----- Feeding Bottles -----
Feeding bottles (a.k.a. "nursing bottles", "nursers" and "infant feeders") were used extensively during the "wet nurse" movement and prior to being replaced with glass. Unfortunately these beautiful ceramic feeding bottles were virtually impossible to clean properly inside.
The feeding bottle's contents (generally milk) were poured into the top opening and its flow regulated by covering and uncovering the opening generally with one's thumb or by covering a small air hole in its separate metal lid (extremely rare to find)(see photos below).
It was and is also not uncommon to find feeding bottles with cork fragments in them. The spout's tip was generally covered with a piece of soft cloth or chamois leather (called a "teat") to soak up the contents and protect the infant's mouth.
They also were made in silver and pewter (see photo below).
Feeding bottles came in all different sizes, shapes and heights (see photos below).
While the typical feeding bottle, and older ones, was designed to basically lay flat with the spout pointing straight out some came with refined nipple shaped spout tips, more box than rounded shapes and spouts that turned upward at the end (called "cow horned")(see photos below).
Interesting comparisons of illustrated feeding bottles with the original bottles:
Example of a large and beautifully detailed blue & white tranfer-printed feeding bottle:
Example of a Brampton saltglazed Queen Victoria feeding bottle:
Example of a Staffordshire feeding bottle other than in traditional blue & white transfer-print:
Other nice examples of feeding bottles similar to the ones shown above:
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