Mercury Glass Virgen de Guadalupe Figural Bottle — Ball Stopper

A devotional figural bottle in mercury-silvered clear glass, modeled in full relief as the Virgen de Guadalupe — robed, hands clasped in prayer, standing above a cloud-and-cherub base. The figure wraps the entire front face from shoulder to base, with a separately applied loop handle at the neck and a solid glass ball stopper seated in a cylindrical collar. Heavy seeds and organic surface texture throughout the body are hallmarks of handmade production by Avalos Glass of Guadalajara, Jalisco — the dominant producer of the Botella Guadalupana form from the 1930s through the 1950s.

The mercury (silver-nitrate) interior lining creates the characteristic dark reflective ground that makes the molded relief read with dramatic contrast against the clear glass shell. The silvered finish is a distinctly uncommon variant; comparable Avalos examples in cobalt, amber, emerald, and clear glass have confirmed auction history at 14" — mercury-glass versions surface far less frequently. Intact examples retaining both the original ball stopper and applied handle are scarce in any finish, and this example presents with both. The Botella Guadalupana is a recognized form in Mexican folk glass represented in the permanent collection of the Corning Museum of Glass, with devoted collector interest among Avalos specialists, mercury glass collectors, and devotional folk art buyers.

CONDITION Very Good. The glass body and stopper are intact with no chips or cracks observed. The mercury silvering shows expected oxidation loss — dark patches and mottling across the body — consistent with age and characteristic of the medium; this is the natural progression of the silver-nitrate backing, not damage. Minor surface grime present in the relief recesses.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Height (overall with stopper): 14"
• Diameter: 2¾"
• Weight: 1 lb 12 oz
• Material: Mercury-silvered clear glass, handmade
• Stopper: Solid glass ball, removable
• Handle: Applied loop handle, integrated at neck
• Maker: Avalos Glass, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, circa 1930s–1950s
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale