A MAGNIFICENT VINTAGE/ ANTIQUE? HAND BLOWN XL DEMIJOHN GREEN GLASS BOTTLE WITH A LEAD DRAGON

PLEASE VIEW THE PICS VERY CAREFULLY FOR MORE DETAILS AND THE GENERAL CONDITION. OUR OTHER AWESOME ITEMS CAN BE VIEWED AT: http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/seller/2168112/robsam17

THIS MAGNIFICENT VINTAGE/ ANTIQUE? HAND BLOWN XL (HUGE) DEMIJOHN GREEN GLASS BOTTLE WITH A LEAD DRAGON ON IT MEASURES A MASSIVE 50cm TALL x 34cm LONG x 22cm WIDE. ONE CAN SEE THAT THE BOTTLE IS HAND BLOWN AS IT HAS AIR BUBBLES IN THE GLASS AND BASED ON SIMILAR ONES ON THE INTERNET, SEEMS TO DATE BACK TO THE VICTORIAN TIMES ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO MARKINGS. THE LEAD DRAGON COVERS THE FRONT OF THE BOTTLE AND HAS AMAZING DETAILING. THIS IS A STUNNING FIND. PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE SIZE AND FRAGILITY OF THE DEMIJOHN BOTTLE, WE CAN NOT POST IT. 

"THERE ARE TWO WAYS DEMIJOHNS ARE MADE; AIR BLOWN AND MOULDED OR PRESSED. FOR THE AIR BLOWN METHOD, AIR IS BLOWN THROUGH A TUBE INTO THE CENTRE OF THE MOLTEN GLASS. A BALLOON BEGINS TO FORM FROM THE PRESSURE AND INCREASES IN SIZE. THIS IS DONE WITHIN A MOULD, AND AS THE BALLOON EXPANDS TO THE REACH THE MOULD, THE OUTER SHAPE OF THE VESSEL IS FORMED. ALTERNATIVELY FOR THE PRESSED OR MOULDED VARIATION, THERE ARE MOULDS WHICH CONTAIN BOTH, THE OUTER AND INNER SHAPE OF THE GLASS. THE MOLTEN GLASS IS POURED INTO THE MOULD AND ALLOWED TO CONSUME ALL OF THE CRACKS AND CREVASSES FORCING AIR OUT. IN BOTH CASES THE MOULD IS PUT INTO AN ANNEALING OVEN TO COOL SLOWLY. A RAPID REDUCTION IN TEMPERATURE WILL RESULT IN CRACKING AND SHATTERING OF THE GLASS. THE MOULDS ARE MADE UP OF 2 PIECES THAT COME APART, LEAVING A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART. DEMIJOHNS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. BEFORE MODERN PACKING AND BRANDING GENERIC GLASS CONTAINERS WERE USED FOR STORAGE, TRANSPORT, AND SALE. THEY WERE COMMONLY USED FOR OILS, VINEGAR, WINE, SPIRITS, AS WELL AS BEER".

LINK: www.bottlebooks.com/demijohn/big_bottles_big_history_demijohn.htm