Part of identifying a bottle is describing what type of base (i.e. bottom) it has.
The majority of bottles have a smooth base, indicating they were made sometime after
the Civil War (1865).
Before/during the Civil War, bottles had a pontil base.
Below are examples of some of the many different bases found on antique bottles.
Any help from the experts out there in improving this new page would be appreciated.
Iron Pontil w/ graphite residue rusted but still intact BOARDMAN NEW YORK Soda |
Iron Pontil w/ graphite residue still intact S. Lays Sodawater La Porte Ind. |
Iron Pontil with non-rusted graphite residue Hunter/Shooting Calabash flask in amber | 
Open Pontil on Calabash-style historical flask. |
Tubular Pontil BRANT'S INDIAN PULMONARY BALSAM |
"Donut" Pontil BACH'S AMERICAN COMPOUND with partial label |
Open pontil Dr. D. JAYNE S / CARMINATIVE / BALSAM / PHILADa |
Open pontil with dimple C. HEIMSTREET & CO. / TROY, N.Y. |
Smooth base with circular mold mark (called Owens ring) that is sometimes mistaken for a pontil. H.J. HEINZ Pickle (ABM) |
Smooth base with circular upward indention that is sometimes mistaken for a cleaned iron pontil. E.M. Heustis / Charlestown whiskey |
Smooth base with embossing (there is never embossing on a pontil base). amber Richmond VA Coca-Cola |
Smooth base with hinge mold mark, which leaves rough glass on edge of base (circled in red). Altas Medicine from Henderson, NC |
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