what are these from ( SOLVED!)

[NGE]

These things (caps?) are found all over the place here in Michigan. Anytime you find one, keep hunting that park or field or island. Something was going on at least 100 or more years ago. They are made of aluminum, most are 1/2 inch diameter on the open end, if not smashed, they are 1/4 inch tall, the look like large caliber thin aluminum pellets, we also thought opium bottle caps, some of these are 3/4 inch in diameter, and have a rubber seal around the narrow waist part of them. We have searched available patent materials and pictures, typed in all kinds of "key words" and still can't figure out what they are. Many kudo's to whoever can find anything about these things......... notgittinenny

 

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[Silver Searcher]

Re: what are these from

I used to play with those mini, one use vaccine bottles when I was very young. Can't imagine. But the caps were donut shaped with a fairly thick rubber sealer under it that allowed the needle to go through to draw the vaccine. THis was in 1955 or so. I don't know what the bottles are, from SS, but perhaps the center lifts off to expose the membrane to put the needle through. But the subject things do not seem to be the same thing as my vaccine bottle, not even close. Interesting that they are found all over. Bottle caps and wheel holders look like the obvious, but I vote a no go.

I don't think these bottles were meant to be pierced, if you look the tops are not round, but shaped to be twisted off, like the one's posted

SS

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

I used to play with those mini, one use vaccine bottles when I was very young. Can't imagine. But the caps were donut shaped with a fairly thick rubber sealer under it that allowed the needle to go through to draw the vaccine. THis was in 1955 or so. I don't know what the bottles are, from SS, but perhaps the center lifts off to expose the membrane to put the needle through. But the subject things do not seem to be the same thing as my vaccine bottle, not even close. Interesting that they are found all over. Bottle caps and wheel holders look like the obvious, but I vote a no go.

I don't think these bottles were meant to be pierced, if you look the tops are not round, but shaped to be twisted off, like the one's posted

SS

The vaccine picture you posted is for injection. You pop off the center piece and stick the needle in the rubber underneath. The cap never comes off. Its the same as insulin. I have a bottle in my hand. Ill take a picture.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: what are these from

These bottle caps were pry off caps,not twist off....If all they had was a cork in them everyone & their brother would have had a taste! You put the cork or stopper in after you bought it!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

Here are the pics.

The cap is the correct size but it does not come off the bottle.

Second pic shows center removed to insert needle.

These are not the OPs caps. I have yet to see a picture posted with the OPs caps except for one of Relicdudes pictures (third one down)has a slim possibility but we need to see the link to verify.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

These bottle caps were pry off caps,not twist off....If all they had was a cork in them everyone & their brother would have had a taste! You put the cork or stopper in after you bought it!

The bottom pic both cork tops all the way even when they were new. It doesnt help your case to post these.

This is the first time you posted the top pic. Do you have the link? Is it a tiny bottle? What is the wire for? Is that to open it? Is there rubber under the wire? It looks like a screw top but Im willing to listen to whatever evidence you can present. Thanks relicdude.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: what are these from

I think Ivan got it with snake oil! I find them by the 100s but never save any.... Goodluck

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

I think Ivan got it with snake oil! I find them by the 100s but never save any.... Goodluck

All good guesses but no proof. The caps are smaller than a dime. Yes it could be a tiny early crown cap opium or snake oil bottle but I cant find a good link on closures. I cant find the wire closure you have pictured and its too small to see. http://www.antiquebottles.com/closures/

Im wondering if it could go inside the tiny bottle. The seal made by the rubber ring. The rubber is there for a reason and we cant ignore it IMO.

Does anyone have a good link on closures?

 

[Silver Searcher]

Re: what are these from



Looking back over the thread...why the mushrooming, which was pointed out, how would that work with the wire

SS

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

Looking back over the thread...why the mushrooming, which was pointed out, how would that work with the wire

SS

Yea this is a tough one. I guess it wouldnt be a wire type closure. Im also thinking that an early crown cap type of closure is usually pryed off on one side. Most of these caps are mushroomed all around.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Re: what are these from

Looking back over the thread...why the mushrooming, which was pointed out, how would that work with the wire

SS

Yea this is a tough one. I guess it wouldnt be a wire type closure. Im also thinking that an early crown cap type of closure is usually pryed off on one side. Most of these caps are mushroomed all around.

The mushrooming/flaring would indicate some type of force

SS

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Re: what are these from

These are mostly found where an old amusement or carnival grounds were once at, or within 20 miles of.

~ * ~

I just stumbled onto this thread this morning and was surprised to discover it was three years old. The above quote by the original poster got me to thinking - which led me to the following clues .

Carnival + Common + Rubber Seal + Kids = Candy!

Please note, this is entirely a guess, and I have yet to find anything proof positive to support my theory. Other than the pictures below of what are described as ...

