Day 456-Peacock
Blenko Water Bottle Peacock
This is another example of the Peacock water bottle made for Public TV in 2012. These were used as a premium for contributors at the $125.00 level. South Carolina stations used a Cobalt water bottle with a palm tree and cresent moon etched onto it. Blenko thought that this one was too dark and it ended up in the Visitors Center just in time for me to purchase it.
Etching Detail
Peacock Comparison
I would say that this is a pretty good match to the original Peacock.
Blog Update-December 3, 2013:I have eliminated the next 5 days of posts from this blog in order to be able to add photos to the remaining posts. These 5 days and a lot more already appear on the site MoreBlenkoWaterBottles.wordpress.com.
Day 455-Colonial Williamsburg Amethyst
Blenko Water Bottle Mulberry
Here is a second example of a water bottle that I consider to be Mulberry. Unfortunately, this water bottle is, like the previous one, not etched Blenko on the bottom. Mulberry was a catalog color in 1958 and at some point in 1958, Blenko started etching the base with Blenko.
Blog Update-November 30, 2013: I am now quite certain that this is the color that Blenko used to produce the Colonial Williamsburg Reproductions from 1936 to 1966. Mulberry is a lot more gray and a lot less vibrant.
Day 454-Ultramarine
Blenko Water Bottle ultramarine
I am calling this Ultramarine for now with little hope of ever knowing what it’s true name was or if it even had a color designation.
Day 453-Wheat
Blenko Water Bottle Wheat
Another example that displays the consistency of color in Gold. The color may vary from piece to piece but within a single piece the color is even from side to side and top to bottom. From what I can tell this is one of the hallmarks of Blenko’s gold. I think that the mold did not get totally closed when this example was made as the side seams are quite pronounced.
New Information-May 31, 2014
I had myself convinced that this was a Gold water bottle. The deeper spouts and the even color made me fairly confident that I had “struck Gold.” Comparisons of this water bottle to other Gold and other Wheat water bottles have now convinced me that it is indeed Wheat. Thanks to a sharp eyed collector, I am now correct in my identification.
Seam Detail
Day 452-Clover
Blenko Water Bottle Clover
Up to this point, the Clover water bottles were from a time period before Clover was actually a catalog color. While I was visiting Blenko in late October 2012, I purchased a “real” Clover. I am still sure that my other Clover water bottles which I purchased as pineapple green, are actually experimental Clover.
Etching Detail
Bubble Shard
The “V” shaped glare in the bottom of the water bottle is a shard of the bubble from the top of the water bottle which was propelled into the water bottle as the bubble was removed. These shards are super thin and anneal themselves to the inside and occasionally to the outside of the water bottle.
Day 451-Marine Crystal “Everpure”
Blenko Water Bottle Marine Crystal
This is a very unusual water bottle. The story I have, goes like this. Somewhere in the late 1950’s to 1960 the Everpure Company ordered an unknown quantity of water bottles in Marine Crystal to use as promotional items. I have no information as to who received these, (salespeople? or customers?, or ????). As you know Marine Crystal was last made as a catalog color in 1945. What you see in the photo above is one of these water bottles with a label on both sides. The label is circular, part of the back side label shows above the front label. The Everpure company made and indeed still makes water filters. The photo below shows the etching which indicates a production date of 1958-1960. I saw 2 of these sell on Ebay last August, one without the labels. I also remember seeing one other in the beginning years of my collecting and it was was actually etched in the indent with a logo similar to the label. I do not recall if that one was etched on the bottom ( I was young and naive).
Etching Detail
Label Close-Up
Day 450-Ruby
- Blenko Water Bottle Ruby
This Ruby water bottle displays the nice even coloration that Blenko likes to achieve in their Ruby glass. Because of the shape of the neck and spouts and because it is not etched, I think this is an earlier Ruby. It fluoresces with an unusual swirly pattern under the ultraviolet light.
Ruby under fluorescent light
Day 449-Jungle Encased Yellow
Blenko Water Bottle Jungle encased Yellow
This is an odd color which was only made once in 2006.
Etching Detail
Effect of Untraviolet Light
Day 448-Orchid
Blenko Water Bottle Orchid
Etching Detail
Hopefully, Blenko will produce more of these even though Orchid is not in the catalog.
This is an example of the “new” Orchid. Orchid is not a catalog color for 2012 but it is in the catalog for 2013/2014. This is the new Amethyst color that Blenko is making for 2013 and it is cased in Crystal so it is technically Orchid.
Day 447-Violet
Blenko Water Bottle Violet
Violet has been retired (again) and replaced in 2013 with a reformulated Amethyst, so here is one last look at Violet.
Etching Detail
A Year of Blenko Water Bottles 