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Bottle 335 - Soldiers Home Ship in Bottle
Date Added: 01 October 2005

This is an old mold blown "pumpkinseed" flask bottle with a carved wooden ship inside it. This ship in bottle was believed to have been made by Thomas Edwards, a Civil War veteran and a resident of the Soldier's Home (at the time, the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers) in Dayton, Ohio. He died at the home in 1901. He varied his crossbars and ships a great deal on each while maintaining a similar theme. This ship has an orange hull and yellow stripe on the lower section. The deck is painted yellow with blue on the bow and stern sections. The masts and spars are well proportioned and the very tips of the masts and spars are painted first orange, then yellow, then blue, with the ends painted. The rigging is well done with standing and running rigging and shroud lines. A faded flag suspends from the rigging. The ship is suspended midway in the bottle. The flask has a lot of bubbles in the glass as would be expected from a bottle this old. These flasks were made between 1860 and 1890. The stopper is made of wood and there is a curved "trick" cross piece. Tied to each side of this cross piece is a length of thread with 2 large and 2 small silver glass beads strung on this thread making it appear impossible to have done since it prevents the stopper from coming out. Outside the bottle, the wood stopper has a carved rounded piece of wood painted mustard color with a faint orange star showing in the center.
Type: Ship in a Bottle   Maker's Name: Edwards, Thomas
Category: Sailing Ships   Made Where: Dayton, Ohio
Bottle Size: 5 1/2 x 3 3/4"   Year Made: 1880 - 1890
Bottle Type: Pumpkinseed Flask  

Links to Additional Information

Thomas Edwards, Soldiers Home Artist


Other Bottles by this Artist
Click on a picture to view the bottle


Bottle ID: 382

Bottle ID: 560

Bottle ID: 998

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