Earthenware Bottle

eborac

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Hi,
The owner of this bottle told me it was found in a coastal cave quite some years ago.
It has 1 KAN stamped on.
It is just over 11½ " (295 mm) high x just over 3" (90 mm) in diameter.
It does not have a mass produced look about it & the owner believes it to be of japanese origin.

Any comments/info would be appreciated.
 

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Upvote 11
Hmmm,

I know such bottles from 18th and 19th century mineral & healing water brands. Look for example up Appolinaris:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollinaris_(water)


"1 Kan" could be short for one can (a unit of measurement, mostly about one liter). are there other markings on it, on thebottom for example.

What make the owner think its japanese?


Greets Namxat
 

1 Kan is a Dutch unit of measure used before the use of the liter. A quick search found a similar one to yours, it was German made, but used by the Dutch. 19th century.
 

It is unique. I like it.
 

Very unusual looking bottle. I’ve never seen one quite like it before.
 

I can only comment on the fact that I like it. I know nothing about the bottle itself.
 

I think Kray Gelder nailed it. I have had dozens of those type German mineral water bottles over the years. Mine were dug from mid to late 19th century privies in the mid Atlantic area, or dredged up by commercial clammers' out of the Chesapeke Bay. Out of the many that went through my hands, it was tough to find two of them with the same words impressed in them. I sold most of them in the $5 to $20 range depending upon condition. If you come across one with the name of an American company or town impressed in it, the value will go up substantially.
 

1 Kan is a Dutch unit of measure used before the use of the liter. A quick search found a similar one to yours, it was German made, but used by the Dutch. 19th century.

Yeah, German made in a portion of the Westerwald:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannenbäckerland


Wonder if it wound up in Australia directly as shipment or indirectly via the Asian dutch colonies.



Greets

namxat
 

neat old bottle
 

Beautiful old bottle! :occasion14:
 

Thank you for the informative feedback. There are some early german shipwrecks recorded on reefs east of the Great Barrier Reef off Australia's Queensland coast. Perhaps it got washed ashore or survivors brought it.
Keep the comments coming please.

After posting the above I washed out the inside but there was still something rattling around that was too large to fall out. When I checked, I found it to be two halves of a shell which made me think that the bottle was floating for some time & became a home for a shell or perhaps an octopus.
 

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