Posted 8 years ago
Lizleesell…
(1 item)
My husband dug this up yesterday.
Lavender Water bottle. Smith & Covan St Andrews 1822
I have tried to find info but all that I've found is a reference to 3 cold cream lids from Smith & Covan. They had an address on them for South Street, St Andrews, Fyfe. But cannot read the property number.
I am interested in the history and how it came to be in Oxfordshire.
I'm not so sure its as old as the "date". A photo of the base would tell me more.
Also, does the mouth on the inside feel/look like it's been put onto the neck separately, or is it fairly smooth.
It is difficult to apply the American method of dating to British bottles, though, as the methods of bottle-making were radically different between our counties. So when the requested info/picture is provided, I will try to do my best.
Their address may have been 143 (on the bottom lid of the link you saw. The top left one looks different, like a 132. The right one is a different street all together, which does suggest they were around for a little while at least). Sadly e-Bay doesn't keep images for extended times anymore, and I didn't locate the sale. I'm not actually sure that the lids sold as I did not find them on Worthpoint, which keeps records of sold online auctions.
My normal research methods failed to turn up anything for me, but being located in Michigan it may be that the few records the British seemed to put up online are not going to pop up.
As for how it got there, the British were big on trading. Even today they have a global empire. Back then it was even stronger, and they were one of the masters of the world markets. The U.S. imported from them heavily, in terms of bottles/drinks, till at least 1920.
I don't know how to add another photo.... The base has a hexagon which is divided into 3.. Top left is 'Y'. Top right looks like 'G' and the bottom is not very easy to see but could be an '8' on its side.
The neck feels smooth inside.
I have found a map of south street from 1826 which has several 'smiths', doctors and a glass works but no reference to a chemists.
It is a mystery! But fascinating!
You could do another post, but if you're on a computer: Upper left, under your photos of it, you see the Loves and Likes buttons. Under that is Add To Collection. Under that is Edit Item. Click Edit Item, then again with Choose Images.
The base (no pontil, not a hinge-mold or snap-case [these are terms few people understand]) and mouth style (not applied) are not correct for 1822. This is likely a late Victorian period (after 1900) bottle. That and the word "Old" confirm my suspicions. It is possible that this bottle could go up to the 1930s, as the British were behind in glass making.
I'd guess 1900-1920. 1822 must have some importance, but it could be when the recipe was from, when they began, or made to just be a collectible as the colour is great, if not something else. The label it would have had may once have offered a clue.
The age of the land (when it was first built on, when where it was dug up was built, etc) may also offer more of a date-range.
Great find, nonetheless.
That is really interesting.......many thanks!