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ID #SA1242451
FOR SALE
£2,026,061,505
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Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780
For sale by Exhibit Antiques
for sale €2,370,491,961     $2,573,098,111
£2,026,061,505
Exhibit Antiques

Exhibit Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Mar 2019
Browse dealers 203 items
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    Specialists in 18th & 19th century antique glass
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Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780

18th century
For Sale by Exhibit Antiques
Description

Description

A very rare pair of Georgian engraved Bitters bottles dating to c.1780.

Each bottle has a 'Sugar Loaf' form with a slender flute-cut hexagonal pouring neck terminating in a rounded hexagonal lip on the shoulders. The bodies are beautifully engraved with the word "BITTERS" within a floral cartouche above two bands of polished oval cuts. The bottles were filled via the base and sealed with a cork.

The flattened hexagonal lips provided a secure grip when handling these surprisingly heavy bottles, whilst also assisting with an accurate, drip-free pour.

Engraved bitters bottles from the Georgian period are exceptionally rare and the first pair we have had from any period. Their elegant proportions, refined engraving and specialised method of manufacture make them both attractive display pieces and important survivals from the golden age of English table glass.

Date & Origin

England, c1780. Period of King George III.

Condition

Excellent. No chips, cracks or restoration. Both clean and clear internally. Hand made and thus minor differences expected.

Dimensions

Height: 20 cm

Diameter: 8.5 cm

Weight: 541 grams and 488 grams

Historical Context

Bitters occupied the boundary between medicine and the dining table during the 18th century.

Made from concentrated infusions of herbs, roots and spices, they were taken as a digestive and added sparingly to wines, punch and spirits. Their potent nature required only a few drops at a time, giving rise to the distinctive long, slender pouring necks designed for slow, controlled dispensing.

Unlike conventional bottles, these examples were filled through an aperture concealed within the high kick base, which was sealed internally with a cork. This ingenious method allowed the bottles to be refilled repeatedly without using the narrow dispensing neck.

Declaration

Exhibit Antiques has dated these Antique Glass Bitters Bottles to the Georgian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1242451
Dealers Internal Reference
2026061505
Description
Description

A very rare pair of Georgian engraved Bitters bottles dating to c.1780.

“
Each bottle has a 'Sugar Loaf' form with a slender flute-cut hexagonal pouring neck terminating in a rounded hexagonal lip on the shoulders.
Exhibit Antiques

The bodies are beautifully engraved with the word "BITTERS" within a floral cartouche above two bands of polished oval cuts. The bottles were filled via the base and sealed with a cork.

fig 1. A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
fig 1. Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780

The flattened hexagonal lips provided a secure grip when handling these surprisingly heavy bottles, whilst also assisting with an accurate, drip-free pour.

Engraved bitters bottles from the Georgian period are exceptionally rare and the first pair we have had from any period. Their elegant proportions, refined engraving and specialised method of manufacture make them both attractive display pieces and important survivals from the golden age of English table glass.

fig 2. A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
fig 2. Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780

Date & Origin

England, c1780. Period of King George III.

Condition

Excellent. No chips, cracks or restoration. Both clean and clear internally. Hand made and thus minor differences expected.

Dimensions

Height: 20 cm

fig 3. A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
fig 3. Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780

Diameter: 8.5 cm

Weight: 541 grams and 488 grams

Historical Context

Bitters occupied the boundary between medicine and the dining table during the 18th century.

Made from concentrated infusions of herbs, roots and spices, they were taken as a digestive and added sparingly to wines, punch and spirits. Their potent nature required only a few drops at a time, giving rise to the distinctive long, slender pouring necks designed for slow, controlled dispensing.

fig 4. A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
fig 4. Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780

Unlike conventional bottles, these examples were filled through an aperture concealed within the high kick base, which was sealed internally with a cork. This ingenious method allowed the bottles to be refilled repeatedly without using the narrow dispensing neck.

Date of Manufacture

Exhibit Antiques has dated these Antique Glass Bitters Bottles to the Georgian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1242451
Dealers Internal Ref
2026061505
Exhibit Antiques
Exhibit Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Mar 2019

Specialists in 18th & 19th century antique glass

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Exhibit Antiques Profile Page

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A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
1 / 6
Archive I A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.

Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles C1780

Archive II A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body. View II
Archive III A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body. View III
Archive IV A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body. View IV
Archive V A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body. View V
Archive VI A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body. View VI
Enlarged Archival View
Exhibit Antiques

Exhibit Antiques
Telephone 01501 228 282
Location
Glasgow
Scotland
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/exhibitantiques
Verified Since Mar 2019
Items For Sale 203
Items Sold 2,196
Exhibit Antiques
Exhibit Antiques
Verified Since Mar 2019
View Dealer Info
Location: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/exhibitantiques
Verified
Mar 2019
For Sale
203
Sold
2,196
A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
Rare Pair 18th Century Engraved Sugar Loaf Bitters Bottles c1780
Ref: SA1242451
A pair of 18th-century clear glass sugar loaf bitters bottles featuring facet-cut long necks, hand-engraved floral garlands, and the word BITTERS cut into the body.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDecanters
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialFlint Glass, Lead Glass
  • ColourClear
  • MotifsSugar loaf form, wheel-engraved lettering, facet-cut neck, oval slice cuts

A pair of Georgian bitters bottles from c1780, made from clear flint glass and lead glass, displays a distinctive sugar loaf form with a height of 20 cm and a diameter of 8.5 cm. Each vessel features a slender flute-cut hexagonal pouring neck, a flattened hexagonal lip, and a body wheel-engraved with the word BITTERS within a floral garland above two bands of polished oval cuts. The transparent glass shows hand-made characteristics with minor differences between the two pieces, and the bases include high kicks with apertures for filling. These functional items sit naturally on a sideboard top in a gentleman's library or dining room setting, serving as practical dispensers or historical display items. The heavy glass construction and specialised design reflect 18th-century dining customs, providing an authentic decorative accent for period interiors without requiring modern modifications.

FAQs

Popularised during the 18th century, sugar loaf bitters bottles are tapered glass vessels designed to store concentrated aromatic liquid bitters used in beverages and medicinal preparations.

These bottles were typically hand-blown from heavy lead crystal or flint glass, featuring wheel-engraved lettering, facet-cut necks, and hand-cut facets around the base.

Authentic Georgian glass often exhibits a polished pontil scar on the base, minor irregularities from hand-blowing, a distinct grey-toned lead glass clarity, and hand-engraved patterns.

Place these glass vessels on a modern home bar cart, display them on a dining room sideboard, or incorporate them into a curation of antique glass inside a lighted cabinet.

Hand wash carefully with lukewarm water and a mild detergent using a soft brush, avoiding extreme temperature changes and harsh chemicals that could cloud lead glass.
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