wicker bottles

[Angel of Mercy]

Hello,
I could not find any mentions of wicker covered bottles in the past threads. I have been curious as to the authenticity of small one-gallon wicker covered bottles. I've been doing some research on them. I know there were small and large "demi-johns"...I have a small one and I'm trying to date it and was wondering if small wicker bottles were used during the 1850s/60s.

I know there are several ways to date it by examining it but I do not want to remove the wicker to check for a pontil mark. Any other ways of dating it?

Any help welcome. Thank you in advance.

[calico_outlaw]

Re: wicker bottles

In Apron Full of Gold, Mary Jane Meguire writes of a party where "one little unique bottle stood in the centre of the table neatly encased in straw.."
This is 19 March 1856 and it was a "kind of cordial". I dont know if "encased in straw" refers to the bottle being covered, or that the bottle was left in its packing box and displayed on the table.

[PvtWill]

Re: wicker bottles

These types of bottles are very often seen in pictures of the period, especially in Officer's camps.

Their styles very widely as they were all wickered by hand. The covering helped keep the contents cool.

regards,

mark

[DPSaffer]

Re: wicker bottles

To echo what Mark said, I have found that these sorts of bottles were indeed common, especially earlier in the war and/or in officers' camps. I actually was curious of the same question. I searched many pictures of Federal camps for evidence of the wicker bottles and the answer was pretty clearly in the affirmative, even for what looked like gallon-sized bottles.

Kyle Wichtendahl

[Amtmann]

Re: wicker bottles

I would watch using these bottle for holding liquids you will be drinking. You do not know what was put into the bottle in the past. You don't know what is still in it because the wicker doesn't allow you to examine the insides good. You may think it is all washed out and clean, but some contaminant may be left behind.

[Charles Heath]

Re: wicker bottles

Quite right. The photographic evidence is overwhelming.

Rick's advice about residue is spot-on.