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On display

This item is on display at Melbourne Museum

Stopper - Bottle, Springs Co, Frankston, circa 1880 Reg. No: LL 66471

Summary:: This bottle stopper was excavated at Casselden Place in 2003. It was manufactured by Springs Co, Frankston.

Alcohol and Drinking.

There were 15 hotels at Little Lon in 1900. The profusion of beer, wine and spirit bottles revealed in excavations at Little Lon confirms that immense quantities of liquor were consumed. Were the drinkers mainly residents or visitors to Little Lon? Unearthed in the former yard of a 'high-class' brothel was a mass of French wine and champagne bottles. Reformers identified alcohol as a major social problem - 'the cause of crime, disease, insanity, marriage breakdown, poverty'.
Description:: COULD BE LIGNUMVITAE WOOD

Discipline:	Archaeology - Historical
Dimensions:	37.0 mm (Height), 23.0 mm (Width)

More information

Tagged with:	bottles, merchant co
Themes this item is part of:	Little Lon, Little Lon Collection
On Display at:	Melbourne Museum
Primary Classification:	HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Secondary Classification:	(To Be Classified)
Tertiary Classification:	(to be classified)
Activity:	DOMESTIC
Specific Activity:	BOTTLES
Lot Area Unit:	43/8/59
Inscriptions:	Inscription: FRANKSTON
Manufacturer:	Springs Co

Comments

Brigette taylor Posted on 16 Jan 2010 2:05 PM

[Explicit] , I have just purchased a Marchant & Co bottle with trade mark wheel in excellent condition with a Frankston springs Co stopper with it that fits perfectly also in perfect contion from a opp shop.Is this how the bottle would of come originaly or is it a marrige.Any help would be gratefully recieved Best regards Brigette

Discovery Centre Posted on 18 Jan 2010 2:08 PM

Hi Brigette, thanks for your enquiry. We've referred this to one of our History & Technology staff for their advice. We’ll get back to you soon with some more information.

Discovery Centre Posted on 23 Jan 2010 4:09 PM

Hi Brigette, we have heard back from one of the History and Technology Curators regarding your enquiry. She doesn’t believe that the bottle and stopper originally belonged together. Merchants and Co. operated in Melbourne from 1888 and made aerated water, ginger beer and other beverages. Many of the bottles used by Merchants and Co. were made by the Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Co. If you want to know more about Merchants and Co. look out for Ken Arnold's book 'A Victorian Thirst'.

David McRae Posted on 11 Apr 2010 7:21 PM

Hello, I am wondering if you can help me date my bottle and stopper. My bottle is a Frankston Springs Co bottle, also on it is the words "This bottle is the property of G.H.Elliot Pty Ltd & cannot be legally used by others". The stopper is very similar to the one pictured but appears to be made from a bakerlite substance. Any help to date my bottle would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
David

Discovery Centre Posted on 12 Apr 2010 4:09 PM

Hi David, it's very hard for us to identify and give further information on an object based on a brief description. If you send an enquiry and images via our Identifications page we can assist you further with your questions about the bottle and stopper.