Milk Glass Battleships
Many of these covered dishes were the product of condiment purveyor E. C. Flaccus Company of Wheeling, West Virginia, founded in 1877. Its leader, George A. Flaccus, was granted a design patent in 1898 for a “shipping vessel” container. As a dominant player in its market Flaccus often designed their own proprietary condiment containers and this design patent led to their classic battleship covered dishes, including those embossed Wheeling, Oregon and Olympia – all famous ships of the U.S. Navy. These battleships were often filled with mustard and sold through local general and grocery stores. A number of rare survivors of these ships exist today with portions of their original grocery labels intact and are avidly sought after by collectors.
Other glass companies followed the Flaccus led and produced similar milk glass battleships, including one circa 1898 known as “Uncle Sam on the Merrimac”. (The actual manufacturer of the Merrimac is not presently known, many collectors also attribute it to Flaccus.) The battleships were highly popular with the public in the patriotic surge following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in the Havana Harbor in February of 1898 triggering the Spanish American War. One of these battleships was embossed “Remember the Maine” and three other models were embossed “Maine” on their bows.
The battleships popularity continued as the nation built sixteen new white-painted battleships in the opening years of the new century. Known as the “Great White Fleet”, President Theodore Roosevelt dispatched the battleships on an around the world tour from December 1907 to February 1909 as a manifestation of America’s growing military might and determination to play an important role on the world stage.
There are four basic forms for these milk glass battleships, and one important variant: Uncle Sam on the Merrimac, the Maine side turret battleship, the standard battleship with a “hooked” vent between the smokestacks (often named Wheeling, Olympia or Oregon) and the battleship with a U.S. national shield on its bow (sometimes unnamed, sometimes named Maine). In addition to these four basic forms collectors pursue the rare “open capstan” variant of the side turret battleship. Unlike its far more common brothers, this dish has no molded supports or ‘flanges’ for its free-standing capstan, making it more difficult and expensive to manufacture.
Related to these battleships is a milk glass covered dish with a bust of Admiral Dewey, commander of the fleet that won the Spanish American War, centering a lid atop a molded brick-work base. Although not a battleship this example is certainly of the same period and expresses the same patriotic sentiments as the ships.
Other collectible variants of these boats include remaining labels (rare and highly desirable) and gold painted highlights to molded features. Ships in colors other that white, as well as colorless glass ships, were made later and may be reproductions. In addition lids become separated from their bases and are later associated with different bases; collectors should be clear as to which lids originally belonged with which bases.
Collector’s Note; The U.S.S. Merrimac (the dish with Uncle Sam) was named for the U.S. Navy vessel active in the Spanish-American War and named in honor of the Connecticut City of Merrimac. Its name is also confused with the U.S. Merrimack (named after the river flowing through Connecticut) which was captured by Confederate forces during the Civil War, renamed the CSS Virginia and converted to an ironclad battleship (of Monitor & Merrimack fame). It is not related to the later milk glass edition. The Uncle Sam on the Merrimac dish has been reproduced. A grainy-feeling surface is one clue to a possible reproduction in milk glass as original surfaces should feel smooth to the touch.
Reference note by p4A.com editorial staff, 2010.