Who Collects Dimple or Pinch Bottles?

[Harry Pristis]

I bought this bottle recently without knowing anything about it. It is (I believe) a Dimple bottle, or in the USA, a Pinch bottle. It was used for a Scottish whisky (or whiskey).

Pinch bottles - the recent ones - are not rare. They are characterized by three "dimples" or "pinches" in the sides.

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[size=14pt]This one has two dimples and a flat panel, no doubt for a paper label. This bottle is olive green glass, while first amber, then colorless glass has been used during the twentieth century. I suspect that this is a bottle used early in the evolution of the Dimple brand with its distinctive bottle.

This is from a UK web-site:
"John Haig & Company Limited
Principle Brands
Dimple 12 year old
Dimple 15 year Old
Also Know as Pinch in The USA Market
Haig Gold Label

"The Haig whisky distilling dynasty can rightfully lay claim to be the oldest Scotch whisky distillers having being active distillers for over 300 years.

"The first recording of Haig distilling was in 1655 when Robert Haig was summoned to appear before the Kirk Session for working his still on the Sabbath.

"He had established a farm at Throsk Stirlingshire in 1627 and this is taken to be the entry date of the Haig’s into distilling. . . .

". . . In 1856 John Haig &Co joined in with six other Lowland distillers to form a trade agreement to protect the individual and collective interests of the members. Eventually this trade agreement led to the formation of the Distillers Company Limited (DCL) in 1877 with John Haig and his son Hugh as directors

"During 1882 John Haig & Co merged with David Smith & Co and became a limited company with Hugh Haig, John Haig’s Son, as chairman.

"John Alicius Haig released the Dimple Deluxe blend in 1888. The distinctive 3 pinch bottle was introduced in 1893 by George Ogilvy Haig.

"DCL acquired the entire ordinary share capital of John Haig & Co Ltd in March of 1919 the take over of the Haig dynasty was completed in 1923 with DCL taking control of Haig & Haig Ltd."

 

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[gleaner1]

Here's a modern pinch from Holland. Harry, nice one you got there....

 

[Harry Pristis]

Thank you, 'gleaner1'. These pinch bottles make lovely decanters.

One of the interesting features of my pinch bottle is that it was blown in a 3-piece leaf mold. I believe that this is only the second "3-leaf" mold bottle ever on my shelf. This is the other example:

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[size=14pt]Cecil Munsey says this about 3-leaf molds:

"The three-part leaf mold has three body-mold leaves plus the bottom plate, which traditionally is not included in the count. This type of mold could actually employ more than three vertical sections but seldom did.

"The three-part leaf mold was very seldom used on the common bottle; it was used mostly on more expensive and highly decorated pieces. The bottom may be either post-bottom or cup-bottom in design.

"The major characteristic of bottles blown in this three-part leaf mold is the three seams which run vertically from the base of the bottle to the top."

Some of the pinch bottles I saw when I searched the www appeared to be blown in 3-leaf molds, some appeared to be made in two-piece molds. Into which category does your amber bottle fall, 'gleaner1'?

 

[gleaner1]

Harry, mine has the typical high-precision two-piece hair-thin machine-mold lines at top of spout.

 

[gleaner1]

There is another set of part lines 90 degrees from spout. This must be a four piece mold. The part line along the body is in a better position to allow the piece to come out of the mold easier.

 

[Harry Pristis]

Harry, mine has the typical high-precision two-piece hair-thin machine-mold lines at top of spout.

That's such an attractive amber in a distinctive bottle! It's easy to see why they were "customized" with pewter, and sometimes, silver.

That sketch is doubly useful! I took your sketch, 'gleaner1', and changed it to show how the seams are arranged on my pinch bottle. The seams stop just below the applied lip, as we would expect on a late 1800s bottle.

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