A big thanks to Jim Sutherst for sending us images of his collection of Victorian Wilkinson glass and earthenware bottles.
The photos show items from W.A. Wilkinson based in North Shields and from his brother, Joseph’s factory in Gateshead.
Jim has provided the explanatory text.
courtesy of Jim Sutherst
Stoneware Bottles
Stoneware Wilkinson bottles they were all dug by myself on Victorian rubbish tips, they are all half pint with the Unicorn trademark. They are Salt glazed and have an under glaze transfer printed label,and all hand thrown on a potters wheel.
From left to right,,, small Black transfer’d Two tone, Pure Dublin xxx Stout, dating from about 1900 to about 1920. It has the King St Hall, address. The pottery mark is Buchan, Portabello
2nd left is an all White Black transfer’d, Brown lip, Non Intoxicating Hop Bitter Beer which I dug on an early 1890 / 1900s rubbish tip. This is a rare bottle to find. It has the King St Hall, address. This bottle has no potters mark but must certainly be a Buchan made bottle.
3rd from left is a Two tone Green transfer’d Pure Dublin xxx Stout also dug on the same rubbish tip as the Hop Bitter above, and the rarest of the Wilkinson stone bottles. It has the King St Hall, address The pottery mark is Buchan, Portabello
4th from Left is Gateshead’s Joseph Wilkinson Black transfer’d Extra Dublin Stout with JW monogram tm,. Askew Road, Gateshead, & Sunderland, address. An easy bottle to find, again a Buchan made bottle, i would date this bottle to circa 1920
Wilkinson also used 3 Impressed 1/2 pint stoneware bottles that I am aware of.
courtesy of Jim Sutherst
Glass Bottles
The Glass bottles shown are all Half pint and dating from about 1895 up to the 1920’s, all have the Unicorn trade mark.
The clear glass or “Aqua” bottles have applied tops, showing they were hand made and they contained Lemonade etc, but the darker ones are mostly one piece moulded = Machine made and contained things like Dandelion Stout. Machine made bottles appeared in the early 1920’s.