Featured Result of stuck stopper on Isle of Wight perfume...

Wanted to follow-up on my Isle of Wight perfume stuck stopper.

First I tried tapping lightly while turning it with a wooden spoon, with the important suggestion to hold it over a folded towel or some kind of cushioning. Thanks for that IMPORTANT suggestion from
@rhiwfield

No luck. Got the rubbing alcohol out.

Put some around the rim and waited. I had the whole thing in a ceramic bowl so the rubbing alcohol spilled a bit, it wouldn't get on the table.

Left it sit for a few minutes and DH says, "Try tapping it with the wooden spoon now that you have the rubbing alcohol on it."

So I'm tapping away, turning it upside down, I now notice that the rubbing alcohol has dissolved the Isle of Wight sticker surface, paint pouring off the bottom from the sticker from the lettering apparently. (My fault for sitting the whole thing in a bowl!)

As I'm looking at the damaged sticker I happen to look down at the cushioned towel. There is the stopper sitting there, I didn't even hear it fall out. Thank goodness I had that towel there!

Not terribly worried about the sticker, the piece is signed as well.

Thanks for the suggestions, and if you are every trying this at home, make sure you have a towel underneath!

One final question...

Perfume was like this when I purchased it, there is sort of a spot where there seems to be a "lack of finish" on the stopper. (See 3rd photo). It is even more pronounced than my photo shows. Since I am not the original owner of this, I don't know if it was always like that, or if something like that could have worn off (possibly from a former owner trying to get the stopper out?) I guess the question would be, is the iridescent surface on glass like this glazed on? If it a surface not easily rubbed off, was probably always like this I'm guessing. What do you think? Thanks for taking a look.

 

The colorful salts are baked on the surface but rub off quite easily.

 

Hi,
Glad you got the top off safely. I would lightly spray with silicone spray. Do not use DW40 it will dry and stick again. I think the missing glaze was done during manufacture and not worry about it. I think I'll add the towel to other warnings. I usually just wait until the top is lose. It is a beautiful piece.
greg

 

Nope, not baked on. MIchael Harris pioneered this glass technique.

 

Congratulations on getting the stopper out! And thanks for the update.

 

Hi Bear,

Do you know if the glass technique he pioneered would be something that could rub off?

Wouldn't be asking, but it looks a bit odd to my eye (again photo didn't quite capture it). Could be how the piece always looked, since I'm going to be listing it, just want to be sure I'm describing properly.

Thanks to all for the comments so far.

 

When the stopper comes out during tapping it always seems to elude you catching it, probably because one hand has the bottle and the other the spoon. First time I did it, I didn't have the towel underneath, luckily the stopper bounced without damage

 

I just had a successful experience as well. I had a glass perfume bottle with a stuck glass stopper. I had no luck loosening it so I put it aside until I could try some of the methods above. The stopper was jammed maybe 1/8" below the top of the neck. I started with the rubbing alcohol. I poured just a little bit trying to keep it in the stopper depression. I let it sit about a minute or so and tried to twist the top in one direction and the bottom in the other. Still stuck. I had a sink full of lukewarm soapy water so I put it sideways in the sink. Underwater I held the top with one thin sponge and the bottom with another thin sponge. I twisted in opposite directions again and it freed right up.

At one time I knew who made it (contemporary German, I think) but the knowledge has mostly faded away.
Don

 

good for you Lucille.....it's a little charmer.....& worth the effort !!!

 

You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille. With four hungry children and a crop in the field...
Don

 

Both @Lucille.b & @dgbjwc, your little bottles I think are beautiful!!!!!

And great suggestions, everyone!!!! WHATEVER gets the job done successfully!!!!!

 

OH, I always thought it was "You picked a fine time to leave me Loose Wheel"