Since there were hundreds of thousands of uniquely different bottles produced in the United States (and Canada**) between the late 18th century and the 1950s (Fike 1987), it is beyond the scope or even possibility of this site (or website or book) to provide specific details about more than just a tiny fraction of a percent of that variety of bottles.Even then the bottles discussed in depth are so primarily to illustrate the presented information and concepts.
Click on to view the portion of the Glossary Page that covers these subjects.If you are interested in identifying what a bottle was likely used for - i.e., what "type" of bottle it is (aka "typology") - the Bottle Typing/Diagnostic Shapes page and the extensive array of related sub-pages should be visited.This very large complex of pages includes bottle type specific sub-pages with extensive style based dating information, including complete scans of 5 different early 20th century (1906 to 1933) bottle makers catalogs spanning the mouth-blown to machine-made bottle manufacturing era!In addition, this site also assists the user with these questions: 3.What technology, techniques, or processes were used to manufacture the bottle? Where did the bottle come from, i.e., where was it made and/or used? Where can I go for more information on historic bottles?
It also includes "Bottle Dating Worksheets" (pages 51 to 55) by Rebecca Allen and this author to assist in the systematic dating of an historic bottle based on the information in that dating key as well as other information on the website.