What do the numbers on bottles mean?
Some numbers (for instance, 3- or 4-digit numbers on the base of many British bottles) are catalog, inventory, style or design numbers assigned to a particular bottle shape.
What are the little dots on the bottom of bottles?
DOTS or BUMPS around the lower heel of bottles. In many cases (especially within the last couple of decades), mold data information is now preserved through the use of small embossed “dots”, “bumps” or raised periods arranged horizontally around the lower heel of the container.
How can you tell the date on a glass bottle?
Most modern glass bottles carry date codes, which are often on the heel of the bottle. These date codes are not always obvious, or easy to distinguish from mold numbers. It also depends on exactly which glass company produced the container, as all firms did not / do not use the same system of markings.
What does the 10 mean on a glass soda bottle?
The “10” is probably the plant location code. Mold number “33” on the base of an emerald green soda bottle manufactured by Owens-Illinois, Inc. Millions of these types of “generic” non-returnable glass soda bottles have been made for many years.
How do I identify old bottles?
To find the markings, examine the bottle carefully. The side of the bottle may be printed with the product or manufacturer's name, and this can be helpful in identifying your find. Also turn the bottle over. Many bottles have marks on the bottom, and these are important signatures of bottle manufacturers.
How do you date antique glass bottles?
There are three keys to help with dating most bottles:Side seams: None: bottle may be free blown, in which case it has a very uneven shape and dates before 1860. ... Base type (for examples, click here): Open pontilled: usually date before 1860. ... Top type (for examples, see click here):
How do I know if my old bottles are worth money?
The Age of the Bottle While not all old bottles are valuable, an older bottle is more likely to be worth more than a newer one. Seams and pontil marks are two of the ways you can determine a bottle's age. The pontil mark is the mark at the bottom of the bottle where it was attached to the glass blower's pontil rod.
What does the number on the bottom of a glass jar mean?
Not every jar has their manufacture date on the glass, but most have the patent date. ... There will be a large number on the bottom of your jar. This is the mold number, and unfortunately also has no relation to the manufacture date. These charts tell you the approximate decade in which your Ball jar was made.16-Aug-2021
What kind of old glass bottles are worth money?
Colored glass is typically more valuable than clear glass; in fact, a colored glass bottle can easily be worth $1,000 or more than the same bottle featuring clear glass.
What are the most valuable antique bottles?
1. National Bridge White Beer Brewery Bottles – $2,700. The literal top of the heap belongs to these bottles which were described as being “extremely rare bottles” by Morphy Auctions.03-Jun-2021
How do you date a Duraglas bottle?
The term “Duraglas” was first embossed in cursive on bottle bases at some point during the year – so expect bottles with “0” date codes both with and without the word. Duraglas was a glass formula that was stronger than most previous glass mixtures.20-Mar-2015
Are old milk bottles worth money?
Before you buy or sell a milk bottle, it helps to know how much it's worth. These bottles can range from about $10 to $200 or more, depending on a number of factors.
Are old medicine bottles worth any money?
Antique and vintage medicine bottles make perfect collectibles for novice collectors as they don't cost very much and require very little special care. You can find bottles ranging between $5-$50, but most are listed at the lower end of this scale.
How can you tell how old a Mason jar is?
To date an old Ball mason jar, look at the logo on the jar. If the logo is an insignia made up of the letters BBGMC, the jar was made between 1885 and 1886. If the logo is written using block letters, the jar was likely made between 1892 and 1896.
How can you tell how old glass is?
Marks At The Base The bottom of the glass bottle will tell you the most about its age. Prior to the mid 19th Century, pontil marks were the signature of glass bottles.06-Aug-2020
How do you date old jars?
If you have a Ball jar, you can date most of them just by looking at the logo. Every few years, the Ball Manufacturing Co changed the logo and if you compare yours to a reliable chart, you know how old it is.
What does the number on the bottom of a beer bottle mean?
what do the numbers on the bottom of beer bottles mean? Many bottles carry only a number (or numbers) on the base. These marks usually served as some type of mold identification, indicating a particular mold used by a glass factory. If a number of identical molds were produced for making a certain type of bottle, they would often be serially numbered (such as 1 to 12).
How to tell if a bottle is old?
Look for these old bottles with the characteristic crown top. The embossed maker's mark or letters on the side of a bottle or on the base of a bottle will help to reveal a bottle's age. Marks or letters on collectible milk bottles and Coca Cola bottles are commonly indicators of age and origin.
What does the mold number on a mason jar tell you?
Rather, the mold number tells you where the jar was positioned on the glass-making machine that was used to produce it.
What is the D number on a bottle?
Many liquor bottles are seen with “D-numbers” on the bottom which are distillery identification codes. Date codes are often seen, especially on soda bottles from the 1930s to date, and many of these codes are embossed on the base of the bottle, placed to the right of the glassmaker's logo.
