The Antique Bottle Collector

Exceptional: Two Chateau Yquems c. 1850

2008-05-21T23:30:00.008+02:00

Two of a Kind. Who would have believed that I would add a second Chateau d'Yquem c. to my collection only six months after acquiring the first one? The two bottles are slightly different in in height and colour as can be seen in the photo. The 1st example (left) has a more decorative seal which includes a bunch of grapes in the center of the seal. The seal on the more recent addition (right) is text only and references "Grand Vin". Both bottles are marked Haut Sauternes which means they pre date 1855 Grand Vin classement, I believe.

Chateau Yquem c. 1850

2007-11-25T22:28:00.001+01:00

This week I made an exceptional addition to my collection with this beautiful example of a c. 1850s French wine bottle with seal "CHATEAU YQUEM Haut Sauternes". Chateau d'Yquem is considered one of the most famous white wines in the world today. The interesting thing is that this bottle pre-dates the change in name from Chateau Yquem to Chateau d'Yquem. If you have information on the history of this Chateau and details on when the " d' "was added to the name please let me know. I would like to hear from you.

Musée du Vin in Paris

2006-09-24T19:23:00.000+02:00

Musée du Vin

Musée du Vin in Paris

2006-09-24T14:13:00.000+02:00

Speaking about bottle collecting at an evening organised by the Club Francais du Tire-Bouchon held at the Musée du Vin in Paris. This was a great evening in the prestigious caves of the museum dating back to the middle ages, used at one time as a wine cellar for the famous "Jules Verne" restaurant in the Eiffel Tour. It must be at least 10 years since I have visited the museum and I was amazed by how the collection of wine related exhibits has grown. I was pleased to see that under the management of Jean-Jacques Hervy, conservator at the museum since 1984, the exhibit of 18th and 19th century wine bottles has expanded significantly.

"Constantia Wyn 1835"

2005-12-27T19:03:00.000+01:00

One of my precious few dated seals. Dutch/Belgium sealed wine bottle, dark olive green glass, long straight neck with low shoulders, seal "CON, STANTIA, WYN, 1835", blowpipe pontil scar. This wine was named after Constance the wife of the Dutch Governor Simon Van der Stel (died in 1712) in South Africa, who possessed vineyards at the Cape from c. 1680 onwards.

"Chateau Chalon" c. 1890

2005-12-27T18:28:00.000+01:00

"Two of a Kind". Here are two "Chateau Chalon" French wine seal bottles. The one on the right was a Christmas present from my wife Anne. She found at a flea market in Paris. Yeah Anne! It is a typical light olive green glass colour for this period. The one on the left, was a gift from Frederique & Richard, is similar but is different. It is a darker, mid green colour and is a heavier bottle. Possibly coming from two different glass works. The seals appear to be identical with the only differences being - the seal on the left is extremely well stuck and has excellent definition, the seal on the right is more generous with a larger and more uniform outside lip.

Engraved Scottish Alloa Bottle c. 1830s

2005-12-26T15:38:00.000+01:00

This is a rare find. It is believed to be of Scottish origin, probably Alloa bottle c. 1830s. It has fully spherical body, shaped lady's leg neck and 2 part tapered applied lip and a flat scar pontil base. The body has etched on to it an emblem of the Masonic lodge ? and "JOHN & AGNES COWIE"

Haut - Brion c. 1850's

2005-12-21T00:11:00.000+01:00

This is a Haut - Brion French Bordeaux wine bottle, light green glass, spun pontil, round seal 'HAUT - BRION' with a bunch of grapes in the center and a thumb smear on right hand side. c. 1850's. It has the characteristic Haut - Brion shape of slopping shoulders and is visibly wider at the shoulder than at the base. Acquired in Florida, USA. A treasure.

'LAFITE 1887' French Wine Seal Bottle

2005-12-17T01:20:00.000+01:00

French Bordeaux dated seal wine bottle. Dark green glass, spun pontil, large round seal 'LAFITE - 1887'. I bought this one from a specialist dealer and collector in the UK in 1997.

"Bachelot Cantenac Medoc" French Wine Seal Bottle

2005-12-17T01:07:00.000+01:00

French Bordeaux, flat string-rim lip, mid olive green glass, spun pontil, large oval seal 'VE. BACHELOT CANTENAC MEDOC'. This bottle came into my possession at a Bottle Fair in Tampa Florida in 1998. I was visiting my brother-in-law and friend Antoine and we stopped in at the Fair. I came away with 3 French wine seal bottles which are believed to have been found in the Mobile/New Orleans area.

Signature Seal Bordeaux

2005-12-17T00:54:00.000+01:00

Signed Bordeaux Seal. "One of a Kind". French Bordeaux wine bottle, mid-olive green, high flat applied lip, with large oval seal "J. H. D. BECKER FILS - 'signature' - BORDEAUX". I bought this one back from Melbourne, Australia in May, 2005. It was 'dug' in a building site in City Rd. South Melbourne by an experienced and long time bottle collector and 'digger'. The bottle has sent the last 150+ years in the ground on the other side of the globe and now it is Paris back in its country of origin some 150 years latter. I love a story with a happy ending...

2005-12-17T00:31:00.000+01:00

"Three of a Kind". Here are 3 great black glass seals of French origin. Left: a "cul casse" pontil scare with sagging base with unusual seal position at start of shoulder c. 1800. Centre: a "cul casse" pontil scare with round seal "xxxxx a Paris"c. 1800. Right: a small smooth pontil pharmacy bottle with rotation stress marks in neck, large round seal "xxxx a Paris" c. 1800

"Chateau Margaux 1858". An Exceptional Find

2005-12-16T21:39:00.000+01:00

Seek and you shall find. And what an exceptional find it was. Went down to Bordeaux hoping to find a few nice antique bottles to add to my collection. Well you know sometimes you're lucky and sometimes you are very lucky. By the way did you know that luck stands for Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. Yes, and I had lots of luck and came back to Paris with this little baby. "Grand Vin, Chateau Margaux, Finke & Cie, 1858". Thank you Claude and Gunvor.