Featured HOW TO REMOVE STOPPER FROM PERFUME(?) JAR WITH POURED(?) SILVER DECOR?

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by journeymagazine, Feb 13, 2019.

  1. journeymagazine

    journeymagazine Well-Known Member

    This is the 2nd cool piece I found at a local thrift store today. I think it may have been a perfume bottle? If not, any ideas? (It has someone's initials on the front so I don't think it's a fancy vinegar bottle!)
    It is marked on bottom fine silver w/maker's marks - do they tell who made this?
    Also - the dang stopper is frozen fast in the neck; I'm scared I'll break a expensive/and or rare ...something, if I try twisting anymore. And I don't remember if it's heat or cold that causes things to contract?!
    Any ideas on what I have and/or how to get stopper top free would be greatly appreciated!
    Thanks

    collectible glass and silver perfume ink bottle 1aa.JPG collectible glass and silver perfume ink bottle 3aa.JPG collectible glass and silver perfume ink bottle 2aa.JPG collectible glass and silver perfume ink bottle 4zzZZ.JPG collectible glass and silver perfume ink bottle 5aa.JPG
     
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  2. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    Late 19th-early 20th century silver deposit (sometimes called silver overlay) scent bottle by Alvin. The silver is applied by electrodeposition. Is that a crack in the glass?

    ~Cheryl
     
  3. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    lovely.......now size.......how about size !!
     
    Ghopper1924, kyratango, judy and 4 others like this.
  4. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Cold. Worth a try if the stopper is entirely metal. Think I would cool it in the refrigerator before putting it in the freezer (or outdoors) so the temperature change is not so severe.

    2nd thought. Hope someone else weighs in with thoughts on whether contraction of decoration risks cracking glass. I doubt it, but...
     
    Ghopper1924, judy and i need help like this.
  5. terry5732

    terry5732 Well-Known Member

    Temperature is unlikely to help but may damage

    Put some alcohol in the recess around the stopper and let it soak
     
  6. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    Believe I have an ad somewhere showing this same bottle, but this was the closest I found in a quick look:

    1897:
    1897adJCalvinsilverdepositware-b.jpg

    ~Cheryl
     
  7. Jivvy

    Jivvy the research is my favorite

    I also think it's unlikely that temperature change will help and I would go for the use of solvents.
     
  8. journeymagazine

    journeymagazine Well-Known Member

    Thanks!
    PS - measures 4" x 4"
     
  9. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    I find silicone spray to be very good. Available at any hardware store.
     
  10. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    WD40.

    Lovely bottle. Also called electroform here.
     
  11. gregsglass

    gregsglass Well-Known Member

    Hi,
    I am with Terry on using the alcohol first then using warmth on the bottle and ice on the lid.
    greg
     
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  12. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

  13. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    Eh, still no banana, but here's another ad from 1897:

    1897alvincolognebottles.jpg

    And this is probably the one I was thinking of, also from 1897, but it's not a match either:

    1897adJCalvinsilverdepositnotice.JPG

    ~Cheryl
     
  14. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    Recent solds on eBay (they always sell, but damage knocks the price way down): DELETED - darn eBay links!

    Search for Alvin silver overlay perfume...

    ~Cheryl
     
  15. Marie Forjan

    Marie Forjan Well-Known Member

    That is absolutely silver overlay. The silver is worked to confirm with the shape of the glass and it is thick enough that you can get a finger nail under it.

    Silver deposit looks like it is painted on the glass, it is very thin and flat on the glass, from the inside you can see it is backed in off-white.
     
  16. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

  17. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    There is 'worked' sheet silver overlay that is applied on other materials, but on this piece and its ilk, the silver was applied by electrodeposition and they were advertised and sold as 'silver deposit' - but these pieces can certainly be called 'silver overlay', because it is silver overlaid on glass, ceramic, and other materials that could withstand the plating solution. On the late 19th and early 20th century pieces, more time in the plating 'bath' left a heavy deposit on the flux, thick enough to be engraved and lightly stamped with a mark. Either the entire piece would have coated with a flux and plated, then the design painted on with a resist and the area not under resist was removed, or the design was painted with a flux then only the design would be plated. Later 20th century pieces were done using what were essentially transferred patterns of flux, the amount of silver plating was much thinner and didn't support engraving. The patent referred to in the last Alvin ad posted is for the technique used for the whitish backing on the deposit, improving the original technique that left a dark interior, and the reason they placed those ads is that they purchased the patent in 1895, then the inventor, John Scharling, started his own firm using the patented technique, Alvin took Scharling to court for patent infringement and won.

    ~Cheryl
     
  18. Shangas

    Shangas Underage Antiques Collector and Historian

    I had a large, Victorian glass apothecary jar jam shut on me once. I filled a sink with hot water, and put the jar into the sink upside down. A few seconds was all it took for the lid to drop off and sink to the bottom of the water with a light 'bump!'.

    Very easily done, and no damage :)
     
  19. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    Alcohol will dissolve dried perfume remnants, that's a good start.
    Then, as there stoppers and inside neck of the bottle were "emerized" they easily remain stuck if at some point they were slightly forced by turning the stopper too much.

    I had very good results on tiny smelling salt bottles by this method:

    After full cleaning of the junction with alcohol, spray some silicon or wd-40, let sit the bottom of the bottle in warm tap water, and apply an ice cube on top of the stopper.
    Bottle and neck will dilate while the stopper will contract, letting the silicon infiltrate and lubricate the junction.
    Slight twist will then allow to remove the stopper.
    Job done in minutes :)

    Warning!:nailbiting:
    Don't use too warm water and keep the level half of the bottle, warmth will transmit to the neck without creating a fracture line at the place you'll exerce contraction with the ice cube:D
    BE GENTLE IN TWISTING THE STOPPER ;)(slight unscrew/screw movement!)
     
  20. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    Uhh... Just see the glass body has crack...
    So, not use temperature involved method:facepalm:

    Only infiltrate some silicon spray and... wait 1h before trying to twist the stopper:D
     
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