04.16.10
Posted in JTS News at 12:29 pm by jtsblog
Jas. Townsend and Son Website Newsletter
Catalog 30
Yes!, The new catalog has been printed and is now in the mail stream. You should see your catalog in the next week or so. I hope it is not too soggy.
New Products
I have a bit of a backlog of new products that I will be adding to the website. Keep watching the New Products Page.
Glass Bottles in the 18th Century and New Bottles at JTS
Glass bottles were used in British America from the earliest years of colonization. Because virtually nothing is known about the products of American bottlemaking prior to the Revolutionary War, it must be supposed that most bottles found on colonial archaeological sites are of English origin.
Onion bottles were developed by the British around 1650. They originally had long necks, similar to our GB-204 bottle, and were known as “shaft and globe” bottles. They were used for storing wine, as well as oil and vinegar. Our GB-204 long-neck bottles are about 8-3/4” high and hold about 40 oz. They best emulate examples manufactured between 1650 and 1680.
By the 1680’s, the long-neck onion bottle had given way to the squat onion bottle, similar to our GB-214 bottle. Our reproductions are very good for between 1680 and the 1720s. They have string rims set below the rim of the bottle to hold a packthread that secures the cork in place. These bottles have a shallow basal kick. Our GB-214 Onion Bottle is about 6” high, and holds about 32 oz.
The bell bottle was manufactured between 1730 and 1750. They were similar to shaft and globe bottles, but the sides were flatter and more vertical. They generally had a high basal kick.
By the mid-1750’s, the bell bottle had evolved into what is called the mallet bottle. This bottle had longer vertical sides and a tapered shoulder. It still exhibited the string rim, and a high basal kick similar to the bell bottle. These bottles were manufactured between the 1750’s and the 1780’s. Our GB-208 Mallet Bottle is about 10-1/2” high, and holds about 56 oz.
The case bottle was known to exist prior to the mid-17th century, and was used all the way through the 18th century. These bottles had flat bottoms and were blown into square molds, making them easy to pack in wooden cases called, “liquor chests.” Most liquor chests held a dozen bottles and were likely used for shipping. Examples of four-bottle liquor chests also exist, which were likely for personal use. Jas Townsend now offers a case bottle, GB-216, Our GB-216 bottles are about 8” high and hold about 24 oz. They best emulate case bottles manufactured between 1750 and 1800.
During the Revolutionary period, American glass makers began to move ahead in manufacturing processes. The shape of the bottle evolved over time from a mallet bottle to a cylindrical bottle. Jas Townsend now offers a very economical style of of cylindrical bottle, our s-3051 snap-top bottle. Now the snap top, or lightning stopper was not patented until 1875, but by removing the snap top stopper and replacing it with a cork, you have a decent very economical bottle that is closer to an 18th century cylindrical bottle than modern crown-top versions. It’s best to point out that these bottles are machine formed and made of clear glass. They do have seams and mold marks. The process used in the manufacturing of this bottle is similar to that which was developed in 1814 and patented in 1822. So while the general shape of this bottle is okay for a late-18th century and early 19th century bottle, its details would place it well into the 19th century. Our S-3051 Snap-Top bottle is approximately 8-1/2” high and holds 16 oz.
Corks were typically secured on onion, mallet, and cylindrical bottles for storage purposes with copper wire packthreads. Bottle samples have also been found with the corks dipped in wax and the neck of the bottle wrapped in wax-soaked cloth and tied under the string rim with a light cord or wire. Wire packthreads were common until the late 19th century when alternative closure methods were developed.
Jas. Townsend also offers the GB-213 Bottle Flask. Similar samples of this type of utility bottle have been found dating back to as early as the 1730’s up through the end of the 18th century. They were often covered in leather or wicker and used as a canteen or as a pocket flask. Our GB-213 Flask is approximately 6” high and holds about 12 oz.
New Instructional Weaving Video
A new instructional video is available on inkle weaving, you can see a shortened version of this video on the inkle loom page and an extended version is on our new Volume 2 DVD collection.
Printed Cotton Bedspreads Available Again
We have a stock of printed cotton bedcovers. Check out the cute video clip available on its product page.
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