Post medieval glass Medicine bottle - 90 mm

"Post-Medieval Dutch Glass Bottle

Culture / Period: Post-Medieval Dutch
Date / Period: 17th century
Material: Glass
Dimensions: 90 mm
Condition: Good condition, with minor surface wear, weathering, and iridescence consistent with age.

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 112

The current owner purchased the object from a private collector, N.N., in Oosterbeek, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, a private collector, N.N. from Oosterbeek, stated that the object had been in his collection since 2025.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously been part of a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1980s.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This small Dutch glass bottle dates to the 17th century and represents a characteristic form of post-medieval utilitarian glassware produced during the Dutch Golden Age. The vessel has a cylindrical body with a slightly flaring folded foot and a funnel-shaped neck, created using free-blown glassworking techniques common in the Netherlands during the period. The pale green coloration is typical of early modern glass production, resulting from natural mineral impurities present in the silica used by glassmakers.

Bottles of this type were commonly used for storing and dispensing liquids such as medicines, oils, perfumes, herbal extracts, or other valuable substances. Their compact size and stable base made them practical for both domestic and commercial use. Similar vessels are frequently recovered from urban archaeological contexts in Dutch cities, including household refuse deposits, taverns, pharmacies, and merchant quarters.

The 17th century was a period of enormous economic growth and international trade in the Dutch Republic. Dutch merchants maintained commercial connections across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, while local industries such as glassmaking expanded to meet growing demand for practical and luxury goods alike. Glass workshops in the Low Countries produced a wide variety of bottles, drinking vessels, and tableware, combining functional design with skilled craftsmanship.

The manufacturing process required experienced glassblowers capable of shaping molten glass rapidly and accurately before cooling. Variations in thickness, slight asymmetry, and small air inclusions are characteristic features of hand-blown glass from this period and reflect authentic early modern production methods.

Objects such as this illustrate the everyday material culture of the Dutch Golden Age and the increasing availability of specialised containers within trade and domestic life. It forms a tangible connection to the post-medieval world, where glass vessels of this kind played a practical role in daily use more than three centuries ago."