Ever since I posted a photo of an odd wine bottle four years ago, I’ve periodically had people leave comments or send me email about odd wine bottles!
Here’s the latest, an Italian wine bottle shaped like a riffle:
Here’s a close-up of the cap.
If you know anything about this bottle of wine or what it might be worth, let me know and I’ll pass the info on to the fellow who sent me the photos.
Not sure if that counts, but we call vodka “wheat wine” in Russia sometimes:
http://shopalco.ru/published/publicdata/RU150GSHOP/attachments/SC/products_pictures/9b489c04c9c0c701bcb93b9210fafcf3_enl.jpg
I have only two small pieces of information that might be of interest:
The mark that you see on the cork (INE, Marchio nazionale, Italia) was introducd in 1933 (RDL 1443/1933) and until 2006 all wine bottles exported from Italy to North America were required to carry it [1].
The Italian for “bottle shaped like a rifle” is “bottiglia a forma di fucile”. A web search on that key shows a few similarly shaped bottles (some of them empty), with people asking a few of tens of euros for them.
[1] DECRETO 8 Febbraio 2006: Abolizione dell’obbligo del marchio INE sulle partite di vino italiano destinate ai mercati del Nord America. Gazzetta Ufficiale N. 37 del 14 Febbraio 2006, Pag. 28.
As an aside, the original bottle you showed (bulbous straw-wrapped green glass, from the chianti region) is called a fiasco in Italian. It’s where we get the English word ‘flask’, and also the English term ‘fiasco’ for a spectacular failure.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=fiasco&searchmode=term
I also have one of these rifle wine bottles, bought at a yard sale years ago, I would like to sell it but unable to fine whats it worth, tried many web sights with no luck, off hand I would say $50.00 too be a fair price.
I have the same type bottle. Mine is 45″ high including the cork. I bought it a few years ago in a large wine store outside of Albany, NY. It contains Opici Red Table Wine. I also have the cardboard box it came in. I think it cost me about $ 50. They had about a dozen of them. Haven’t tried the wine. I keep it for decoration in my wine cellar. Opici bottles a low price Italian table wine that is sold at local stores by the gallon. At the same time I also bought a 32″ Princess Wine bottle Figurine. The boxes say “Old Rifle” reproduced in glass by Florentine glass masters and “Princess” reproduced in glass by Florentine glass masters. Then on the other side of the boxes it is written in Italian.
I have the same type bottle. Mine is 45″ high including the cork. I bought it a few years ago in a large wine store outside of Albany, NY. It contains Opici Red Table Wine. I also have the cardboard box it came in. I think it cost me about $ 50. They had about a dozen of them. Haven’t tried the wine. I keep it for decoration in my wine cellar. Opici bottles a low price Italian table wine that is sold at local stores by the gallon. At the same time I also bought a 32″ Princess Wine bottle Figurine. The boxes say “Old Rifle” reproduced in glass by Florentine glass masters and “Princess” reproduced in glass by Florentine glass masters. Then on the other side of the boxes it is written in Italian.
As I write this, it is the eve before Thanksgiving, 2014. My friend is preparing the turkey for his holiday extravaganza tomorrow afternoon. Needless to say, we’ve rolled a few fat ones and are imbibing in some delicious harvest wine.
I was trying to explain the different sizes of wine bottles to my good friend and their names. Doing a pretty terrible job I might add. When he suddenly exasperates,
“I got a shotgun full of wine, what’s that called?”
“What are you talking about I ask?”
“Yah, remember when we would get waisted in high school? That wine rifle we would pull out?”
“Oh yah, I exclaim, I remember that now!”
“I think it’s in the pantry” He says.
True to word, after a little digging and much giggling. Out comes the very wine rifle bottle in the pictures above. This is a very true and amazing story. There’s never been quite a $50 fine like it. I hope this story stays with you forever.
Have a Very Happy Thanksgiving
hi I have a Rifle-shaped wine bottle full of wine can u tell me whats is worth
My grandad has just passed and I am now an owner of one of these bottles.
My bottle is from 1979 and says.
Chianti la torre and it’s 11.5% been advised not to drink it haha.
Also I have another bottle which says the but is a spiral green bottle with a straw thing hanging from it again from 1979.
looking to buy a bottle or two of the rifle wine. any sellers?
I have this green bottle unopened. Has the basket on it in perfect shape. Label is at the top and still sealed. 1999 Toscana Red Wine
I also have one of these that is empty. Is it worth anything? Don’t want to break it and recycle it if it is.
I am very interested in purchasing one of these wine bottles
If anyone has one of these for sale please contact me amcntrymom@gmail.com
My dad had one when we was a kid and he has passed away we used it as a piggy bank and he would let me use the change to buy books…i now have a 1 year old son…that I would like to do the same as my dad use to do me
If anyone can help please email me!
I have one for sale anyone interested please contact me.
Linda’s lockers
153 Main St. Chester NY
I have one for sale still has wine an original labels 1969 asking 75 make an offer. jack.clinger63@gmail.com
I have a collection of them. I have a Vodka filled automatic machine gun with a Different Gold Vodka in a hand grenade, all in a presentation military box, I also have a automatic hand gun full of tequila, and a rifle full of Muscatel wine. I also have assorted unusual bottles like the eiffel tower, a greek god. and an assortment of decanters that are unusual.