Bottle ID please ........

[Bridex]

My son-in-law came across this old bottle and is hoping for an ID on it.

The text around the bottle reads,

TO HIS MAJESTY
DOUBLE SODA WATER
MANUFACTURED
ISLINGTON
NEAR LONDON

any help on this would greatly appreciated
thanks

[grumpyjohn]

This type of bottle is called a Hamilton and had a cork stopper which had to be kept wet to maintain a seal hence the shape which meant it had to lie on its side. The design was superseded in the 1880s by the Codds patent which contained a marble in the neck. This bottle is therefore pre 1880.

[Bridex]

WOW, that was quick, thank you very much!!

[former member]

Ohhh that's nice...early Webb's Hamilton bottle around 1830's,rare find. 8->

[excavator]

Hamilton is a common misnomer that came about because one of the earliest examples found is embossed 'Hamilton's Patent', though it is now known that this refers to the method of filling rather than to the bottle itself. So perhaps more correctly termed a torpedo bottle.

As grumpyjohn states, torpedos were superseded by Codd bottles (patented in 1872) and by various other internal stopper types, though their use was continued by some firms as late as the 1910s, and possibly even later.

This one however is a particularly early one as characterised by the broad body, rather bluntly rounded base, and the rolled lip (as with early wine bottles, both shape and method of manufacture 'evolved' over time and later examples became more 'streamlined' with pointy ends and applied lips). Clearly pre-Victorian, I would also expect it to be pontilled - can you confirm or provide a photo of the base? (should have evidence of a jagged scar where it was snapped off from the pontil rod when it was made).

A very good find indeed, and potentially quite a valuable bottle

[doglikesparky]

After years of bottle digging and glass collecting, I have NEVER dug an early hammilton...this is a fine discovery.

I think its just slitley too late to be free blown, looking at the shape..but If it is pontilled thats a bonus. but PLEASE dont have it cleaned (as in acid dipped/tumbled) as so many people do now a days. leave it how it is.if you want to bring up a nice shine rub a bit of boot polish over it and buff it off when dry.

Id swap finding gold hammys to find a pontilled one of these any day... :g :g :g :g :g :g :g :g :g

not that ive ever found a gold hammy.......... yet

[excavator]

Id swap finding gold hammys to find a pontilled one of these any day... :g :g :g :g :g :g :g :g :g

not that ive ever found a gold hammy.......... yet

... now, a gold hammy. With a pontil ... there's a thought

[doglikesparky]

Too damn right, nice disk pontil encoprating a seal ...drooolllllllllll :g :g :g :g