Photos by David Moore From European Home, this Italian wine container has a hand-rolled lip, which eliminated sharp edges and allowed for smooth pouring.

History, Highlights, and Helpful Hints

The qualities prized in beautiful glass bottles are reminiscent of those of an attractive woman: a lovely mouth, slender neck, graceful shoulders and a shapely body.

Vessels that meet those standards often age gracefully and continue to be sought after. Regardless of their age, they can be artful, decorative and collectible. Kay Massaro, owner of European Home in Scottsdale, appreciates their imperfections. “The waviness of old glass can’t help but catch your eye,” she observes.

A type of bottle particularly appreciated by today’s collectors is a demijohn, a utility vessel that has long been used to store quantities of wine or other liquids ranging from five to 15 gallons. The origin of the name for this type of spherical, short-necked glass container may have come from the French Dame Jeanne (Lady Jane), presumably comparing the bottle’s shape to that of a rotund woman named Jeanne; or it may come from the name of an old Persian wine-producing town, Damaghan.

“The original demijohns were handblown and capped with a wax seal or cork,” explains Amy Johannsen of Antiquities in Scottsdale. “Often, the glass was protected with wicker, rush or a metal cage, although few of these coverings have survived,” she adds. While Johannsen finds demijohns to be popular and readily available, she suggests that buyers also consider other types of bottles as decor. She likes to combine the rounded demijohns with dark vinegar bottles, light-green truffle-collecting vessels, and even ordinary vintage kitchen jars.

This French bottle embodies the attractive irregularities of handblown glass, including the separately made, hand-applied ring circling its mouth, says Todd Zillweger of Relics Architectural Home & Garden in Phoenix.

A demijohn may be old enough to qualify as an antique or could be categorized as vintage, dating from as recently as the 1930s. Some are reproductions meant to look antiquated. Since the same techniques and equipment have been used to blow glass since 1750, it often is difficult to determine their age. A little knowledge of the history of glass helps the buyer establish both vintage and price, writes Michael Polak in his reference book Antique Trader® Bottles: Identification and Price Guide (Krause Publications, 2005).  

Glass itself is an ancient material composed of silica sand and oxides. Mesopotamians and Egyptians are known to have made glass thousands of years before our era. The Romans developed the art of free-blowing glass with a pipe dipped in molten material. Sources note that by the first century, the Romans had begun molding glass as well by lowering it into a removable form and adding the neck and lip after it cooled.

Techniques of fabricating glass continued to evolve after that in the direction of transparency and color variation, says Digger O’Dell in his Bottlebooks online publications. Through the 1500s, artisans in small European shops dominated the development of glassmaking, creating vessels primarily for wealthy dignitaries and royalty. While ordinary people had to be satisfied with ceramic containers, glass became a status symbol for those who could afford to buy it. Venetian glass set the standard around the 14th century. On the island of Murano, Venetian artisans with their glassmaking secrets were virtually held captive, risking severe punishment or death if they dared to reveal their techniques to the outside world, according to scholars.

Ultimately, information leaked to the rest of Europe and beyond. Countries like France and Spain, where grapes were widely cultivated and wine was the beverage of choice (water was not often drunk because it could be unsafe), were particularly eager to avail themselves of glass storage vessels.

This large Belgian demijohn from Relics Architectural Home & Garden was used for liquids, which left a permanent residue inside.

The glass bottles available from antiques dealers today were used for transporting and storing wine efficiently, “without affecting its taste,” notes Todd Zillweger, who buys French antiques for Relics Architectural Home & Garden in Phoenix. “They were used by both the sellers and buyers because the bottles’ capacity was generous but could be handled by one man.”

What to look for
Michael Polak, in Antique Trader® Bottles: Identification and Price Guide, suggests that it’s important to be familiar with the signs of age when you purchase old glass pieces. The buyer needs to consider the following:

Is it handblown?
The handmade character of an old bottle is key to its value. An uneven shape is to be expected if a bottle was free-blown and dates before 1860. Bubbles and random strands of color in the glass, a bent neck, lack of a regular pattern, and striations are signs that glass was handmade, whether centuries or decades ago.

Does it have a mold seam?
Blown-into-mold glass is considered handblown. Its shape will be more regular than free-blown glass. Molds—first wood and then glass—were made in two pieces and removed, leaving a seam. The mold line on a bottle can indicate its approximate age to an expert.

Do the lip and bottom of the bottle indicate an older style of manufacturing?
The lips of bottles made before 1870 appear crude and irregular. That’s because they were added after the bottle was blown or removed from its mold. There may be “drippy” areas, as well, under the bands applied around the lip.

Bottles with smooth bases usually date after 1870. Most bottles made before that will have marks on their bottoms where the rod (pontil) used by the maker was broken off.

Is the color consistent with age?
Aqua is the natural color of glass, its shade depending on minerals used in production. Clear glass is treated to become transparent. Shades of green and blue-green characterize most old glass. However, amber, blue, dark olive green and other colors appear from time to time and add value because they are unusual.

In what condition is the bottle?
Mint condition may be an indication of a bottle’s recent vintage, and tiny chips or flakes on the lip, stains, and wear patterns give character to old glass. A light inner haze also indicates age.

How does it feel?
Legitimate wear will make glass feel silky smooth. Artificial wear feels rough.

The rare amber glass of this Provencal demijohn, from Relics Architectural Home & Garden, is the color most coveted by collectors.

What to consider
Cost: Whether a bottle is antique or of newer vintage isn’t as important as its appeal, designers agree; but buyers need to understand that pricing should be commensurate with age. Many large bottles available today were produced in the 20th century or later. They may be handblown and similar to antiques in many ways but should be more reasonably priced because of their greater availability.

“It is difficult to recognize fine old glass,” cautions Todd Zillweger. “The best way to know that the price is appropriate is to buy from a trusted seller.”

Use: Objet, vignette or collection? “The demijohn type of bottle is a good scale to build around,” says Susan Rose, owner of Beau Mélange in Scottsdale. “I like to mix them with the textures of baskets or rusted iron and arrange them as if they are being used.”

Interior designer Bruce Stodola, ASID, observes, “The sheen and shape of beautiful old bottles give a distinctive touch to a room, and a collection of vintage bottles adds interest to the large wine rooms so popular today.”

He says that having knowledge of the history of these bottles—whether filled with wine or not—helps buyers get involved with their collections.

A bubble in the glass shows that this bottle was blown, not molded. The chipped lip represents “age-appropriate wear,” notes Todd Zillweger.

WHERE TO FIND THEM
Since wine and bottles to store it in developed together, places that carry antiques and objects from winegrowing countries like France, Italy and Spain are likely to have a selection. Handblown glass from around the Mediterranean and from Germany, Hungary and other countries also can be found.

Antique and vintage European bottles usually are available at:
Antiquities, 7401 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale
Beau Mélange, 7033 E. First Ave., Scottsdale
The Embellished House, 10802 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
European Home, 8180 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale
Relics Architectural Home & Garden, 839 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
Showcase at the Peak, 7848 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale
Trouvé, 4225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix