Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 11

Collection of Seven Rare 18th Century Pewter Baby Nursing Bottles

$1,500List Price

About the Item

Probably one of the strangest collection I ever stumbled across. These seven little bottles kept me searching for at least a year. Wondering what they were used for. Finally I found an answer, these are extremely rare pieces of Chinese baby feeders. Different shapes probably due to the fact they are from different regions or time periods. They have removable nipple tops on which you can still see teeth marks, with a kind of straw attached to it. The threading is 'the other way around' and hand cut. I found a European 19th century picture with a very similar looking bottle, but differently shaped, more round and no copper bands, which these do have. To address the lack of wet nurses who were highly sought-after between the 18th and 19th centuries, artificial feeding became popular. Breastfeeding substitutes based on animal milk also became increasingly popular in order to combat infant mortality, at the time only two out of ten infants lived to their second birthday. Little did they know. Many mothers, while intending to provide the best for their infants, tragically caused the deaths of their own little ones. The bottles were very difficult to clean so they were perfect incubators for deadly bacteria. Also the pewter had very a high (poisonous) lead content. The milk by acidifying, ended up attacking and absorbing the metal, thus becoming a serious cause of intoxication for the child. Solid bottles made from pewter, despite the high rate of mortality that they caused, were used until the 19th century. Despite Doctors condemns of the bottles parents continued to buy and use them. The bottles eventually earned the nickname; "Murder Bottles" These would do great in a curiosity cabinet! These heavy seven pewter bottles vary in form and height, the smallest measures 13.5cm (5.3inch) the tallest measures 18cm (7.1inch).

Dimensions:
Height: 7.09 in (18 cm)Width: 3.15 in (8 cm)Depth: 1.58 in (4 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 7
Materials and Techniques:
Copper,Pewter
Place of Origin:
China
Period:
Late 18th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Unknown
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Haarlem, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU104045403233

Antique 17th Century Dutch Toys and Dolls

Materials

Pewter

Collection of Dutch miniature dollhouse pewter, 17th - 18th century

$1,758 / set

H 1.78 in Dm 1.78 in

18th Century German Pewter Passover Plate

Located in New York, NY

Pewter passover tray, Germany, 18th century. The outer rim has wriggle- work engraving of the order of the Seder service, along with a pair of birds fl...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century German Religious Items

Materials

Pewter

18th Century German Pewter Passover Plate

$8,250

H 1.58 in Dm 15.75 in

A Rare Collection of Seven Slave ‘Prisoner’ Tokens

Located in London, GB

A Rare Collection of Seven Slave ‘Prisoner’ Tokens Metal, coins Australia 19th Century Size: circular: 3.4cm dia. - 1¼ ins diameter. (max) / 2.5cm dia. - 1 ins dia. (min) cross:...

Category

Antique 19th Century Australian Historical Memorabilia

Materials

Metal

A Rare Collection of Seven Slave ‘Prisoner’ Tokens

$10,750 / set

H 1.25 in Dm 1 in

French 18th Century Pewter Plate of Saints Peter and Paul

Located in Baton Rouge, LA

An exceptional example of the European pewter tradition, this ceremonial charger plate from France dates to the year 1735 and depicts an exchange between the Saints Peter and Paul th...

Category

Antique 18th Century French Other Religious Items

Materials

Pewter

French 18th Century Pewter Plate of Saints Peter and Paul

$1,200

H 9.5 in W 9.5 in D 0.5 in

Holy Oils Vase or Container, Pewter, 18th Century

Located in Madrid, ES

Santos Oils container. Pewter. Century XVIII. Container made of pewter that has a foot, a body with curves, two handles and a lid. Its exterior decoration shows a clear influence o...

Category

Antique 18th Century European Rococo Religious Items

Materials

Pewter

Holy Oils Vase or Container, Pewter, 18th Century

$3,577

H 18.51 in W 8.67 in D 14.18 in

An 18th Century Pewter Beit Cholim Charity Bowl

Located in New York, NY

This rare and historically significant 18th-century pewter Beit Cholim charity bowl embodies the spirit of communal care and generosity. Inscribed in elegant cursive English on both ...

