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Flea Market Finds: Demijohns Around the Home
Once Purely Functional, Now Decorative, These Bottles are Worth the Hunt
Is there a puzzled look on your face? If so, let me explain. Demijohns, also referred to as carboys, are those big bottles made of wavy old glass found around flea markets and antique sales. You might have seen a few in a home as a decorative piece or vase, but did you know these vessels date back hundreds of years? Read on for a little history and a few lovely uses.
by Jeanette Lunde
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The demijohn was originally used to transport liquids. Wine, olive oil, cider, molasses — you name it, a demijohn probably carried it.
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Seeing as these bottle are glass (i.e., highly breakable), they were typically wrapped in wicker to act as a sort of cushion while in transit on long, bumpy wagon rides.
For collectibles, the exterior padding would have long since deteriorated, leaving just the smooth, colorful bottle from within.
For collectibles, the exterior padding would have long since deteriorated, leaving just the smooth, colorful bottle from within.
Older demijohns have that bulbous, kidney-like shape seen in the bottles in first two images. Later, in order not to waste space on a shipment, the bottles took on a more uniform shape like the ones shown here so more could be packed in.
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I saw an arrangement like this at Anthropologie the other day. (Side note: Do they know how to make a display or what? I'm always amazed by their talent.) If you've got a nook or niche, a collection of these in various tones could fill it quite nicely.
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Real antique demijohns often come in sea greens, aquas and ambers. If you see a black or cobalt bottle, take a closer look at the condition; those are harder to find.
(I don't think the ones here are the real deal, but they look to be at least inspired by those antique bottles.)
(I don't think the ones here are the real deal, but they look to be at least inspired by those antique bottles.)
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| Clear demijohns are likely reproductions or younger antiques. |
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But they still look wonderful, no? And they'll cost you quite a bit less.
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So what to do with a demijohn once you've found one?
Filling it with a few blooming branches brings both a natural element and a bit of height to a corner of room.
Filling it with a few blooming branches brings both a natural element and a bit of height to a corner of room.
by Faiella Design
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Of course, the beauty of the old glass speaks volumes on its own.
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| Group them together for impact or to see the play of colors when layered in an arrangement. |
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Or fill them with petite collectibles like matchbooks, plastic toys or anything else that's not too weighty.
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Do any of you out there collect demijohns or other types of old glass? Let us know in the comments, and if you have any tips, do share!
More flea market finds:
Wire Baskets
Old-School Stools
The Sunburst Motif
More flea market finds:
Wire Baskets
Old-School Stools
The Sunburst Motif
Ideabook updated on March 3, 2011.
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"The word ‘demijohn’ appears in literature beginning in the early 1700s. While large blown European bottles exist from as early as the 1400s, the word seems to have come from Persia at some later time. …
or Jemmy-john for demijohn, a large wicker-cased bottle, as though this word had not suffered enough already in its transition from Arabic damagan, itself taken from the Persian glass-making town of Damaghan. The Phililogy of Slang, Littell's Living Age, May 9, 1874.
Other sources trace the origin to a corruption of the French, dame-jeanne (lady Jane but the idea that the word came from a glass-making center makes sense. The characteristic that distinguishes a demijohn from any other bottle, aside from its size, is the fact that it was wicker covered. Early Egyptians covered their bottles with papyrus. This innovation may have spread from Egypt to Persia then to Europe and from there to America. "
My favourite ones are the dark teal colour.
I still have idea how to display them, but now I'm motivated :)
alicia
juliesfreshperspectives.blogspot.com
And just a tidbit for all of you to know.....I've seen a few advertised as "hand blown" that aren't. If you look at them and there is a seem, it isn't handblown and probably not older than 50 (if that). If the top doesn't look like someone slashed it with a sword, it isn't handblown. Both bargaining tools on your hunt!