Looking at a collection of Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Flasks

25 November 2013

While visiting with John Pastor and Liz Maxbauer in New Hudson, Michigan the other day, I was able to look at quite a few extraordinary bottles including Merchant’s Gargling Oils, Pattern Molded flasks and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year flasks which is the subject of this post.

I was immediately drawn to these ornate little bottles in a room dominated with major early american glass. In my heart, traditional Christmas has always been a good time and memories of childhood surface when I look at the images and messages on each bottle. I remember some of these types of bottles in my fathers collection cabinets which further tugged at my emotions.

These little flasks were usually filled with a brand of whiskey or some other spirit and given to proprietors of saloons, liquor stores, bars and hotels as a gift from the merchant during the holidays. Many of us know that John likes these bottles as he has written about them in the past and they have graced the cover of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector. The December 2013 issue is pictured above which, from what I understand, should be arriving this week in mailboxes to magazine subscribers.