hard to find original and intact antique c.1860-1880 richly colored medium cobalt blue sulphur water bottle. the front body is embossed "blount springs / natural / sulphur water". the slim body and high shoulders slope into a long neck and heavy applied collar that exhibits slop and crudity. the base is smooth. crudities are typical of its age and date of manufacture, including whittling, bubbles and asymmetry. the glass itself is clean and free of haze.j.h. harris and j. perrine bought land in north central alabama and named it "blount springs" (pronounced blunt) after the county and the natural springs that flowed freely. during the early 19th century, doctors gave much credibility to the healing properties of the minerals contained in the natural springs. harris and perrine cleaned up the springs, built several cottages and advertised it as "the most comfortable and pleasant resort to all those who may visit it in pursuit of either health or amusement." blount springs became known as "alabama's fountain of youth." legend has it that young davy crockett, while traveling through the state in the 1830s, "took ill" and visited blount springs to rest in the cool country air and drink the spring's healing waters before moving on. in 1899, a.w. and e.l. smith of avondale, ala., and e.p. riggs of birmingham petitioned the blount county probate judge to incorporate the "blount springs development company." among other things, the petition called for the right "to buy, own, sell, lease or rent real estate. to build, own, operate, sell or lease hotels, sanitariums, bath-houses, laundrys, livery-stables, electric lights or power plants, water works and other necessary or desirable things to develop and operate a pleasure or health resort or sanitarium. to bottle and sell mineral waters, to charge and collect fees for privileges of springs and springs grounds." unfortunately, there are no records in the blount springs archives indicating where the cobalt quart and pint bottles were made. more than likely they came from glass factories in new york, new jersey or pennsylvania.