BACKGROUND:
Another interesting item from another box of my "Oh my, that's interesting" things ... a lovely Cobalt Blue bottle which was part of the Optrex "marketing signature" for their high quality eye-wash products. The colour is striking and could be easily spotted on the chemist shop shelves.
This bottle was most likely produced for Optrex by United Glass in Lancashire UK and there does appear to be the UC symbol stamped into the base of the bottle.
Optrex released their eye-wash products in bottles such as this beginning in the late 1930's and continuing right through until the mid 1960's, when plastic began to be used.
The exact year of release for this bottle is difficult to determine but based on the twin vertical seams (indicating it was machine made and not hand blown), lack of air bubbles within the glass, stepped neck and screw thread, I would estimate probably somewhere in the period 1940's ~ 1960's
One thing that will be obvious to a collector of such interesting bottles, there is NO eye wash cup, which would have been fitted to the top of this bottle in an inverted fashion - to bathe the eye with the solution.
Here is a picture of one ...
So after all the preamble, down to the nuts & bolts of this bottle ...
OPTREX (United Glass) Medicinal Bottle (Eye Care)
Made in England
Circa 1940's ~ 1950's
Colour: Deep Cobalt Blue
Dimensions: 184mm height x 80mm wide x 37mm thick
Volume of liquid capacity is 10 Ounces ... I actually measured this because a friend told me some folk put coloured liquids inside these bottles to enhance the effects with light.
Weight (empty): 300g
UNDERSIDE STAMPING
Here is a photograph of the stamp impressed into the glass base, there is NO AGM logo or date code markings so this bottle was manufactured prior to AGM (Australian Glass Manufacturers) producing this product here in Australia.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
Clean
NO cracks
NO damage to the neck area
NO significant scratching to the bottle body observed
BUT ... Oh dear, she has taken a knock to one side at the base and there is a sliver of glass missing (see the photograph) - just this one chip. No other stress around the area e.g no cracks or signs of internal damage.
So, a nice little momento from the era of stunning Cobalt Blue bottles and the British company OPTREX
