Description

Privately Published, 1921. Hardcover, 109, [1] pp. First edition. In acceptable condition/ NO dust jacket. Tan cloth covered boards with line llustration of a bottle on the front. Moderate scuffing, spotting and soiling to covers with heavier scuffing to edges and spine. There are a few thin cracks to the spine but binding is still intact. There are a few margin notes in pencil. Pages lightly aged with occasional spotting. Black and white illustration. A foundational reference work for early American glass collectors by one of the first experts in early glass. Van Rensselaer operated one of the earliest bottle shops in the United States, dedicated extensive time to research, and is believed to have assembled the largest bottle collection of his era. [From Preface] The interest in historical flasks and bottles, and others of various colors and designs, is so widespread, that it has prompted me to compile this check list. Brief mention is made of the early bottle makers, as this is outside the scope of the book. So many minor variations occur in the decoration of flasks, that I deemed it advisable to mention the more important ones only. It was not thought necessary to mention every known color and size of the various bottles and flasks. Flasks in form of shells, pistols, shoes, cigars and others, are not mentioned, as they are considered of little interest. As many collectors are gathering Bitters, Medicine and other bottles and flasks, I have illustrated and described the best known ones. Diligent inquiry has been made of collectors throughout the United States, with whom I have compared notes in order to check up with them, although, for the most part, the illustrations are of bottles contained in my own collection: and, if any collector has bottles that are not listed, I shall be pleased to hear from him, so that I can include them in a later edition of the book. Credit is due to the following Collectors and Museums for assistance in compiling the book: Mr. Van Winkle, Mr. McKearin, Dr. Mettrick, Miss Meacham, Mr. Kaufmann, The Toledo Museum, The Milwaukee Museum, The Philadelphia Museum.