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Ever since sailors started bottling ships, the world has held a fascination for these miniature ships lovingly crafted by a seaman's callused hands during his off-watch hours.
Over those years, these ships have turned up in the oddest places as sailors parted with their hard-earned keepsakes as gifts for their sweethearts, friends, and relatives, and often, to pay for the debts they ran up in port - for entertainment, lodging and even drinks at the bar.
But, when, where, and too whom did the idea first occur of putting ships inside bottles?
Well, that is the question and the answer, while seemingly very simple, is a very difficult one to come by. Nevertheless, speaking in general terms, the history of ships in bottles parallels the development of clear glass bottles.
As a result, it is usually by dating the bottle - using the shape and style of the bottle, and the manufacturer's marks on the bottle - that the age of the ship is determined. However, this is at best an approximation - since the bottle may have been lying around for uncounted years in some dark corner before someone decided to bottle a ship. That aside, once manufacturing techniques progressed to the stage where glass bottles could be mass-produced that were clear enough to easily see through, sailors, and others, started putting ships, crucifixion scenes and other motifs inside them.
Jean Randier in his "Nautical Antiques for the Collector" which contains illustrations of some fine old examples from the Musée de St. Malo, in France remarked that most of the early examples date from "not much earlier than the 1830's" - since that was the time dark, opaque bottle glass gave way to clear as glass purity improved with the newer manufacturing processes brought about by the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
However, while that may be the norm, earlier examples of ships in bottles are known to exist. And the earliest one I presently know of, is this one, built, and signed, by an Italian named Gioni Biondo in 1784. This ship is referred to by Andreas Lier in his short history of ships in bottles on his German language home page. But "as stated by experts" Signor Biondo was definitely "not a sailor". Andreas informs me that the model is in the Museum für Kunst - und Kulturgeschichte ( Art and Cultural History Museum) in Lübeck, Germany. Unusually so in this case, the date of the ship is confirmed since the model builder was thoughtful enough to write the date on the sail! But whether this is the earliest extant example of the art, that, I'm afraid remains unanswered. (Photo from the Lübeck museum, via Peter Huber)
Meanwhile, Peter Huber, on his web site in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, displays many intricate examples of what he calls "Geduldflaschen" or "Patience Bottles". Most of these date from 1744 - some 40 years earlier than the Lübeck model. And, while not ships in bottles, these "patience bottles" do illustrate that the art of building inside bottles had already reached a high state of perfection by 1744. (photo by Peter Huber)
These bottles are variously titled "Mining Bottles" or "Eingerichte Bottles" (i.e. Bottles with "Inside life"). Most of them are rectangular and contain complete 2-4 story tableaux depicting gold mining and smelting operations - all built to scale inside the bottle. Approximately 100 are known to exist and the Austrian Ethnographic Museum published an inventory of all known examples in 1995. Most of these bottles originated in the mining districts around the towns of Schemnitz and Kremnitz in what was then part of the Austo-Hungarian Empire and is now part of Northern Hungary.
Now all this seems to point to a central European, or Italian, origin of the art, although that is not verified. Certainly crucifixion scenes in bottles are known from various
parts of Europe as early as the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century - which would make it plausible that ships in bottles could
have originated elsewhere, and earlier - although they are still most probably European in origin. Peter Huber also informs me that "the oldest mining bottle I know of dates back to 1719 and was made by Matthias Buchinger and can be viewed in a British museum." As this is 75 years earlier than the Lübeck model, it is highly possible that an earlier ship in bottle might eventually turn up. (Peter has since written that he has managed to trace another mining bottle back to around 1700! So we are slowly getting earlier.)
Bob de Jongste, president of the Netherlands Ship in Bottle Association, says that Matthias Buchinger (1674-1722) (or Matthew Buckinger as he was later known) was also renowned as a calligrapher - this despite the fact that he was a mere 29 inches (73cm) tall and born without arms or legs! Alan Rogers, editor Bottleship magazine, says that Buchinger was a well known entertainer of the period, versatile on half a dozen musical instruments, juggler and conjurer as well as an artist producing drawings and landscapes. Quite an accomplishment for a man with only flippers in place of arms...(Photo by Alan Rogers)
Bob de Jongste also informs me that the oldest known Dutch ship in a bottle is this one, found in the Rotterdam Maritime Museum. This is a model of a Netherlands Poon-schip - a small one-masted freighter with lee-boards. The ship hangs suspended from the bottle's stopper with two wires or threads and is dated 1795. (Photo from the Rotterdam museum, via Peter Huber)
M. Phillipe Petout conservateur at the Musées de St. Malo in France, when contacted concerning the ships in his care (which are often seen in books on nautical antiques), said that there were "only a dozen examples" in his collections - most of which are located in the Musée du long-cours cap-hornier (Museum of the "Long Haul" Cape Horners). These date from the "beginning of the 20th century." Another ship, constructed in a vertical carafe or decanter, from the Musée d' histoire de la ville (Town History Museum) is possibly from the 19th century, but M. Petout says that he cannot say for certain (although, judging from the photocopy photographs he provided, the carafe certainly looks as if it might have come from the mid to early 1800's).
