Featured Interesting piece of glass; what is it and what used for?

Discussion in 'Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain' started by ola402, Nov 15, 2018.

  1. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    A friend of mine bought a box lot and this was in it. So I convinced her to let me have it in order to research it. It's shaped like a light bulb, has verticals ridges and is excellent quality glass, maybe flint? It glows bright green under UV light. It looks like part of something else? There appears to be a round opening where it attached to something. The "shoulders" of the ridges are ground and polished (see 2 photos) and the entire piece appears to be fire polished because it's so sparkly. The bottom shows no wear, assuming you set it with the opening pointed up which appears to be incorrect. No wear anywhere on it except for the opening which is chewed up. Other than finial for a very large lamp, I can't think of anything else. It measures 5" high, the opening is 1" (just the hole) and it's 5" across at its widest point. Ideas would be most welcome, TY!

    DSCF2518.jpg DSCF2525.jpg DSCF2520.jpg DSCF2519.jpg DSCF2523.jpg DSCF2524.jpg DSCF2522.jpg DSCF2526.jpg
     
    komokwa, Christmasjoy and TallCakes like this.
  2. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    Bottle missing a stopper.
     
    Figtree3, Fid, Christmasjoy and 2 others like this.
  3. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    Thanks! We considered a large bottle but there is no wear on the bottom at all. It's perfectly smooth.
     
    Christmasjoy likes this.
  4. TallCakes

    TallCakes Well-Known Member

    nice photos! from your description of "glows bright green"; this would not be flint glass. The green 'glow' is an indication of ABP glass, most which contained manganese (as did EAPG as well). Flint (lead) glass would reflect the purple color of the UV lamp.
     
  5. quirkygirl

    quirkygirl likes pretty old things

    Hello! This looks like a pillar-molded small bottle of some sort ... perfume, maybe? Looks like there might be wear in the areas circled (sorry I made my circles in red ... a poor color choice, considering your background color) DSCF2522 (800x705).jpg
     
  6. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    TC - ABP makes sense in terms of the finishing. I had forgotten about Flint not glowing green. Thanks for the info.

    quirky - It's not small. When I place my hand on it, it takes up my entire hand and then some. I'm attaching a different photo to show the size. The perfume on the right is a Waterford small bottle.

    However, I'm not discounting perfume or cologne. I looked at the areas you circled under a loupe and did find very small amounts of wear that I couldn't see with my naked eye. I'll have to look up pillar-molded, as I've never heard that term. Thanks for your comments!

    DSCF2527.jpg
     
  7. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Seems on the large side for the purpose, but shape + amount & location of worst wear also makes me think perfume, now missing atomizer.

    My one other thought was ink bottle, but again, the size...
     
  8. TallCakes

    TallCakes Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Nov 15, 2018
    Figtree3, UncleChuckTX and Bronwen like this.
  9. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    Bronwen - weren't cologne bottles larger? Maybe cologne or bath salts?

    TC - great link. Crystal, IDK. That listing didn't say anything about whether the glass glows, so who knows. The neck of the bottle on WP is a little different but the weight is about right, this one is 1.8 lbs., considering this bottle is larger that's close.

    If this was a vanity bottle, I can see why the owners over time decided to keep it. It's just lovely and well made.
     
    Christmasjoy likes this.
  10. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    I have to go out for awhile. But I think I'll try to run down EPP and Paulux. That seems promising. Thanks All!
     
    Christmasjoy likes this.
  11. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    I'm having a lot of trouble thinking about all that chipping around the opening, but not concerned about the lack of wear on the "under side".....could easily have sat on something soft. BUT, my thoughts are there was a BADLY stuck stopper in the opening and someone was DETERMINED to get it out!!!! SUCH a beautiful piece of glass!!!! I would take it to a GOOD glass works and have them grind or smooth off that chipping (as much as they safely could) and then just enjoy it's beauty!!! They would want you to sign a release in case it breaks in the process though!!!!
     
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  12. TallCakes

    TallCakes Well-Known Member

    I'd lean more toward this having an atomizer where the chipping wouldn't be a concern as it would be covered and not noticed; a stopper would typically be ground and the neck of the bottle also ground to match to size...
     
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  13. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    Absolutely what TallCakes says a distinct possibility!! I wasn't thinking of putting a stopper in anyway.....I'd just have it smoothed and then a gorgeous silk flower or two dropped in!!!
     
  14. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    It might also have had a silver rim, of course.
     
    Aquitaine likes this.
  15. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    I've been researching (to the best of my ability) "pillar molded" and decided to widen the search from just bottles to anything pillar molded.

    First, I took another photo to show its size. I can barely get it all in the palm of my hand. So it's a little difficult for me to go with perfume or even cologne. Here's the photo. It's kinda dark with the snow and all. Hopefully you can see how wide my hand is spread.

    DSCF2529.jpg

    In my search I found on WP a pillar molded lamp that was interesting. The seller quoted a research book, stating some info on this type of lamp. Here's the photo I purloined from WP.

    1_0b56d5c9849debf021f7af82d0ad4099.jpg

    While this lamp is very different, I thought maybe my piece could be an oil lamp part, like where the oil goes and then fitted with the other parts (not a lamp expert). Regardless, I've now become attached to it and will have to figure a way to convince my friend to let me buy it from her, LOL!
     
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  16. Diggummup

    Diggummup Well-Known Member

    I thought I had that same perfume bottle once with an Irice sticker on it. Then again, it was nowhere near that size.
     
    judy likes this.
  17. quirkygirl

    quirkygirl likes pretty old things

    @ola402 , that last photo you posted of your piece (against the window) shows what looks like ground and polished panels going about 1/3 of the way down the vessel. Is that what they are or is it a trick of the light?

    I'm only a dabbler in glass, but this seems odd to me ... especially since the bottom does appear to have the 'ribs' associated with pillar molded glass.

    I've paged through my book on Early American Glass and also Pittsburgh Glass (much, but certainly not ALL, of the pillar molded stuff came from there) and saw nothing close ... with both the panels and ribs. Odd.

    If you are on facebook, there is a group called "Early American Pattern Glass Society" with many very knowledgeable 'glassies' who may be able to recognize something about your glass. I think England also put out some pillar molded glass, too (can't remember where I may have read that).

    interesting piece ... I can't blame you for wanting to adopt it and give it a home. :)
     
  18. Cherryhill

    Cherryhill Well-Known Member

    Look at the 5th and 6th photos from the top. there are definitely g & p panels about the top half. Very Interesting.
     
  19. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    I think that's a very likely possibility. While I'm perfectly happy to use it as a shelf sitter and just admire it, knowledge of its origin would be even better. Perhaps someone might even be able to piece it back together (doubtful, but . . . ). If it wasn't so large, it would be easier. That's why I was thinking a bath salts jar with owned's silver rim.
     
  20. Mansons2005

    Mansons2005 Nasty by Nature, Curmudgeon by Choice

    I'm gonna step it up and suggest that it is newel post finial. I googled images of them and while there was no exact match, there were many in that style and size. That would also explain the lack of wear on the "bottom" which is actually the top.....................
     
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