Griffin's To Sell Rare Codd Bottle In February 25th General Auction

Griffin’s Auctioneers are excited to be auctioning an exceptional and rare Goffe & Sons emerald green Codd bottle in their Antiques and Collectables auction on Tuesday 25th February. There is also a very collectable 10oz Cresswell & Co Smethwick Reliance Patent Codd Bottle with a Cobalt blue lip in the sale.

Hiram Codd patented the marble-in-neck design bottle in 1872 and there are thought to be over 500 different types.

Some collectors aim to own as many variations as possible with several different designs, shapes and colours available and mineral waters are arguably the most well collected category of UK bottles. A stunning blue example sold in the UK last year for over £30,000 and the green colour is even scarcer.

This example is a ‘bulb neck’ bottle and is moulded with the oval pictorial trademark of two crossed bottles for the Birmingham retailer Goffe & Sons and is embossed “E Breffit & Co Makers Castleford” to the reverse. The Castleford glassworks firm became a limited company in 1884, which nicely dates the bottle.

Several of these bottles have been dug up in the Midlands around Birmingham and of the few surviving examples most are either damaged or have been restored. This one is in remarkable condition and is thought to have been purchased at a local market in the 1970’s and you can only wonder if any others are sat in peoples homes. Tony Griffin describes it as “a stunning bottle and it is likely you will never get another chance to own one in this condition”. It is estimated at £3,000 to £5,000 but is expected to sell for more than the top estimate.

Lot 394 - Goffe & Sons Emerald Green Codd Bottle

Lot 395 - 10oz Cresswell & Co Smethwick Reliance Patent Codd Bottle