In the United States, according to the research I have done so far, there seems to be little I can find out about the earliest ships in bottles. One of the most famous collections was that of the Seaman's Saving Bank of New York. In the early 1990's, however, the Seaman's Bank failed and their collection was slated to be broken up and sold. But, according to Don Hubbard, past president of the Ships-In-Bottles Association of America: "The South Street Seaport Museum in New York became involved and managed to save the items. I don't know whether they are at South Street or have been forwarded somewhere else, but the collection seems to have remained intact." However, I have learned since that from what one of my correspondents was able to learn that most of it has since been auctioned off.
This collection consists of some sixty ships, constructed in bottles ranging from ones the size of an egg up to one gallon (4 liter) in size. All were built by bank clerk Charles Neilson in the 1930's. The Smithsonian Institution, when contacted said that, while there might be others hidden in the vast collections of the museum, they only knew of one ship in the Maritime Collection of the National Museum. This ship came into their possession in the 1980's and they regretted that they had "very little real information to share about this object."
So far the oldest American ship I have come across is one signed "Fire Island Light house E.J. Udall" and owned by Ross Keleman of Florida. From information sent to me by e-mail, Ross says that according to his research "E.J. Udall was the lighthouse keeper/assistant keeper from 11-6-1886 to 9-14-1887". Further American research is continuing.
Within Canada, the oldest ship I've been able to trace is one held at the National Museum of Civilization, in Ottawa. According to the cataloguing data provided by the museum, this ship, one of the eight in their collection, is known to have been built by a German prisoner of war at the POW camp in Fortress Louisberg, Nova Scotia during the First World War. The ship is described as an "antique ship" with a "small village on a hillside by the sea". The bottle is also described as hand-blown. Judging by the data on five of the remaining ships they all appear to have been built within the last fifty years or so. And, while the remaining two ships might be older, the cataloging data is so sparse that it is impossible to have any idea on their date of construction.
(As an aside, it may be noted that ships in bottles must often have been by-products of the enforced confinement of POWs. Many of the older examples to be found around where I live are the treasured possessions of former guards of the local World War II prison camp. These were all built by German and Italian prisoners - mostly merchant seamen.)
But what about Japan and the Far East? Well, - although SIBs are currently very popular in Japan - the introduction the art there seems to be of relatively recent origin. The late Juzo Okada in his excellent introductory history of Japanese seafaring and ships in bottles on the Japanese Ships-in-a-Bottle Association homepage informs us that ships in bottles were first introduced into Japan in the latter half of the last century.
