Five olive green case gin bottles with a square tapered body and four dots on base.
Some of the earliest spirit bottles were square in cross section and generally designed to contain gin, though undoubtedly contained various types of alcohol and possibly wine. Commonly called "case gin" or "taper gin" bottles since they would pack more efficiently to a case (six to 24 bottles) than round bottles. Case gin bottles are square with a more or less distinct taper inwards from the shoulder to the base. The neck is very short to almost non-existent with the finishes varying from a laid-on ring, flared, mineral finish, oil, and even a blob. This shape and style of bottle originated, and was commonly made, in Europe at least as early as the mid-17th century (https://sha.org/bottle/liquor.htm#CaseGinbottles accessed October 2017). These examples do not exhibit the bevelled corners generally seen on bottles of the 1860s or later and may therefore be earlier 19th century.
Five olive green case gin bottles with a square tapered body and four dots on base.
Some of the earliest spirit bottles were square in cross section and generally designed to contain gin, though undoubtedly contained various types of alcohol and possibly wine. Commonly called "case gin" or "taper gin" bottles since they would pack more efficiently to a case (six to 24 bottles) than round bottles. Case gin bottles are square with a more or less distinct taper inwards from the shoulder to the base. The neck is very short to almost non-existent with the finishes varying from a laid-on ring, flared, mineral finish, oil, and even a blob. This shape and style of bottle originated, and was commonly made, in Europe at least as early as the mid-17th century (https://sha.org/bottle/liquor.htm#CaseGinbottles accessed October 2017). These examples do not exhibit the bevelled corners generally seen on bottles of the 1860s or later and may therefore be earlier 19th century.
These items were found with two clay pipes​ (MAS-D100079) and two perfume bottles (MAS-D100080).
All of these items were recovered from the wreck ​Loanda. Built in 1891 at Barrow-in-Furness (Cumbria) by the Naval Construction and Armaments Co., Loanda was a two-masted screw-driven steamer owned by the British and African Steam Navigation Co. On 31 May 1908, following a collision with SS Junona, Loanda foundered while under tow 1 mile east of St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent. At the time of loss, the vessel was bound from Hamburg, Germany, to West Africa with a general cargo. This cargo, which has seen significant recovery by divers, included: clay pipes; bottles of wine and gin; glass beads; perfume bottles; pencils, writing slates and inkpots; lamps; and teacups, lids, dishes, pots, saucers, plates, jugs and eggcups. NRHE and Kent HER reference numbers cited in this record refer to the wreck of Loanda.
NRHE and Kent HER reference numbers cited in this record refer to the wreck of Loanda.
A RDF representation of MAS-D100063
2017-07-15T15:13:43+01:00
2020-03-30T14:10:00+01:00
MAS-D100063
MAS-D100063
GB
en-GB
The Trustees of the British Museum
The Trustees of the British Museum
1
The period from for the object
http://purl.org/NET/Claros/vocab#Thumbnail
Attribute as courtesy of the British Museum
A thumbnail image of MAS-D100063
With finder
MAS
Created by MAS
L M
L M
Identified by L M
V L
Identified by V L
Glass
Primary material of object
Complete
70.
Width
250.
Length
By Attribution 3.0
Attribute as courtesy of the British Museum
A full resolution image of MAS-D100063
Classification of object