[Luthier]

I found this cute old empty mignonette bottle for $6 on Ebay, and couldn't pass it up. It was never opened, but the contents have evaporated out. I'm guessing it's 1920s-30s, but was hoping someone here might know better! The evaporation rate seems about right for that age, considering how much seems to evaporate out of normal bottles from this era. The glass is molded,very thick and heavy, and has many ripples and irregularities. The bottom recess is quite deep. I know it's not as special as a pre-ban bottle, but it's cute, and has history. Thanks in advance for any best guess on its age!

[Artemis]

That bottle looks old to me - sort of crooked and irregular - even older than I thought any Tarrgona was.

I have a ton of antique bottles (none of them absinthe, though), and that's a very nice bottle.

[Luthier]

Yes, I agree it is an older bottle...It's a darker green than the others I've seen, and is very heavy and wavy glass. The folks in the French forum think its 50s-60s. I'd be interested if anyone knows when they started making these mignonettes of Tarragona. Also,
it completely evaporated in a sealed bottle, which I would expect would take quite a while, though 50 plus years is a lot I suppose!
Anyway, I couldn't say no for six dollars.

[Artemis]

I would say, 50s, no way. They're going by what they know about Tarragona, and although I know somewhat about that, I know nice glass when I see it.

The wavy glass (although I might be deceived by the camera angle), and the things you described, tell me old (artisan) glass, not factory glass. But factory glass was already common by the 30s, so it is somewhat of a puzzle. But then it was Spain, right, and not U.S.A. Might well be artisan glass. Not that I'm anything like an expert, but I do know old-looking glass when I see it.

In any case, for six dollars, I believe you got a steal. It's a very nice bottle, regardless of the label, which is obviously a big plus.

[Luthier]

Thanks for your input Artemis! It is even more wavy and irregular in person than in the photo. A heavy and substantial little bottle.
As weighty as a really old, thick 3-dose topette.

[Marc]

If it was older than the 50's, the seal would say PERNOD SA, and if it was even older, the bottle and seal would not be molded.

[Luthier]

Great info Marc, thank you!

[Artemis]

Why would it not be molded? Molded glass existed from before the time of Christ, and was common in the U.S. before the war between the states. Are you saying that Pernod specifically did not use molded glass earlier than ... what year?

I defer to your expertise in the matter of absinthe-related antiques, but what I was trying to say is that I have never seen any bottle from the 1950s that looked like that. I'm not claiming it's NOT from the 1950s, either, just that it looks remarkably non-factory for a bottle made that recently.

Ce message a été modifié par Artemis - Aug 14 2011, 06:12 PM.

[Luthier]

The mold lines do not run all the way up to the lip, which in American glass, indicates age, and a combination of mold and hand finishing. This looks like glass from the 1920s-30s to me. It is not a cleanly made machine bottle. What I'd really like to know, is when did PF START to offering these little bottles? It is also possible that an older bottle had a more recent label placed on it in the factory, if they were to find a case or two lying about. I'm not trying to prove it's old, I simply am interested in the history involved!

[pierreverte]

It is also possible that an older bottle had a more recent label placed on it in the factory, if they were to find a case or two lying about.

ding! ding! ding!

[Marc]

Well it doesn't change the fact that the PERNOD molded seal only appeared from the 50's in Tarragona, it was a PERNOD SA seal before that, on the liter bottles at least... Who knows what the they did with the mignonettes and where they were coming from. All the mignonettes I've seen from Pernod Tarragona were all like the one Scott has.

[Artemis]

It is also possible that an older bottle had a more recent label placed on it in the factory, if they were to find a case or two lying about.

ding! ding! ding!

That's exactly the conclusion I reached due to the conflict between what the label implies, and the appearance of the glass.

[libellule70]

My Pernod mignonnettes

Absinthe Tarragona 1950, Pernod 45 France 1950, Pernod 45 1970, Pernod 45 1990
A close-up of the absinthe bottle

Close-up on the label

[Luthier]

Well, It's an interesting discussion... Thanks all. It's a cool piece, and I'm glad I found it on this side of the pond. To me, all that matters is that we can all be friends about it and share a passion!