This occurred when Naval and Merchant Marine cadets, returning home from training overseas, brought with them this newly discovered art form from the West. To this, it might be added that the Japanese bottlers have added their own unique touch: By traditionally building ships in bottles that are sailing into the bottle, i.e. facing the bottom of the bottle, rather than the Western way of sailing out of or into the neck. Many of the sample ships shown on the web page are very striking, showing great care and superb craftsmanship. This one, a traditional bezaisen by Masao Horii is constructed inside a squid-fishing light bulb. (Photo, Masao Horii; JSIBA Logo , both via webmaster Shinzo Ichimura)
Over the years, our fascination with bottled items has lead many people to attempt building anything and everything inside bottles: Buses; Trains; Fire Engines; Airplanes; Houses, Crucifixion Scenes, A sailor, sitting at a table building a ship in a tiny bottle - and even this bar scene complete with customers playing cards - all built into a vertical bottle. This was built in Chicago by someone named Carl Warner or Wörner in the 1920's and, yes, it was also used to pay a bar debt. Carl evidently built quite a few of these bar scenes, as I've heard of at least a dozen - and the number just keeps on growing. It now includes cigar stores, bakeries, butcher shops, etc. One of his bars is even in the Smithsonian. (Photo by Lynn Horn)
On her Folk Art in Bottles web page, Susan Jones presents two more examples of Carl's work. Susan, also tells me that she is "sure there are plenty [of American examples of ships in bottles ] older than 1886." If you'd like to view some early American examples of ships in bottles, crucifixion scenes and other "whimsy bottles," take a look at the fine display Susan has on line. (Photo by Tom Deupree, via Susan Jones)
Yet, despite all these bottles items, none seem to hold our fascination as much those old bottled ships. Perhaps, too, these bottled ships once held a more practical purpose for the returning mariner:
If you would like to see some recent examples of the art check out the Galleries on my Scale Reproductions Homepage
Peter Huber in Wiener Neustadt, Austria and Andreas Lier in Germany who answered questions about the material on their homepages. Peter has just added an excellent illustrated listing of the earliest objects in bottles that he has been able to trace. Phillipe Petout, conservateur, Musées de St. Malo in France who provided information on the ships in his collection. Isabel Jones of the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa who provided cataloguing data on the ships in their collections. Paula Johnson, at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Special thanks to the late Juzo Okada, president of the Japanese Ships-in-a-Bottle Association for his excellent short history on seafaring in Japan which can be found on the Association homepage Don Hubbard, past president of the Ships-In-Bottles Association of America for providing information on the Seaman's Bank collection Bob de Jongste who provided me with information on Matthias Buchinger and the earliest ship in a bottle known in the Netherlands. Ross Keleman for writing to tell me about his early ship in a bottle. Lynn Horn for sending me photos of Carl Warner's bottle and information on the Knotts Berry Farm ship in bottle collection. Susan Jones For expanding my knowledge of the myriad of objects that have been bottled over the years.
Alan Rogers , editor of the Bottleship magazine, for providing the photo and a history of Matthew Buckinger's Masterpiece.
DENMARK
Struer Museum,Søndergade 23, STRUER - houses one of Denmark's largest collections of ships in bottles.
Flaskeskibsmuseet, Smedegade 22, Ærøskøbing - over 1700 models in bottles.
Marstal Sofartsmuseum, Prinsensgade 2-4, MARSTAL, Denmark
GERMANY
Ship-in-Bottle Museum, Hamburg, part of Jochen Binikowski's Welcome Point Restaurant, HAMBURG
NETHERLANDS:
Flessenscheepjesmuseum, Zuiderspui 1, 1601 GH ENKHUIZEN
H.M. Mercuur, museumschip, Dr. Lelykade, SCHEVENINGEN
NORWAY
Sandefjord Sjøfartsmuseene, Sandefjord, Norway
JAPAN
Osaka Bottleship Mini Museum, located in the KAIYUKAN ENTRANCE Blg. (the largest aquarium in Japan, -10,Kaigandori 1-Chome,Minato-ku,Osaka. Some 70 ships are displayed including 20 from outside Japan.
Yokohama Maritime Museum, 1-1,Minato-Mirai 2-chome,nishi-ku,Yokohama. Contains a collection of some 30 works built by JSIBA members living near Tokyo in a room by the gate.
UNITED STATES
Ships of the Sea Museum, Savannah, Georgia. A collection of ships in bottles mostly produced by British naval writer and photographer Commander Peter Barlow. This collection, like that of the Seaman's Bank for Savings has since been auctioned off.
Seaman's Bank for Savings, New York. (dispersed; whereabouts unknown, may be at South Street Seaport Museum in New York, probably sold.)
The Whaling Museum, Cold Springs Harbor, New York
Knotts Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, California is said to have a special collection as one of their attractions. (Recently I have been able to confirm that this collection still exists but things are very mixed up. The collection is now in a new building and during the move the descriptive cards on each ship were misplaced - and no one knows what is what. Some of the ships, too seem to have disappeared.)
GREAT BRITAIN
The Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, Scotland.
The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England.
BELGIUM
National Scheepvaartmuseum, Antwerp, Belgium
SPAIN
Museo Maritimo, Barcelona, Spain - described as a lavish display.
THAILAND
Pattaya Bottle Museum, located on Sukhumvit Road in the tourist resort town of Pattaya, Thailand
FRANCE
Musée; de St. Malo, Chateau de St. Malo, France.
Most of these museums do not have web sites. For a listing of the Marine Museums around the world that do, check out Marine Museums On-line - Bob Smith's (no relation - just one of the many!) guide to the Marine and Maritime Museums on the WWW
