WASHINGTON TAYLOR PORTRAIT FLASKS
27 January 2013 (R•061717) (R•031719-AGG) (R•040418-Heckler Aprill)
Since starting out as a Bitters collector back in 2002, I have ‘strayed’ slightly from my course a couple of times into the Historical Flask world. As a specialist in color runs I found it immensely pleasurably to look at runs of Baltimore, Corn for the World (Read: Corn for the World Historical Flasks) and Washington Taylor Portrait Flasks from Dyottville Glass Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
That is my old run of Washington Taylor portrait flasks above. The color range is extraordinary in this mold. I would buy a few, start my run with five or six and then be slammed by a beauty of another of such high degree and cost that I quickly said, ‘no’ and saved my money for Bitters bottles. Here is my tribute to the W/T’s as I call them. Simple, no embossed words, historical, gutsy and gorgeous.
T. W. Dyott’s Glass Works (Dyottville) at Richmond & Beach, as seen from the Delaware River, 1831
The McKearin Historical Flask Groups
Group I – Portrait Flasks
Numbers 1 through 61 are Washington Flasks, Numbers 62 through 79a include Adams, Harrison, Jackson and Taylor, Numbers 80 through 93 are Lafayette, Numbers 94 through 98 are Franklin, Numbers 99 through 107a are Jenny Lind. Other portrait flasks are listed in molds 111 through 131
G A L L E R Y
BUST OF WASHINGTON – BUST OF TAYLOR, (GI-54), Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ca. 1848 – 1855, deep sapphire blue quart, smooth base, applied blob mouth. Two in-making chips that occurred when the lip was sheared extend slightly below the edge of the mouth at the neck. A bright, clean flask with good glass whittle, a number of air bubbles and in an incredible vivid blue color. Another great window bottle, some real eye candy! – Glass Works Auctions #115
BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54?), Medium Citron Green, Circa 1849-1855, Perfect, Lots of character. From a private collection in Lancaster, PA., Ex: Blaske Collection, sticker on base. – ex Ferdinand Meyer V Collection
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1860-1870. Prussian blue, heavy applied collared mouth – smooth base, quart; (minor manufacturer’s mouth roughness). GI-54 Beautiful bottle, rare color, strong mold impression, exceptional example. The Dr. Gary and Arlette Johnson collection. – Heckler Auction 102
BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54), Yellow Olive, Circa 1849-1855, Near Perfect, Rich yellow olive quart, smooth base, applied sloping collar mouth. A Rarely offered in this attractive color. Glass Works Auction 80 Lot #101. June 2007 – ex Ferdinand Meyer V Collection
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow with a slight olive tone, sheared mouth – pontil scar, half pint; GI-53 – Norman C. Heckler & Company
BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54?), Sapphire Blue, Circa 1849-1855, Mint, Tons of character. From a private collection in Lancaster, PA. – ex Ferdinand Meyer V Collection
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1860-1870. Brilliant medium green, applied sloping collared mouth with ring – smooth base, quart; (1/16 inch bruise on the underside of the collar, 1/8 inch flash at the top of the mouth, a manufacturer’s defect). GI- 54 Beautiful color, strong embossing. Warren “Bud” Lane collection. – Heckler Auction 100 – Lot: 18
BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54) Light Teal Blue, Circa 1848-1855, About Perfect, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1848-1855, light teal blue quart, open pontil, applied mouth, about perfect. Plenty of glass whittle and in a nice shade of blue that approaches being sapphire., Glass Works Auction 86 Lot #8 – Ferdinand Meyer V Collection
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Ginger ale color, sheared mouth – pontil scar, quart. GI-51 Great condition, unique in this most unusual and beautiful color. Exceptional – Norman C. Heckler & Company
BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI- ) Medium Green, Circa 1840 -1860, Near Perfect, Dyottville Glass Works. Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Brilliant bubbly medium green, applied sloping collared mouth – pontil scar, quart. Some very minor highpoint wear and scratches. Norman Heckler Auction 83 Lot #22 Jun 2007 – Ferdinand Meyer V Collection
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Unusual yellow golden amber, sheared mouth – pontil scar, pint. GI-52 An exceptional bottle, great color, strong embossing, filled with millions of tiny bubbles, great condition. – Norman C. Heckler & Company
BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-57), Light Emerald
Green Aqua, Circa 1849-1855, Perfect, Very crude flask in perfect condition. Quart, 7 7/8″ tall, with a sheared lip and strong, intact, iron pontil. The glass is crude, with an overall pebbled effect. The color is a blue-green or light emerald green. This is not a deep, rich color, but it is very pretty. – Meyer Colection
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow with an olive tone, sheared mouth – pontil scar, half pint; (slightly buffed portion at the top of the sheared lip). GI-56 An extremely rare color in a hard to find half pint mold, strong embossing. Ex Charles B. Gardner collection #1860, ex Robert Mebane collection, Warren “Bud” Lane collection. – Heckler Auction 100 – Lot: 25
BUST OF WASHINGTON – BUST OF TAYLOR, (GI-54), Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ca. 1848 – 1855, medium ginger ale color quart, big tubular open pontil, applied mouth. Pristine perfect condition, nicely whittled glass and having a strikingly bold impression. One of the best, and in a very rare eye appealing color that changes depending of the light it is viewed in. Very few flasks were ever blown in this wild a color! – Glass Works Auction #96
Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow with an olive tint, sheared mouth – tubular pontil scar, half pint. GI-56 Strongly embossed, extremely rare color, beautiful example. The Dr. Gary and Arlette Johnson collection. – Heckler Auction 102
WASHINGTON – TAYLOR Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, 1848 – 1855. Gorgeous, light-to-medium pinkish-puce with profuse striations swirled throughout, sheared mouth – blowpipe pontil scar, Qt, near mint; (a little scattered light exterior wear). GI-51. Unlisted and exceptional color, incredible eye-appeal. A top example! We are privileged to offer this flask at auction, the 1st time on the market in more than 20 years. Provenance: James Chebalo collection. – American Glass Gallery | Auction #22
WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON Portrait Flask, Lockport Glass Works, Lockport, NY, 1850 – 1860. Rich, deep blue green, sheared mouth – blowpipe pontil scar, Qt, virtually attic mint; (just a trace bit of faint wear and a pinprick speck of roughness on the inside edge of the lip, otherwise pristine!) GI-61. A scarce mold, vivid, rare, eye-appealing color, beautifully whittled. Provenance: James Chebalo collection. – American Glass Gallery | Auction #22
BUST OF WASHINGTON / “WASHINGTON” – BUST OF TAYLOR / “G.Z. TAYLOR”, (GI-50), Dyottville Glass Works, ca. 1848 – 1855, clear glass with a hint of amethyst pint, open pontil, sheared and tooled lip. A chip off the outer edge of the lip has been partially buffed out, otherwise perfect. Rare color in a scarce mold! – Glass Works Auction #115
Lot: 87 Washington Bust – Sheaf Of Wheat Portrait Flask, probably Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Rich cobalt blue, sheared mouth – pontil scar, half pint; (moderate exterior high point wear, shallow 3/8 inch pontil chip comes to edge of base). GI-59 A heavy little flask with thick glass. Extremely rare. Found at a construction site in Cincinnati, Ohio. Generally fine condition. Dr. Charles and Jane Aprill collection. Estimate: $15,000 – $30,000 Minimum bid: $7,500 Price Realized: $14,040 – The Dr. Charles & Jane Aprill Collection: Heckler Auction, Session I, Premier Auction 172,
