Bermuda Onion Bottle

When I first saw this it was sitting on a dusty shelf in a flea market shop. At first glance and being frontally lit, it didn't look like much. It almost looked more black than purple. I almost walked away, but impulsively picked it up to see if there were any marks on the base. As I lifted it, I saw it silhouetted against the overhead lights and the true form was revealed. I quickly paid the asking price of a few dollars and took it home to clean.

This barber bottle or bud vase stands about 8 inches in height and is about four inches in diameter at the widest. The base glass is a translucent amethyst color that can only be properly seen when it is back-lit. It has an overall satin finish and is mostly smooth on the outer surfaces, but inside there are molded ribs of varying thickness that produce the variations in the gradations of purple in an optical effect when properly lit. The rim is cut and the opening is about 3/4 inch in diameter. The base has no visible pontil mark or anything by a maker to identify it. I can't make up my mind if it is Bohemian, American, or other, but it does have some age on it.

At any rate, I hope this story goes to show that it is always good to give things a second look, and perhaps from a totally different perspective. Sometimes thinking outside the box yields unexpected treasures!