History Behind ‘Pyros,’ ‘Umbrellas,’ ‘Cop Tops’
If you go to a bottle show, you might hear collectors and dealers mention “pyros,” “umbrellas,” “cop tops” and other unfamiliar terms. Over the years, collectors have given different types of bottles nicknames.
“Pyro” is short for “pyroglaze,” colored enameled lettering. Pyros are usually soda bottles or milk bottles made after the 1930s.
Cop tops are milk bottles made about 1930 with an unusual neck. In the days before homogenized milk, the cream was separate from the milk and a bubble top held the cream. The glass of some bubble tops was molded to look like a policeman’s head, thus the “cop top” designation. Similar bottles are known as “baby faces.”
An umbrella is a type of ink bottle. Makers during the 19th century called them “fluted cone stands.” An umbrella could have from six to 16 sides, but most are eight-sided. The bottles earned their nickname because below the neck they resemble umbrellas.
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Q: Never say never. In one of your recent columns, you advised readers never to wind a clock counterclockwise. I have had a Seth Thomas wall clock that I have been winding counterclockwise for 50 years. The clock was made that way.
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A: You’re right. A few old clocks were made to be wound counterclockwise.
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Q: My tall pitcher is decorated with a picture of a woman wearing a long scarf around her neck. She has an empire-waist dress, a headband and a train or cape. I know I have seen the picture before. Do you know who she is?
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A: You probably have a piece decorated with a portrait of Queen Louise. She was queen of Prussia when Napoleon defeated its armies. She was admired for her beauty and generosity and her courage in opposing the French.
Although she died in 1810, her picture was popular during much of the 19th century.
Queen Louise has been pictured on pieces made in England, Germany, Japan, the United States and probably many other places.
The flowing scarf was said to conceal a goiter, but we have not found any proof of that.
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Q: My aunt has a box of Ivory Snow that belonged to my deceased mother. The box is more than 20 years old. She told me there was “something special” about the model pictured on the box. Is the box valuable?
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A: Your aunt might not have wanted to tell you the whole truth about the box--that the woman portraying the young mother is Marilyn Chambers, who became an X-rated-movie star.
Proctor & Gamble, the makers of Ivory soap since 1879, found a new model soon after Chambers’ first movie became famous in the early 1970s.
Your aunt’s box is a collectible worth about $20.
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Q: Can I do anything to get the musty smell out of an old oak chest of drawers I purchased at a house sale? The chest has been stored in a basement for years.
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A: We have several suggestions. Try them one at a time until you find one that works.
* Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds inside the drawers and let them stand for 24 hours before removing.
* Sprinkle baking soda inside the drawers and let it stand for a week before removing. Repeat if necessary.
* For each drawer, parch several handfuls of uncooked rice in a shallow pan in the oven. Place the pans of rice in the musty drawers. Repeat as needed.
* Spread cat litter inside the drawers and close them for several days. Repeat until the odor is gone. Then wash the drawers and let them dry.
* Place the dresser outside in the shade. Plug in a fan and blow air through the drawers and frame. If that doesn’t work after several days, fill the drawers with baking soda, cat litter or charcoal chips to absorb the odor.
* If nothing else works, you might be able to seal in the odor with a fresh coat of paint or varnish.
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Q: My son saw some small metal boxes for sale at a local antiques show. The dealer said they were “matchsafes.” What is a matchsafe?
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A: The first friction match was devised in 1827. Early matches were poorly made and easily ignited. By the 1850s, large fireproof boxes were being made to store the matches.
The boxes were made in all sizes--for home, office, public places and personal use. Pocket-size matchsafes far outnumbered the others.
Matchsafes peaked in popularity about 1890, just prior to the invention of the book match in 1892.
If you wish other information about antiques, include a self-addressed, stamped (55 cents) envelope, and the Kovels will send you a listing of helpful books and publications. Write to the Kovels, the Los Angeles Times, King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017.
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Current Prices
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
* Los Angeles Real Estate Co. stock certificate, 1886: $25.
* Ritz 12-ounce beverage bottle, green, white painted-on logo of man in a top hat, St. Louis: $45.
* Hedi Schoop figurine, peasant lady, ruffled dress, white bonnet, drawstring purse, 10 inches: $85.
* Tiffany & Co. sterling serving spoon and fork, geometric handles, gold wash, 6 1/4 inches: $115.
* Girl Scout uniform, three merit badges on sleeve, 1920s: $225.
* William & Mary walnut joint stool, semicircular seat on three chamfered legs, England, 15 by 17 by 9 inches: $250.
* Moser glass mug, topaz crackle glass, gold handle and base, four applied insects in polychrome design, 5 inches: $345.
* Barbie, blond ponytail, red jersey swimsuit, high heels, pearl earrings, 1962, Mattel: $375.
* Mexican silver, figural pin, woman with a basket, marked, Fredrick Davis, 2 inches: $460.
* Singer Sewing Machines porcelain sign, seamstress logo, white lettering, stars on red “S,” green ground, 1920s, 12 by 19 inches: $950.
