Hi Jessica, English glass bottle makers made oval "wine" bottles for most
of the 18th century, with varying body profiles.  The best images can be
found in Roger Dumbrell's book Understanding Antique Wine Bottles, 1983,
Antique Collector's Club; and in Willy van den Bossche's Antique Glass
Bottles: Their History and Evolution (1500-1850): A Comprehensive,
Illustrated Guide, with a World-Wide Bibliography of Glass Bottles, 2001,
Antique Collectors' Club.  I have discussed them in my article in Vol. 52,
2010, pp. 91-156,  Journal of Glass Studies, Olive Jones, "English Black
Glass Bottles, 1725-1850: Historical Terminology," pp. 101-102.  Two
examples, one French and the other English, from a mid 18th century context
at the Fortress of Louisbourg are illustrated in Ann Smith, "Glassware from
a Reputed 1745 Siege Debris Context at the Fortress of Louisbourg," History
and Archaeology, no. 55, Ottawa, National Historic Parks and Sites Branch,
Parks Canada, 1981, pp. 75-255.

As the earliest sealed English examples, from the 1720s, bore the name
"Bastard" these are often referred to as "Bastard Bottles."  There are also
European-made examples.  As far as I know, there has not been an attempt to
develop a date range for the various styles, partly because they are not
common enough to be sure that the variations reflect a chronological
development or something else.

Olive Jones



From:       Jessica Costello <[log in to unmask]>
To:         [log in to unmask]
Date:       11/08/2011 11:22 AM
Subject:    oval base on freeblown wine bottles
Sent by:    HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]>



Hello all,

We here at the Northeast Museum Services Center have come across several
18th century wine bottles with wide, oval bases.  These bottles were
excavated from a ca. 1763 context in City Point, Virginia.

Has anyone seen similar bottles before?  We have exhausted our reference
library as well as many google searches, and have not had much luck.

Thank you so much in advance!  I can send a photo if this would help.  I
would really appreciate any input!

Jessica Costello
Museum Specialist/Archeology
Northeast Museum Services Center
(617) 242-5613, ext. 226