Dating Australian Glass Bottles
Accurate dating of Australian Glass bottles can be a tedious task.
Some research has been completed to this stage and I'd like to thank all those hardened researches for their time and dedication in painstakingly searching through archival documentation and long lost records, your contribution and wiliness to share goes unsurpassed.
I'm sure a fuller story shall be written as public records become more assessable on the internet through the larger sites like Trove, State Libraries and Museums by the means of media, newspapers, old photos, magazines and articles. If anyone has fact to add to this page please contact me.
There were very few Glass Works outside of the capital cities and non in Darwin or Canberra. Little is known of Glass Works like Geelong, Lake Tyres and there must be others.
Victoria
Melbourne Glass Bottle Company
| 1880-1907 | Melbourne Glass Bottle Company. Full words around the heel of the bottle. |
| 1880-1907 | Melbourne Glass Bottle Company. Letters around the heel of the bottle. |
Melbourne Glass Company
| 1890 - 1915 | M on base of bottle. Melbourne Glass Company |
| The scrpit style M may have been early on the M branded bottles. |
Melbourne Glass Bottle Company
| 1890 - 1915 | M on base of bottle. Melbourne Glass Bottle Company |
| Fancy M on base may be an early branding. |
Australian Glass Manufacturers
| 1915 - 1922 | AGM in a graphic intertwined monogram. Australian Glass Manufacturers Company Limited. Further reference to this mark will be noted as : aGm |
Australian Glass Manufacturers
| 1922 - 1934 | Australian Glass Manufacturers Company Limited. Branded on the base of bottle. Further reference to this mark will be noted as : AGM |
Australian Glass Manufacturers
| 1934 - 1970 | Australian Glass Manufacturers Company Limited. Branded on the base of bottle. Further reference to this mark will be noted as : AGM |
Australian Glass Manufacturers
| 1937 - 1945 | A 21 . Branded in reverse on the base of bottle. |
| Reverse numbers and letters system. These are tiny text, usualy on the edge of the base, the letters and sometimes the numbers is in reverse. To read correctly look through the top of the bottle or read in a mirror. The letter referrs to the year, while the number referrs to the week of the year. |
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| This system is often associated with Agm also on the base. |
Cladonian Glass Works
| 1899 - 1905 | The Caledonian Glass Bottle Works. Around the heel of the bottle. |
| Paterson Brothers, Port Melbourne. Around the heel of the bottle. |
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| Some times branded: The Caledonian Glass Bottle Works. Other times branded: Paterson Bros. Port Melbourne. |
Moonee Valley Glass Works
| 1898-1904 | Moonee Valley Glassworks Co. Base of bottle sometimes branded MV |
Others in Victoria
Early Melbourne Glass Makers
| pre 1878 | No glass makers marks are known for these makers. |
| Melbourne Flint Glass Works | |
| Richmond Glass Works | |
| American Glass Works | |
| Almalgamated Flint Glass Works | |
| Mount & Co |
New South Wales
Botany Glass Works
Vance & Ross
| 1904 - 1915 | VR Branded on the base of the bottle VR intertwined. |
| 1915 | The firm was to become part of Australian Glass Manufacturers. |
South Australia
Adelaide Glass Bottle Works
| 1907-1920 | Adealide used the large A, simular to Melbourne using the large M. |
| On this bottle we also see '2' and a series of dots this may have been a dating method. |
G. Bishop
| 1886-1887 | Base branded with an H |
Harold Brothers, Brompton
| 1887-1896 | Harrold Brothers used the ' oo ' |
| This make is often very faint. |
Hinrichsen, Croydon
| 1893-1907 | Base branded with an H |
F. B. Hughes
| 1896-1913 | Base branded with an FBH |