~ 1920s Glass Candy Containers ~

After doing some research along these lines, I discovered that not all glass candy containers had threaded caps, and/or plate bottoms. Some used a type of cap that "may" have had a rubber seal on it that inserted into the container like a cork. But the crazy part is, of the dozens of examples of these particular types of containers I've looked at, so far not a single one shows what type of cap or cork they originally came with. Suggesting that once opened, the caps were "thrown away" by the hundreds. Sort of like a soda bottle cap. How many old soda bottles do we find with the caps still on them? Not many! From what I gathered in my research, they were often novelty prizes given out at carnivals and fairs. Or possibly just sold outright.

If there is any validity to my guess, it should be easy enough to prove or disprove. But so far I have been unable to.

Below are just a couple of examples of the "non-threaded" types of glass candy containers I am referring to.

SBB

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Re: what are these from

Here's a glass candy container I just found on e-bay, and is the same as the car shown above. It has a cork, but the seller did not say whether it was original or not. To me it just doesn't look right, and may have been added later. Although I can't prove any of this yet, I do know that those non-threaded containers had to have some kind of "cap." But exactly what that cap was I don't know at present. Maybe it was a cork. But then again, maybe not.

If my "guess" is correct, it should be easy to prove or disprove. But at present it is beyond me to do so either way.

SBB

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Re: what are these from

I just spent the last couple of hours looking at approximately 500+ glass candy containers. And of the "very few" that were non-threaded, the one shown below is the only I could find with what was described as having an original "cap/seal" ...

Check it out. It's the one on the right. Does that look like one of our mystery items to you? Me? I'm not sure! Other than it appears to be made of metal and does have the little "bump/dot" in the center. However, I'm not sure about it having a "rubber seal," nor exactly how deep it is. Plus, I'm confused on this particular example as to how they were supposed to be removed?

If these two examples are the same, then maybe the one on the right just has the "inner seal" but is just missing the cap. But the one on the right doesn't appear to be threaded, although it may be.

The only thing I can say with any level of certainty is, whatever those so called "inserts" were on old glass candy containers, I suspect they were intended to be thrown away somewhat like pull-tabs from soda pop cans.

SBB

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

If you look closely Bob you will see the salt shaker is an early threaded screw cap. I believe the antique car is a cork top. The toy gun may be a possibility as an inside plug but why are the caps so mushroomed? Also keep in mind these are smaller than a dime.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Re: what are these from

Cy ~

Agreed! Mostly guesswork on my part. I question the "depth" myself. Regarding size, the first car I posted appears to be about right.

It's the "carnival" connection that put me on the trail to this so called theory of mine.

SBB

 

[RGINN]

Re: what are these from

I may be viewing the pics wrong but to me they appear to be less than a 1/4 inch in diameter, so that rules out any of my ideas. Are you sure they're aluminum, and when did aluminum come into general industrial usage? They might give you another timeframe to start working from.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Re: what are these from

Cy ~

Since I don't have anything better to go on at the moment, I am continuing my research with "Candy Container Insert." It may be wrong, but what the heck. It's as good a guess as any.

Regarding the "mushrooming," perhaps the "lip" was so the insert would not slip all the way into the container. Because of the rubber gasket/seal, it wouldn't be too difficult to "pry off."



~ * ~

RGINN ~

Ancient Greeks and Romans used aluminium salts as dyeing mordants and as astringents for dressing wounds; alum is still used as a styptic. In 1761, Guyton de Morveau suggested calling the base alum alumine. In 1808, Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium and later aluminum.

The metal was first produced in 1825 (in an impure form) by Danish physicist and chemist Hans Christian Ørsted. He reacted anhydrous aluminium chloride with potassium amalgam and yielded a lump of metal looking similar to tin.

~ * ~

I believe it was the French who fully perfected aluminum in the mid 1800s.

SBB

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

Its a tough one. I wish someone could find a pic of a bottle with the cap still on it or in it would be more convincing. Maybe a bottle closure site.

http://www.bottlebooks.com/Dating Old Bottles/dating_bottles_by_their_tops_and.htm

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: what are these from

With the rubber on the outside of these things, they were obviously plugs. Also, apparently very common.

This is purely a guess because I have nothing whatsoever to back it up, but could they be plugs from CO2 tanks used to make soda fountain drinks?

As usual, just guessing...

DCMatt

Regarding the "mushrooming," perhaps the "lip" was so the insert would not slip all the way into the container. Because of the rubber gasket/seal, it wouldn't be too difficult to "pry off."



~ * ~

Yes, small inside plug makes sense with the rubber seal and the mushrooming making a lip to pry up.

 

[High Plains Digger]

Re: what are these from

SBB-- If I remember right, aluminum was fairly expensive to use until they found bauxite and learned how to process it for aluminum..........1920's seems to stick in my mind, but don't put money on it. I have watched your research and admire your efforts.