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Bottle Dating Guide There are three kinds of bottle bases. Open pontil which is most likely to date from 1860 or earlier. Iron pontil which usually dates around 1840s to 1870. Smooth base from 1870 to current. Click on the picture to see the larger image Before 1860   1860 - 1880   1880 - 1900   After - 1900   Note: This is just for a reference guide. The mold seam may not be able to provide a 100% accurate dating. Some glass companies may have been behind on the technology at that time. Below are some other bottle general dating references. Applied Top- 1840-1880 Crown Cap- 1900-up Free Blown- pre 1840 Fruit Jar- ground lips 1860-1900 Fruit Jar- smooth lips 1900- up Hinge Mold-1860-1880s Imperfections- before 1890 Iron Pontil- 1840-1870 Pontil- pre 1840-1860s (excluding barber bottles and specialty glass) Screw Cap-1900-up (excluding fruit jars and specialty bottles) common standard practice after 1925 Stoneware- before 1910 Tooled Top- 1880-1910 Whittle Marks- before 1870 PEASE NOTE : There are always exceptions.