 |
| Height |
Bottle Markings |
| 9 " |
round, early bottle; no markings |
| Description, including signature and date |
| This bottle shows three crosses, Jesus and the two
thieves; the bodies are whittled and painted, but there are also
cutout figures, including a large one of the head of Mary at the
foot of the cross. The most unusual feature is that the top, back
and sides of the bottle are painted black and red to make the bottle
more like a shrine. It is signed "Chas. Worner,
Hanau a Main" but not dated. This is the same artist who is more
known for his saloon bottles. I place this earlier than the saloons
based on the subject matter and the fancy painting of the glass and
the place name of Hanau. He was, I believe, a German immigrant to
America from Hanau, a city near Frankfurt on the Main River. After
arriving in the United States, he made at least three other
religious bottles, but by at least 1900, he was making his trademark
scenes, mostly saloons. If he brought this one with him from
Germany, it is certainly the earliest known of his many works. Links
to his non-religious bottles are on the first page of Scenes; the
other religious bottles are one in a
Norwalk, CT, bottle, one dated
1890, and a large unsigned and undated
one. | |
