Bottle with the Seal of Richard Wistar

Object Name: 
Bottle with the Seal of Richard Wistar

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Object Name: 
Bottle with the Seal of Richard Wistar
Maker(s): 
Place Made: 
United States, NJ, Alloway
Accession Number: 
86.4.196
Dimensions: 
Overall H: 23.5 cm, Diam (max): 11.2 cm
Location: 
On Display
Date: 
about 1745-1755
Credit Line: 
Gift of Miss Elizabeth Wistar
Web Description: 
The first successful glass factory in the Colonies was established by Caspar Wistar near Alloway, New Jersey, in 1739. Its principal products were window glass and bottles, which were in great demand. More than 15,000 bottles were produced there each year. Wistar’s bottles were made using a typical “Waldglas” formula that had been popular in northern Europe since the Middle Ages. The impure greenish glass was fashioned into bottles so closely similar to the European variety that the makers of unmarked examples cannot be identified. This bottle bears the initials of Richard Wistar, eldest son of Caspar Wistar. It is one of only three marked bottles that can be attributed to the Wistar factory.

More Info

Department: 
Early Modern
Provenance: 
Wistar Estate, Elizabeth (d. 1993), Source
Color: 
light green
Technique: 
glassblowing
Material: 
glass

Description

Primary Description: 
Light green non-lead glass; blown. Cylindrical body with long neck, applied collar, applied seal on shoulder with "RW", very slightly pushed in base, rough pontil mark, three paper labels, with "L75.58.1", "150" and "#71".

Exhibitions (3)

American Glass: Industry and Art
Venue(s)
Corning Museum of Glass
Exhibition of objects shown on US postage stamps.
Masterpieces of American Glass
Venue(s)
Museum of Applied Arts 1990-07-27 through 1990-09-02
State Hermitage Museum 1990-09-15 through 1990-10-21
Museum of the State Institute of Glass 1990-11-02 through 1991-01-04
 
Title Unknown (Corning Museum of Glass)
Venue(s)
Corning Museum of Glass 1976 through 1976

Publications (29)

The Decanter: Ancient to Modern (2018) illustrated, p. 216;
Envisioning New Jersey: An Illustrated History of the Garden State (2016) illustrated, p. 56 (top left); BIB# 142315
Antique Sealed bottles 1640-1900 and the families who owned them (2015) illustrated, p. 362;
Glass Through History (2014) illustrated, pp. 14-15; BIB# AI98196
New Jersey's Colonial Architecture: Told in 100 Buildings (2014) illustrated, p. 103 (upper right);
History of Design: Decorative Arts and Material Culture, 1400-2000 (2013) illustrated, p. 305, fig. 12.46; BIB# 129163
Glass: A Short History (The British Museum edition) (2012) illustrated, pp. 88-89; BIB# 135965
Glass: A Short History (Smithsonian Books edition) (2012) illustrated, pp. 88-89; BIB# 130360
Richard Wistar Bottle (family) (2011)BIB# 131716
Richard Wistar Bottle (adult) (2011)BIB# 131717
Corning Museum of Glass (2009-01) illustrated, p. 7; BIB# 109342
Glassmaking, America's First Industry (2009-01) illustrated, p. 238, Fig. 1; BIB# AI77121
Oceans of Wine (2009) illustrated, plates between 306 and 307; BIB# 113240
Encyclopedia of New Jersey (2004) illustrated, p. 879; BIB# 90661
The Decanter: An Illustrated History of Glass from 1650 (2004) illustrated, p. 41, pl. 46; BIB# 67221
The Corning Museum of Glass, A Guide to the Collections (2001) (2001) illustrated, p. 104; BIB# 68214
American Antiques and Collectibles (2001) illustrated, p. 264; BIB# 76353
Antiques Roadshow Primer: The Introductory Guide to Antiques and Collectibles from the Most-Watched Series on PBS (1999) p. 101; BIB# 64891
American Glass [postage stamps] (1998) illustrated BIB# 61141
The Corning Museum of Glass, Curators' Choice (1995) illustrated, #13; BIB# 36655
Glassworks (AAF) (1992-06) p. 67;
Collector's Guide to American Pressed Glass, 1825-1915 (1992) p. 5, fig. 2-1; BIB# 34337
Hikari no shouchu: sekai no garasu = The glass (1992) p. 156, #262; BIB# 58995
Masterpieces of American Glass (1990) illustrated, pp. 4, 91, pl. 1; BIB# 33046
A Short History of Glass (1990 edition) (1990) illustrated, p. 70-71, #60; BIB# 33211
A Catalogue of American Antiques (1990) illustrated, p. 92; BIB# 69239
Recent Important Acquisitions, 29 (1987) illustrated, p. 118, #17; BIB# AI19055
Glass Production in Eighteenth Century America: The Wistarburg Enterprise (1976) pp. 85-86, fig. 67;
The Wistarburgh Glassworks : The Beginning of Jersey Glassmaking (1976) illustrated, pp. 12-14; BIB# 19317