Bottle Makers and Their Marks

Dr. Toulouse, in this reprinted classic work, brought the finitely evolved world of the bottle makers into sharper focus. Collectors are not only able to date their bottles, but they may learn the often fascinating histories of the glass companies that produced them. Bottle collectors knew the author as an astute researcher; in this work he gathered over 900 older marks and more than 300 modern marks, handlettered for the most part, to better convey the actual markings on the bottle. The markings are organized into a dictionary-like format, with extensive cross-references, to facilitate quick identification of collectors' bottles by their marks. Dates, company histories, and human interest vignettes included in the listings combine to make bottles much more rewarding to possess and collect. There is also a section on foreign marks to make this guide as complete as possible. "Often considered the "bible" for manufacturer's marks, this epic work is astounding in its breadth. By his own count, Toulouse offered information on more than 1,200 different marks found on glass bottles and jars. The book is filled with information that could only have come from a factory "insider." Toulouse, in fact, spent his career in the glass manufacturing industry before he wrote his two books on marks for collectors." Society for Historical Archaeology Newsletter