Description

Antique Victorian Ross's Belfast Glass Torpedo Bottle (Hamilton Patent) – c. 1880s-1890s

DESCRIPTION:
Up for sale is a fantastic piece of Irish industrial and social history—an authentic antique late-Victorian glass "Torpedo" (also known as a Hamilton) aerated mineral water bottle.

Manufactured for the world-famous W.A. Ross & Sons mineral water company in Belfast, Ireland, this iconic pointed-bottom bottle is a true classic of 19th-century design. The distinct torpedo shape was engineered entirely to keep the bottle on its side, ensuring the carbonated contents kept the cork permanently wet so the gas couldn't escape.

DESIGN FEATURES:
Embossing: High-relief, crisp block lettering sharply reads "ROSS'S" on one side and "BELFAST" on the reverse.
Industrial Mold Markings: Features an authentic late-Victorian 4-digit industrial mold cavity tracking code (1370 / 1390 series) heavily embossed into the glass near the rounded base end. This sequential series matches recorded archival logs from the premier British glass foundries supplying Belfast's aerated water trade.

Glass Character: Rendered in a classic light aqua-green bottle glass, heavily textured with period-correct seed bubbles and manufacturing cooling lines. Features a thick, applied-ring collar lip.

CONDITION:
Excellent antique condition. This bottle is exceptionally clean and beautifully clear. Crucially, it does NOT suffer from the typical heavy "ground burial" clouding, internal sickness, or severe pitting often found on dug bottles.

No cracks, major chips, or structural damage. It shows completely honest, light age-appropriate exterior scuffs from historic crate transit, making it a top-tier cabinet specimen for any Irish bottle or local history collector.

Dimensions (Approximate):
Length: Standard Victorian Torpedo Scale (approx. 22-24cm)
Weight: Heavy, thick-walled utility glass.

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