the rising cost of sand, transported from New Jersey, lack of wood for fuel, and the increasing competition from the other area glass houses forced its close. The Pitkins also manufactured textiles, flour, iron and snuff. Some of them were silversmiths. They were an essential factor in the development of early industry in Connecticut.

In its near half century of production a wide variety of bottles were blown at the Pitkin Glass Works – chestnuts, demijohns, utility bottles, snuff bottles and mold blown flasks, but the main concerns of this article are the bottles and flasks that for many generations have become to be classified as "Pitkin" type. They are the bottles blown in vertically ribbed dip molds by the old German half-post method. They were produced by many different glass houses in this country during the late 18^th century and early 19^th century. The two main classifications being; New England type, with generally fine ribs and earthy colors and Midwestern type, with generally less ribbing, heavier weight and brighter colors – though there are many exceptions to these generalities.

A selection of glass slag found at the site; mostly olive greens and olive ambers - some densely speckled with tiny poststone particles. Largest specimen about 2 1/2” in diameter.

Why these bottles assumed the name Pitkin, no one knows for sure. We can only speculate that local tradition has named them because these bottles were actually produced at the Pitkin Glass Works or perhaps because so many of them have been found in the geographical area of East Hartford. Helen McKearin wrote in the "Bible" American Glass, page 124 (1941), "Actually we do not know of any definite proof that such flasks (sic "Pitkin" type) were made at the Pitkin Glass Works. Nevertheless we believe the tradition that they were and can be accepted as fact." In their monumental work American Bottles and Flasks and Their Ancestry McKearin along with Kenneth Wilson wrote (page 328), "Although various sorts of containers were the main

product, no definite proof that Pitkin type flasks were made at the Pitkin works is known at present..."

During the spring of 1974 a group of students from Central Connecticut State University, under direction of professional, historical archaeologist Dr. Frederick Warner, excavated a series of forty-five test pits at the Pitkin Glass Works site. A geometric grid method was used covering most of the grounds and everything taken from the pits was screened through 1/4 inch mesh hardware cloth. The artifacts were rinsed off and placed in numbered paper bags. Information sheets were enclosed with them that listed location, depth, excavator's name and inventory. The preliminary examination by Dr. Warner revealed several different colors with most fragments too small to attribute to a particular shape. An analysis and study of these artifacts was planned, but left undone. A bottle and glass expert was never called in to examine these finds and everything was placed in "storage."

The eight pieces of Pitkin bottles recovered at the site. Shown exact size. Enough variation in color and form determined that these shards were from at least seven deifferent bottles.

Several years had passed and in 1999, after reviewing the facts, I decided to try and locate the excavated materials for a thorough examination. I just had to know if there was any real evidence that "Pitkin type" bottles were actually made at the Pitkin Glass Works.

I visited the Manchester Historical Society to see if they had possession of the "dug" artifacts, but no one there knew of their whereabouts. I phoned Central Connecticut State University, in an attempt to locate Dr. Warner, and found that he had retired some years ago. No one at the University seemed to know what happened to the "fruits" of the excavations at the Glass Works sight. All facts seemed to indicate that they were discarded some time ago. Finally a faculty member located Dr. Warner's home phone number for me. I phoned Dr. Warner and was very pleased to find that the artifacts from the Pitkin Glass Works excavations were still in his possession and in "storage." I explained to Dr. Warner my research objectives and he offered to locate them so I could effect my examinations.

Several sections of the grey stoneware glass melting pots were ehumed. The top left example still has a piece of deep green glass clinging to it. It measures about 3 1/4” at the widest point.

After arriving at Dr. Warner's house, and a brief discussion of the Glass Works, he retrieved two cardboard boxes from his attic. In these were the artifacts from the excavation at the Pitkin Glass Works site fifteen years ago! Each box contained many small numbered paper bags and each bag contained an information sheet that listed its inventory, but some sheet did not exactly match the contents. Several bags contained a handwritten note stating that some items had been removed (and apparently not put back) probably by students at the University during their initial examinations.

Furthermore, some bags were ripping open and mixing with other contents. A little attention was needed here!

After hours of sorting through and carefully examining these artifacts under controlled lighting and utilizing various magnifications I have made the following observations:

The majority of the glass shards seemed to be from free blown chestnut-type bottles. A wide range of colors present including; yellow amber, olive amber, olive yellow, yellow olive, olive green, yellow green and a few in bluish green. Most were light to medium shades in color and many were crude and bubbly. Two quite interesting complete chestnut bottle necks and some matching body fragments that were excavated from one pit were deep green in color and thicker walled than the others. Their lips were finished in the typical "laid on ring" chestnut style, but were slightly heavier and cruder than normal. These necks were stubby and seemed to lead to a more bulbous body than usual. Another pit yielded two sections of another like lip. These "chestnuts" were a little earlier than the others and most likely dated to the late 18^th century.

