Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Bottle Case

Bottle Case
Micajah Wilkes (d.1842)
Bertie County, North Carolina
1790-1800
Walnut and yellow pine
HOA: 33 5/8; WOA: 19″; DOA: 14″
MESDA Purchase Fund (950.20)

Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia account for more than two-thirds of the bottle cases documented by MESDA. Based on documentary evidence, many households had more than one.

To learn more about the bottle cases of Northeastern North Carolina see Nancy Carter Crump’s article “Foodways of the Albemarle Region: ‘Indulgent Nature Makes Up for Every Want'” in the Journal of Early Southern Decorative Arts (May 1993).

Mr. Peter Manigault (1731-1773) and His Friends George Roupell (d.1794) St. James, Goose Creek, South Carolina c.1760 Ink and wash drawing on paper HOA: 10 3/16; WOA: 12 3/16" Courtesy, Winterthur Museum, museum purchase, 1963.73

Whiskey Barrel Shaped Beaker Asa Blanchard (d.1838) Lexington, Kentucky 1808-1838 Silver Loan courtesy of an anonymous collector

Punchbowl Excavated at Rosewell Plantation, Gloucester County, Virginia Dutch 1680-1700 Delft Loan courtesy of the Rosewell Foundation

Wine Siphon Possibly New York 1775-1800 Silver Loan courtesy of former MESDA Advisory Board member Andy Williams

John Custis IV (1673-1747) Charles Bridges (d.1747) Williamsburg, Virginia 1725 Oil on Canvas HOA: 34 1/2"; WOA: 26 1/4" Loan courtesy of the Washington-Custis-Lee Collection, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia

Wine Funnel Possibly Charleston, South Carolina 1800-1810 Silver Loan courtesy of former MESDA Advisory Board member Andy Williams

Lewis Burwell (d.1710) Wine Bottle Seal Excavated at Fairfield Plantation, Gloucester County, Virginia English 1710 Glass Loan courtesy of the Fairfield Foundation

Bottle Case with Bottles Williamsburg, Virginia 1755-1775 Black walnut and yellow pine HOA: 37 1/2"; WOA: 20 1/4"; DOA: 18 1/2" Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Museum Purchase Photography by Craig McDougal

Ale Bottle Attributed to the Sanders Pottery Mortlake, England 1755 Stoneware HOA: 8 5/8 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, gift in memory of Joseph Porter Moore by his wife, Adelia Peebles Moore Photograph by Craig McDougal

Bottle Case Petersburg, Virginia 1760-1780 Walnut, yellow pine, birch HOA: 34 1/4"; WOA: 25 3/16"; DOA: 15 3/8" MESDA Purchase Fund (4277)

Manuscript Cookbook Probably Eleanor Parks Shelton (b.1713) Hanover County, Virginia 1735-1745 Paper and ink LOA: 12 1/2"; WOA: 7 3/4" MESDA Purchase Fund (2220)

Bottle Case Micajah Wilkes (d.1842) Bertie County, North Carolina 1790-1800 Walnut and yellow pine HOA: 33 5/8; WOA: 19"; DOA: 14" MESDA Purchase Fund (950.20)

Jug Attributed to the Cain family of potters Sullivan County, Tennessee 1826 Lead-glazed earthenware HOA: 15 ¾”; DIA: 37 ½” MESDA Purchase Fund (5460)

Sugar Chest Probably Adair County, Kentucky 1820-1840 Cherry, walnut, and poplar Private Collection

Brandy Jug Jessee Vestal (b.1829) Washington County, Virginia 1849 Salt Glazed Stoneware HOA: 18" Loan Courtesy of the William King Museum, Abingdon, Virginia

Sideboard Table Charleston, South Carolina 1750-1765 Mahogany, cypress, and marble HOA: 30 1/4"; WOA: 40"; DOA: 22 3/4" Funds courtesy of the Hanes, Short, Melchor and Kaufman families (3163)

Still Wythe County, Virginia 1820-1830 Copper Old Salem Purchase Fund (2241.15)

Sideboard Table Lexington, Kentucky 1800-1810 Cherry, poplar, and Kentucky limestone Loan courtesy of MESDA Advisory Board members Mack and Sharon Cox

Mug Westerwald, Germany 1700-1730 Cobalt-decorated stoneware HOA: 5 ½” Gift of Frank L. Horton (2894)

Punchbowl John Gaither (d.1819) Alexandria, Virginia c.1810 Silver HOA: 4 1/2”; WOA: 10 1/8" Gift of Frank L. Horton (3465)

Cann Lucas Stoutenburgh (1691-1743) Engraving attributed to Joseph Massey (d.1736) Charleston, South Carolina 1719-1729 Silver HOA: 4 3/8” MESDA Purchase Fund (2033.2)

Punch Ladle Daniel You (d. 1749/50) Charleston, South Carolina Silver and baleen LOA: 13 3/4" Courtesy of The Charleston Museum

Covered Goblet John Frederick Amelung (1741-1798) 1792 Colorless non-lead glass HOA: 10 ¾” Wachovia Historical Society (C-105)

Pair of Goblets William Ball (d.1815) 1790-1810 Silver and gold wash HOA: 7" Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Douglas III (2783.1-2)

Beaker Jeremiah Andrews (d.1817) Norfolk, Virginia 1790-1810 Silver and gilt HOA: 3 9/16" Given in memory of John F. Bivins, Jr. by Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Caldwell (4698.4)

Tumbler J. S. Heald (w.1800-1820) Baltimore, Maryland 1800-1820 Silver HOA: 3 1/4" Gift of Frank L. Horton (2024.160)

Beaker Asa Blanchard (d.1838) Lexington, Kentucky 1808-1838 Silver HOA: 3 1/4" MESDA Purchase Fund (2033.1)