Crude blue glass 'Columbia' flask or bottle.

I am guessing this is American, and I know even less about US glass than I do about British glass, so just about zero.

It is about 9 inches high, very uneven surface, blank back, the front with the word 'Columbia' moulded in under a bust with stars above.





The back.



the base



not very good. Last try at the front with different lighting.



Trash or treasure?

 

I have no idea if there's any connection, but in 1893 there was a World's Fair in Chicago called the World's Columbian Exposition.

Edited to say... Google searches are bringing up Columbia glass flasks from the early 1800s, so seems unlikely the flask had anything to do with the Exposition.

Assuming the head is a woman, it may represent Lady Liberty.

This site has some interesting info...
http://www.sha.org/bottle/liquor.htm

 

This flask on Etsy is almost identical in design to yours, Af, but looks like a reproduction. The seller said 1950s and his/her bottle looks new.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/223317620/blue-swirl-lady-liberty-columbia-flask

 

The etsy one looks a lot 'smoother' than mine. The other site will take some time to read.

 

I agree about the Etsy bottle. I have no expertise here, but the shallower design sure makes it look to me like it's much newer and of lesser quality than yours.

 

Hi,
In the 50s and early 60s, Cleavenger Bros made a lot of "flasks" looking like the 1830s and 1840s flasks. They had none of the air bubbles and other imperfections
of the original flasks. They also had nice perfect tops not the blub tops like the originals had. If you find an almost perfect flash always look at the Cleavengers flasks.
greg

 

If this is an early one, any ballpark figure on the price, possibly on ebay?

 

I see what I think Greg was saying... the earliest examples I'm seeing on the web have no lip at the top. The glass goes more or less straight up before the top edge. Maybe there's an in-between period, still antique, when the flared top was used for these types of flasks?

I just learned something new. Apparently the profile is of Columbia, not Lady Liberty. "Columbia" was an adaptation from Christopher Columbus' name and the image was used as a female representation of the U.S. Around 1920, images of the Statue of Liberty began to be used instead of Columbia. Here's a wikipedia article about it...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_(name)

 

Wheaton in New Jersey also reproduced bottles like this, but this definitely isn't one of theirs. Is there a pontil mark on the bottom? I'd be willing to believe it's old.

 

I think most likely the 1960's mold blown based on the photo posted of the base. These were sold as color accents by folks selling Early American furniture reproductions. Looks like it spent the last few years in an outdoor shed,

 

I'd agree that base doesn't look much older than the 50s or 60s.

 

Can you get a clear picture of the bottom.

 

Looking through McKearin's American Glass, I could only find this photo and short text of the Columbia flask ... the one in their photo (#10 and #11) has almost no lip at the top ... but they mention that there were six Columbia flasks each with an eagle on the reverse side. I cannot see what is on the back of yours ... is there anything there?

Tried to scan the plate showing the flask and the accompanying text ... hope they can be seen OK.

 

The back is blank but rather rough.

When I get a chance I will show it to a friend of mine who does Glass on the British Antiques Roadshow, Will Farmer.

 

Everyone in coins calls her 'French lady Liberty'

 

Af, do you see air bubbles in the glass? That seems to be a key feature of the older bottles.

 

Oh.....I'll be lookin for those now !!!

 

Thanks, everyone.

 

If it has a seem on it it means its new correct?? i bought mine at an auction i was told it was 1893 its has a seem running down it..
did you ever figure out what it was? i have a pair of them..
thanks