Vintage Rare Dual Bottle Selzer Dispenser: 95

Description

PHARMACEUTICALGAZOGENE BY BRIET Bte
15
-037. French, early 3rd quarter 19th century, signed on the spigot handle "BRIET Bte, S.G.D.G., A PARIS."The gazogene features as a cryptic residential fixture at 221B Baker Street in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. This one is identical to the one in the 221B Baker Street replica home in Los Angeles
Made of two pieces of heavy hand blown glass, with pewter fixtures, and standing 17 3/4" tall overall. The 6 3/8" diameter base is made of milk glass; the lower glass vessel is 4 1/2" tall x 3 7/8" diameter and the upper glass vessel is 7 5/8" tall x 5 3/8" diameter, with a pewter piece between the two vessels which holds the spigot. The two glass vessels are covered with woven cane to keep the glass from exploding if the vessels are damaged.
A wicker web encases this rare gasogene. It was designed to keep the glass spheres in place while under pressure. It was also a safety feature as these predecessors of the seltzer bottle frequently cracked or exploded. All of the early models were produced in Paris. ( Very Good Condition for its age and Rarity with a minor one inch cane wrap ware.)