Ships, Folk Art, and Whimsey in Bottles

This is an older and simple model of a cross and religious symbols built in a bottle. The cross is made from two joined blocks of wood in a mortise and tenon. The cross is adorned with a single small diagonal dowel-like piece of wood where the cross arm joins the upright. The cross is mounted on a a wooden base that has cross braced pieces. On this base are several religious symbols commonly found in bottles of this type. To the left side of the cross is a wooden mallet, pair of pliers, and shovel, and to the right side is a pick, axe, and a spear. In front of the cross on the base are two dice showing a five and a two or a total of seven as you look at the front, which is also a very symbolic number in religion. Leaning against the back of the cross is a ladder with 12 rungs. The bottle has a long wooden shaft extending from the opening of the bottle to the top of the cross holding the cross in place. This shaft has small wooden wedges keeping it from moving and making it tight in the opening of the bottle. The bottle is additionally sealed with the original metal screw cap. The bottle has "Federal Law Forbids Sale or Re-sale - Use Of This Bottle," near the top of the bottle which dates the bottle between the 1933 and 1965. This bottle is believed to have been made in the 1940's. On the bottom is a molded circle with 09 60-42 H16 9Q and a small 21 on the side. The bottle is 8 1/4" x 3 3/4" x 1 7/8" in size.