As long as there have been hungry babies, there have been nurser bottles and
infant feeders. And like everything else, inventors and manufacturers have
always tried to improve upon the originals. These vessels of nutrition have
been found in a wide array of shapes, sizes and materials from 1500 BC pottery
to 16th Century pewter to 17th, 18th and 19th Century glass.
From nursers with rags, bottles with pewter nipples, silver pap boats (for feeding milk with bread) and glass 'turtle' bottles with feeding tubes, infant feeding has come a long way and continues to evolve with the widespread use of plastics. Though antique nurser bottles and infant feeders were utilitarian in nature, they are touching elements of the human saga which have become captivating collectibles.
Above info contributed by MaryJo Regier, Email mjregier@uswest.net
Also see the July 1999 issue of Bottles and Extras; page 8 has an article on Infant Nursing Bottles by Margie Williams and friends.
