Bottles marked with "3iv" and Duraglas

edited March 2011 in Question and Answer
I recently received this inquiry:

"dug up bottles on property, about 40 clear glass but want to know what this duraglas small bottle with a roman numeral which looks like a 3 followed by an IV. It has mesurments on the side black lid with dark liquid still in it. Also an 'Old Quaker' half pint glass bottle with lid. Just want to know what these are. Thank you much for any help."

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It's a common enough bottle that it merits a response to help others.

The 3iv designation is a pharmacist's terminology for 4 ounces. If you really want to dig into this issue, then roll up your sleeves and get ready to digest the somewhat confusing notion that this is a matter of the relation between weight and volume of an ounce. The way I understand it, such a bottle would contain 4 ounces by weight and not by volume. See Pharmaceutical compounding and dispensing
By John F. Marriott
for more information.

Such pharmacy bottles were mass-produced by a bottle manufacturer and sold to pharmacies. The local pharmacy applied their own label when filling a prescription. Today, the containers in some cases look similar but most are made of plastic. The Duraglas marking indicates that the bottle was made by Owens-Illinois Glass Company of Toledo, Ohio. The Duraglas trademark (in script) was used starting in 1940 and in bold blocked letters starting in 1963 - this information is from Bottle Makers and Their Marks by Julian Toulouse.

I will post a photo of representative examples

Comments

  • Here is a photo showing two sizes of pharmacy bottles, the 3iv (four ounce) and the 3 vi (six ounce)
  • 3i * 1 oz (6 teaspoonfuls)
    3ii * 2 oz (12 teaspoonfuls)
    3iii * 3 oz (18 teaspoonfuls)
    3iv * 4 oz (24 teaspoonfuls)
    3vi * 6 oz (36 teaspoonfuls)
    3viii * 8 oz (48 teaspoonfuls)
    3xii * 12 oz (72 teaspoonfuls)
    3xvi * 16 oz (96 teaspoonfuls)
  • I have 3 old duraglas bottles. 3ii, 3iv, and 3vi. Are these worth anything together?
  • Probably not much as a plain old screwtop bottle. Cork top would be slightly better; having some nice vintage labels on them better still.
  • In front of me .... my eyes focus on a clear bottle with a cork in it. On the flat side of the Bottle filled with a Caramel Color Liquid I focus on The markings are "3iv" with measurements on both sides. On the left side from top to Bottom { 3_ 3 - 2 - 1 - } On the right side from top to bottom { 4CC - 80 - 60 - 40 - 20 - } And on the Bottom it says F.G on the top half of the Bottom and 7 on the lower half of the bottom. No label. I want to know everything about the is bottle. Help please.
  • The info on the first post here is fairly complete for the bottle type.

    As for the FG marking, it could very well be Florida Glass Manufacturing Company, Jacksonville, FL or possibly Fairmount Glass Co, Fairmount, IN
  • I live in an 1836 farmhouse and we are digging up an old porch and replacing flooring I found this old bottle with A cork inside that's in pretty bad shape but it's there I don't see many markings except for the it looks like 3iv. There is also the numbers 852 on the bottom.
    Can you tell me anything about this bottle. Also will cleaning it decrease the value.
    Thank you
    RH
  • No, cleaning it will not reduce value.

    This is a pre-machine-made era bottle so it falls, age-wise, in the era (roughly) of 1890-1920

    Please see my comments at the beginning of this thread regarding these generic pharmacy bottles.
  • Hi there, my husband found a similar bottle as discussed above. This one has Blue Ribbon on the bottom. The rest of the description is the same, 4 3/4 inches, Oz markings on left side cc on the right 3iv top center. BUT a really pretty Blueish/ Lavender tint in the glass. Just curious as to age and manufacturer. As in Blue Ribbon bottles of beer company?



    Thanks!
  • @Carolynn Please post a picture of the bottle - straight on - and also one of the base. Glad to help.
  • My husband found our bottle which is slightly purple but it has scallops at the base of the neck and "I" on bottom.It looks like it had a cork top. What do you think about this one?
  • edited June 2017
    @ket As always, we need a clear photo to understand what you have. Glad to help.
  • My husband has a bottle we figured out its a 2oz but it doesn't have the measurement lines is it worth more
  • My bottle has 3iv on the front and the marks down both sides but on the bottom it has a number 2. What dose this mean ?
  • The markings on the bottle have nothing to do with dose. The 3iv marking refers to the total volume of the bottle. The number 2 on the base is a mold mark from the manufacturer of the bottle.
  • I found a clear bottle that has the marking “3IV” but it doesn’t have the markings on the sides. Do you know who made it or when it was made?
  • @JSG The S in the circle on the base is the mark of Swindell Bros. Baltimore MD according to "Glass Makers and Their Marks" Your bottle is mid 20th century.
  • As far as I can tell, I must have a rarity. It is an Owens 3xvi screw top medicine bottle that has the Duraglas script located at the heel but on bottom has 10 8 on either side of the circle diamond logo. I take this to mean it was manufactured in Newark, OH in 1938 (plant operation 1930-39) but all information says the script Duraglas logo didn't begin until 1940.
  • I found this bottle I know nothing about was looking for info 3iv on upper back and on bottom back says duraglass,and on bottom says" Owens" a 5 and a satern looking symbol then a 7





  • A bottle i found had all the same markings exept mine has a key stone and a j on the inside of the key stone can you tell me anything about it

  • Can anyone tell me what was in this bottle originally, with markings U 6 with a line under it?

  • I'm not seeing this edging above the 3iv on most pictures. Is this older or original compared to bottles without it.. it also has U 6 on the bottom with a line under the 6

  • i have a bottle with 3iv ,3iii, 3i on them.. all Durarglas and what i assume is meeasurments on the side.. they have plastic tops the tiny one 3i has a wired coloring to the inside. like metallic clear blue yellow n green and a white residue toward the top.. I’m just assuming there’s some kind of old medicine bottles I’m not sure but I didn’t see any more comments on yours so I was wondering if anybody had him let you know what they were If anything in the might of been dangerous.. I actually don’t remember where I found those oh yeah I do in the house down by the small creek no idea why they’re there I’ve only been here a couple years but from walking the field it looks like there may have been a Homestead or some kind of building there at one time..

    if you’ve found anything out about them i’d appreciate the education.. i litteraly know zilch other than they are cute n i like them.. thanks in advance. Tammy

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