Posted 8 years ago
SpiritBear
(813 items)
Circa 1870s-1900 Guinness bottle, Extra Foreign Stout (not sure why they would make it extra foreign rather than just foreign-- can you get more than just foreign? LOL).
I saw it on e-Bay. The seller did a crappy description of something like, "paper label beer. Label is in good shape" and neglected to type any identifying details (my guess is, he didn't even read the label, which has the well-known name Guinness several times on it), so I got it for a low price with no competing bids. I only picked it up for resale, though.
E. & J. Burke was the Guinness bottler back in the day. This has been touted as circa 1870s to 1898 on one site, but the labels on front and back look the same up into the early 1900s. As it is a non-U.S. bottle, I cannot say much on its age judging on how it was manufactured (The U.S. lead the manufacturing of glass in terms of advancement, with everyone else lagging behind between 5-70 years [various reasons including unions/guilds, poorer economies, or just not being able to develop or obtain similar technology]).
This one features an applied top, 3-part mold in dark olive-green glass, with a huge interior bubble as shown.
Additional photo if anyone desires to see the standard applied top:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NQu8ENBmrQY/WG64LKEO49I/AAAAAAAA964/YiW5gFqDCM4d9BNC0H4OzaoVi8XFOXcYgCL0B/w374-h548-no/Silver%2BRye%2B006.JPG
I like the bottle Spirit Bear, my favorite beer! :^Q I have one I think from the late 1960's, unopened! Wonder if it's any good! LOL I'll take a picture if I can find it, and show ya. :^)
It would likely be one of the worst-tasting things you've ever put in your mouth, as it would be 'skunky' and stale and whatever else goes wrong with old beer.
I have commented on your post with a specific date and such.
I love the bottle Spirit! Like Bill Guinness is my favorite beer :-)
I find it amusing how this Guinness, which is only a labeled bottle in okay shape with a little-graphic label, received in four hours as much attention as my rare, beautifully graphic little Brandy received in four days.
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/215103-pre-prohibition-brandy-labeled?in=user
I knew it would happen, of course-- (I posted it after the other bottle before this one in a similar time just to prove my thought).
Guinness is liked, but no one has heard of Eggs Brandy. From a historical standpoint, the Brandy is much better a bottle. From a collector or visual-enjoyment standpoint, the Guinness somehow is better even thought it is not a unique item.
In my opinion though, popular brands, like Guinness and Coca-Cola (which is so commonly found that I don't know why it commands such prices, especially since their product is not even that good), get too much attention and are over-rated (and thus command little interest in my mind, except to sell to purseu my own interests). The unknown stuff is what really should take the cake. It reminds of W.M. Student Showcase, a talent thing I got selected into a few years ago. 75% of the musical performances featured the same song (which was very popular that year and in my mind is quite a dumb song of no mental, moral, or any real value than that it sounds "good"). Thankfully, the performance that won the musical part was the most unique and least selfishly done. (I was there only for the writing competition, which I did place in).
But, that is my rant because of a proved theory. LOL.
some history here........... great history!!!
I contacted a friend who had worked for Guinness and now a collector / historian and author of several books including two about Gilroy art. (I have several original Guinness canvases by Gilroy posted here on S&T.) Here is his reply:
"This is a nice early Foreign Guinness Extra Stout exported by E&J Burke of Dublin where it was bottled. The USA was a huge export market for Guinness from about 1860 onwards, and most of it was conducted by the agent Burke on the East Coast where the Irish had settled. It is a reused champagne bottle that would have been corked and wired with a stamped lead capsuled after filling. The beer was naturally conditioned with yeast in the bottle and needed a strong glass to hold the pressure without bursting. It is early and I can date it to pre 1886, when Guinness went public as a company. The Guinness Trade Mark label after 1886 had “& Sons” under the signature, which is missing on this label. There were 2 labels used by Burke. The Guinness TM which said just Extra Stout, and the Burke label with their cat brand and Extra Foreign Stout. A third oval label proclaimed the health benefits of the Stout signed by a leading Doctor."
Great info!
Sean, thank you.
Thank you and your friendly very much, rniederman.