The Pitkin Homestead - only a stone's throw from the Pitkin Glass Works ruins. According to local tradition a large amount of Pitkin bottles and glass was stored in its attic when the Glass Works closed. Several years later the majority of it was smashed and discarded when cleaning out the attic. Although its present historical plaque reads c. 1778 evidence has been found by its present owner dating its construction to the 1760's.

The second largest identifiable amount of glass shards were from the "Pitkin" flasks. Eight shards were found in seven different locations. Colors ranged from an almost "Stoddard amber" to light yellow olive and light greenish olive. After a careful examination of these shards enough variation in color and form determined that these shards represented at least seven different flasks. Here at last was substantial evidence that "Pitkin type" bottles were actually made at the Pitkin Glass Works!

A variety of glass threads and droppings that fell to the glass house floor during production were found. Colors ranging from deep green, olive, olive ambers, yellow olives, yellow ambers and clear. Largest pieces about 2 1/2” long.

One very interesting deep greenish olive shard measured about 1/2" x 1". It was very thin glass and broken along a straight edge indicating that it was part of a rectangular or sided bottle. It had faint vertical ribs!

Four or five shards from an early deep green sunburst flask were "pulled" out of one pit, but enough was not present to determine its exact pattern. A few other shards, light yellow olive in color, that appeared to be from another early sunburst, were located in another pit. The pieces were too small to make a definite identification. Two intact bases from early historical flasks and several pieces displaying a typical open pontil were unearthed from various locations, but again a positive identification could not be made.

Only about a half dozen total black-glass shards were found in various pits. The largest piece, a typical circa 1800 cylinder body section measured about 2" x 3". The most interesting black-glass piece was a very crude typical English mid 18th century wine bottle lip section in olive (see McKearin/Wilson American Bottles and Flasks... plate 45 ^#1 & 4). It was heavily oxidized and iridescent in colors. It was probably not a product of the factory, but a piece of cullett or a bottle used there.

Close-up of a New England “Pitkin flask showing the frostiness (or milkiness) in the second gather “collar.” An unaffected horizontal striation passes through it.

Much glass slag in many locations was found. Many glass "threads" and "drops" that fell to the floor during the glass making process were encountered. A wide range of colors were present: Olive ambers, yellow olives, yellow ambers, yellow greens, blue-green, olive-green, etc., etc., and even clear. Generally very "earthy" colors predominated. Surprisingly enough no "true" aqua colors were found in these groups. Vibrant colors such was amethyst or blue were not found at all.

Here, magnified approximately 20x is an excavated shard displaying the same quality as the previous. It is actually a Milky Way of hundreds upon hundres of tiny bubbles produced during the gather.

Several sections of the glass melting pots were exhumed. They were composed of a gray heavy "stoneware" type pottery. Many had a translucent greenish glaze from the molten glass and a few still had chunks of deep green glass clinging to them.

Dozens of late 18^th and early 19^th century pottery shards were found. The majority were either unglazed red clay type or salt glazed stoneware with a red interior slip. A few pieces with a deep brownish glaze were also encountered. All of the pieces seemed to be from bowls, plates or common drinking vessels. No design or distinguishing mark was found on any piece that I examined. The presence of so many pottery shards may indicate that this was the site of Manchester's first working pottery. Perhaps it was located in an outbuilding and shared the raw materials of the Glass Works for fuel and glaze or perhaps it was co-joined and shared the Glass Works intense heat to "fire" the pottery. We may never know for sure.

Other artifacts recovered and included in the digs inventory: Pieces of coal, bits of charcoal, several rusty nails, pieces of red clay brick and a piece of a small iron buckle. Near the surface some late 19^th to early 20^th century rubbish was located: Period glass shards, a butter knife, a base to an old light bulb, and a clear "warranted" strap-sided flask. Surprisingly no evidence of early window glass or shards of "Pitkin" type inks were found. Perhaps they will be found in future excavations.

After reviewing all the evidence the most important fact stands out: There is now substantial evidence that Pitkin flasks were produced at the Pitkin Glass Works!

A History of the Pitkin Glass Works, William E. Buckley, L.H.D., Allied Printing Services

History of Manchester Connecticut, Mathias Spiess and Percy W. Bidwell, Manchester Historical Society, 1999.

A New England Pattern; The History of Manchester Connecticut, William E. Buckley, L.H.D., Pequot Press, Chester, CT, 1979.

American Glass, George S. and Helen McKearin, Crown Publishers, New York, 1941.

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

Many thanks to the Manchester Historical Society for locating some of the information provided herein.

Special thanks to Mr. Thomas D. Duff for sharing his knowledge of the history of the Pitkin Glass Works with me.

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