The current sale, accessible at Glass Works' own website, www.glswrk-auction.com, began Monday and closes July 25. The site lists each lot's minimum, or reserve, bid, the number of bids submitted, and the final presale price estimate.
Most of the bottles are early- to mid-19th century, although the sale features a cologne bottle probably made around 1770 by the Stiegel Glass Works of Manheim, Pa., that has a presale estimate of $3,500 to $5,500.
And most of the bottles are American, although, again, the sale features an Alpine German spirits flask made around 1775 and several Nailsea flasks made in England around 1855 that come from the collection of Dr. Gordon Mahanna. All should sell for three-figure prices.
After that, however, the diversity of the bottles begins.
Bitters and other beverages. There are bitters bottles, at least 60, dating to the late post-Civil War period when the contents (over 80 proof these days) were promoted as a cure for stomach problems. Now they are collectible because of their unusual shapes.
Among those offered are Brown's Celebrated Indian Herb Bitters, with a bottle shaped like an American Indian princess ($2,500 to $3,500), and National Bitters in the shape of an ear of corn ($4,000 to $6,000).
There are whiskey bottles, including one made by Henry Van Beil, whose shop was at 1310 Chestnut St. here from the 1860s to the 1880s ($1,500 to $2,500); a Wharton's Whiskey/1850/Chestnut Grove made in the late 1860s by the Whitney Glass Works of Glassboro ($250 to $350), and another bottle whose label identifies it as "Caspers Whiskey/Made by Honest/North Carolina People" ($375 to $475).
