Even Bottles Have to Watch Their Figurals

Everyone seems to have a “thing” for figural bottles. How about you? What? You’re not familiar with figurals?

Figurals are objects – everything from jewelry to napkin rings, spoon holders to bottles – that are shaped like something else, most often a person or animal.  Just think of Mrs. Butterworth and her bottled pancake syrup!

One of the earliest known figural “bottles” is a multicolored fish from Egypt. It dates back to 1352-1336 B.C. and was probably used to hold scented oil. Despite their ancient history, figurals are alive and well. And the figural bottles that people seem to love best are liquor bottles…especially whiskey bottles. One of the most famous figurals is the amber E.G. Booz Old Cabin Whiskey bottle. It was made in the shape of….An old cabin, of course!

From 1964-1985, the Ezra Brooks company produced more than 300 different Kentucky whiskey figural bottles, such as American Legion commemoratives, exotic animals and fancy cars.

Most figurals are listed for under $50. While they’re not especially valuable, they are highly collectible.

*Half Empty or Half Full? Opening up your figural liquor bottle to take a swig is gonna cost you. The bottle is worth more if both it, and the liquor inside, are intact. In other words, “bottoms up” means “prices down.”