Two Extraordinary Wide Mouth Sunburst Snuff Jars

HecklerWideMouthSnuff5Two Extraordinary Wide Mouth Sunburst Snuff Jars

21 March 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAMany of you may remember the extraordinary wide mouth Keene Glass Works, wide mouth Sunburst flask that was sold by Glass Works Auctions at the FOHBC 2013 National Antique Bottle Show Madness in Manchester Auction in Manchester, New Hampshire last August. From Bottles and Extras: Sandor Fuss purchased the bottle and he was delighted, he couldn’t believe it went so reasonable considering the rarity (it sold for $24,000 not including auction house premium). The picture below is from the auction house while the second picture shows the flask, in all its beauty, on a shelf in the Fuss Collection.

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Glass Works Auctions

Lot #44. WIDE MOUTH SUNBURST Flask, (GVIII-19), Keene Glass Works, Keene, New Hampshire, ca. 1815 – 1825, deep bluish aqua jar, 7 1/8”h, pontil scarred base, sheared and tooled wide mouth. A tiny potstone located in one of the rays has several tiny stress radiation’s stemming from it. Crude whittled glass, full of seed bubbles.

You are bidding on what many consider to be the most desirable of all the Sunburst form flasks. Often times referred to as the ‘snuff jar’ Sunburst, it is believed that only about a half-dozen are thought to exist, usually in shades of olive amber and olive green. To our knowledge of the known examples, this is the only example in this deep bluish aqua color.

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Heckler Auction

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We see another extraordinary example of a Sunburst Snuff Jar (top tight example) in the current Heckler Premier Auction 108. The write-up and pictures follow.

Lot: 96 Sunburst Snuff Jar, Keene Marlboro Street Glassworks, Keene, New Hampshire, 1815-1830. Medium to deep yellowish olive green, sheared mouth – pontil scar, ht. 7 3/8 inches; (some very minor manufacturer’s blemishes including onion skin bubbles and potstones). GVIII-19 Exceptionally rare. Exceptionally beautiful. This piece has a real “presence”. Fine condition. Purchased from Jacob’s in Southwick, Massachusetts for $25.00 in 1952, ex Merritt Vanderbilt collection, Clarissa Vanderbilt Dundon collection.

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About Ferdinand Meyer V

Ferdinand Meyer V is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and has a BFA in Fine Art and Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. Ferdinand is the founding Principal of FMG Design, a nationally recognized design consultation firm. Ferdinand is a passionate collector of American historical glass specializing in bitters bottles, color runs and related classic figural bottles. He is married to Elizabeth Jane Meyer and lives in Houston, Texas with their daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. The Meyers are also very involved in Quarter Horses, antiques and early United States postage stamps. Ferdinand is the past 6-year President of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors and is one of the founding members of the FOHBC Virtual Museum.
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