Description
An impossible bottle is so-named because it contains objects that seemingly would be too large to fit inside the bottle’s mouth. The artist employs various special techniques to accomplish this sort of trick including constructing objects inside the bottle, inflating or expanding objects once they are inside the bottle, or molding a glass bottle around an object. This is often considered folk art frequently made by sailors and most commonly is rendered as a ship model with full masts somehow set within a glass bottle. Sailors adopted crafts such as this, as well as wood carving, rope work, whale bone scrimshaw and shell valentines to pass the time on board ship or as a hobby after retirement. Sailor arts were often made as gifts for their wives or sweethearts back home, and were sold or bartered by the sailors aboard ship or at port. Other examples of impossible bottles — whether done by sailors or others — include dioramas (such as the one offered) and ones with things that would not apparently fit in bottles such as a carved wooden object or a large knot.
Condition: Generally fine overall.
Reference:
“Impossible Bottle.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 26 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impossible_bottle. (28 May 2024).
“Sailors’ Craftwork.” National Maritime Museum. http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections.html#!csearch;authority=subject-90366;collectionReference=subject-90366 (24 April 2012).