Category

Antique 18th Century Religious Items

Materials

Pewter

An 18th Century Pewter Beit Cholim Charity Bowl

$2,500

H 3.55 in Dm 5.79 in

A collection of 18th and 19th Century Eel Speers

Located in London, GB

A collection of 18th and 19th Century Eel Speers Largest 60cm by 30cm by 4cm smallest 30cm by 20 cm by 3cm

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Arms, Armor and Weapons

Materials

Metal

A collection of 18th and 19th Century Eel Speers

$2,066

H 23.63 in W 11.82 in D 1.58 in

Collection of 18th 19th Century Antique Eel Spears

Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire

A collection of five 18th and 19th century antique eel spears acquired from an East Anglian collection. Also known as gleeves, these spears date fr...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Nautical Objects

Materials

Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron

Collection of 18th 19th Century Antique Eel Spears

$2,996

H 22.84 in W 8.08 in D 1.58 in

Rare 18th century Micromosaic Plate

Located in Paris, FR

Rare micromosaic plaque depicting an idyllic Roman landscape. The main subject of this micromosaic is the representation of buildings surrounded by cypresses and trees. Two figures i...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Greco Roman Models and Miniatures

Materials

Cut Glass

Rare 18th century Micromosaic Plate

$33,390

H 2.17 in W 3.35 in D 0.2 in

Amazing Collection of 18th / 19th Century Weathered Vellum Books

Located in Buisson, FR

Amazing collection of 5 extremely weathered vellum books, Spain/Italy 18th/ 19th century. Weathered and small losses and old repairs. More photo's available on request H:19-36,5cm ...

Category

Antique 18th Century Books

Materials

Parchment Paper

Amazing Collection of 18th / 19th Century Weathered Vellum Books

$1,389 Sale Price / set

41% Off

H 14.38 in W 2.56 in D 9.85 in

More From This Seller

View All

18th Century French Cuir-ciselé Extra Large Reliquary Chalice or Monstrance Case

Located in Haarlem, NL

Large decorative antique 18th century 2-piece reliquary or monstrance case to hold a religious relic. This is a large case, 87cm high, 38cm wide and 20cm deep (34.3" x 15" x 7.9")...

Category

Antique 18th Century French Religious Items

Materials

Leather, Damask, Wood

18th Century French Cuir-ciselé Extra Large Reliquary Chalice or Monstrance Case

$2,000 Sale Price

20% Off

Set of Nine 19th C English Victorian Treen Ware Boxwood Medicine Bottle Holders

Located in Haarlem, NL

A set of nine 19th century Victorian treen turned boxwood medicine bottle holders. These containers were used for protecting delicate items such as glass apothecary bottles, perfume bottles, syringes, powder, ointment bottles, thermometers and other medical or vanity items. In two of the containers are glass bottles. Measurements: Large 18.5cm high, 8.5cm diameter, empty Large 18cm high, 8cm diameter, empty Medium 14.5cm high, 5.5cm diameter, glass bottle without stopper (wood chipped) Medium 13cm high, 6cm diameter, empty (crack in wood) Medium 12cm high, 5cm diameter, perfumed oil in glass bottle Medium 11cm high, 5cm diameter, empty Small 10cm high, 4cm diameter, talcum powder...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass, Boxwood

Set of Nine 19th C English Victorian Treen Ware Boxwood Medicine Bottle Holders

$2,360 Sale Price / set

20% Off

19th Century Belgium Set of Iron Tons, Educational Teaching Measures of Capacity

Located in Haarlem, NL

Set of antique iron measure of capacity ton for educational use. Beautifully aged, slightly rusty patina but still very robust. The white letters are hand painted on the black paint...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Belgian Jars

Materials

Iron

19th Century Belgium Set of Iron Tons, Educational Teaching Measures of Capacity

$760 Sale Price / set

20% Off

19th Century Wooden Carnival, Fair or Advertisement Head of the Strongest Man

Located in Haarlem, NL

This is a very cool guy, it's a wooden head of a 19th century 'the Strongest Man of the World' attraction on a carnival or fair. The brown color, or maybe the shape of his head, mak...

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Sculptures

Materials

Wood

19th Century Wooden Carnival, Fair or Advertisement Head of the Strongest Man

$2,320 Sale Price

20% Off

Set of Six Large 20th Century Dutch Wooden Industrial Machinery Foundry Moulds

Located in Haarlem, NL

Set of six large bright red wooden parts in different shapes. Carved out to create negative space to be used for the casting of metal. The forms that these pieces make in the mold...

Category

Early 20th Century Dutch Industrial More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

Set of Six Large 20th Century Dutch Wooden Industrial Machinery Foundry Moulds

$1,560 Sale Price / set

20% Off

Set of Ten 19th Century English Victorian Brass Chimney Good Luck Shoes or Boots

Located in Haarlem, NL

Four sets and two single pieces of English Victorian brass chimney ornaments or "good luck" shoes. What a lovely collection of shiny shoes don't you think? Let me tell you a little bit about them, during the Victorian period in England, it was fashionable to have a pair of "good luck" brass shoes on your mantel (fireplace), they would been given to you as a wedding gift. Two sets were definitely match stick holders...

Category