Pitkin Flask, Early American Glass

The American Pitkin Flask

Pitkin Flask: Small bottle of green glass in an ovoid and flattened shape made by the “Half-Post Method”. In this method a gather of glass called a post is put back in the POT and a second gather is put on it so it covers about half of the post. It is then put in a vertical ribbed pattern mold and partly expanded and removed from the mold then swirled right or left. Also there are types in which the ribs are left it the vertical position. In the case of the popcorn Pitkin it is put in the mold a second time vertical ribs are put over swirled ribs call a broken swirl double pattern. Then the flask is expanded to the ovoid and flattened shape.

Originally these flasks were made in The Pitkin Glass Works in Manchester,CT (1788-1830).They were made later in other parts of New England and in the Midwest (e. g. Zanesville, Ohio 1810-1830).Today they are classified as being New England Pitkins or Midwestern Pitkins. You can usually tell the difference by counting the ribs. The New England is 36 ribs and Midwestern 16 ribs. In addition to various shades of green they can be found in amber, blue (rare), amethyst (rare) and colorless glass. The flask came in two main sizes half pint and pint, used as a pocket flask for whiskey.

Ref: Spillman II #46

Front row A 19, A 43, Rear row A8, A39, A7

A54 Mid Western Half pint Pitkin 5 ½ inches

46A Mid Western popcorn Pitkin 6 inches

43A North Eastern Pitkin H: 5 ¼ inches

39A Mid Western Pitkin H: 6 ½ inches

19A Mid Western Pitkin H: 6 ¼ inches

08A Mid Western Pitkin H: 6 ¼ inches

07A New England Pitkin Flask,North Eastern Pitkin H: 6 ¾ inches

89A Half Pint New England Pitkin Flask, The size of the flask is smaller than the typical half pint Pitkin. H: 4 ¾ inches D: 1790-1830

54A Half pint Midwestern Pitkin H: 5 ½ inches D: 1810-1830

Roman Iridescent Glass Beaker

 ROMAN BEAKER WITH WHEEL-CUT LINES

The simple shape of this vessel resembles our modern drinking glasses. It is pale blue/green with iridescence. The exterior is decorated with faint wheel cut bands: three parallel lines around the center, one band near the base. This beaker has a ground rim and flattened base. The  beauty of this cup is in the natural iridescence which has formed on it.  Beaker is intact. What is iridescence?

Iridescent Glass

Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, lends her name to the word iridescence a lustrous, rainbow-like play of color. Iridescence was admired by modern glassmakers but was not an intentional effect made by ancient artisans. The effect was found on pieces of ancient glass where burial conditions caused alkali (soluble salt) to leach from the glass and form layers that eventually separate and flake off. The remaining surface layers reflect light differently, resulting in an iridescent appearance. see Corning Museum of Glass

(http://www.cmog.org/dynamic.aspx?id=1384&terms=iridescence)

Date: First Century A.D.

H: 9.3 cm. Rim D: 6.5 cm.

Cf. Auth 1976 #368 (The Newark Museum)

02R Roman beaker with wheel cut lines