French Bottle Has Plenty “Ooh La La” But Little Moola

Q: I wondered if you could help me identify when this bottle was made. It’s a Marque Déposée Marnier-Lapostolle bottle made in France. My dad thinks it’s valuable. Is it?

A: “Marque Déposée” is French for “Trademark” and “Marnier-Lapostolle” is taken from the name “Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle,” who in 1880 invented Grand Marnier, the famous liqueur which is a blend of cognac and orange liqueur. In 1969, Joe Gilmore, the renowned head of bartenders at the American Bar at The Savoy, London, created the Moonwalk cocktail using Grand Marnier to celebrate the first steps on the moon. The company started major exports in 1970, mainly to the U.S., which is how many people like your father came across the bottles.

Bottle seams tell us a lot about when a bottle was manufactured. Before 1860, seams extend to just over the bottle shoulders; from 1860-1880, seams go most of the way up the neck of the bottle; from 1880-1890, seams continue through the top but not through or over the lip. The seam of your bottle extends the full length of the bottle and over the lip, meaning it was made anywhere from 1900 to the present. For the most part, bottle collectors in the U.S. are interested in American-made bottles. There are exceptions, of course, but American bottles retain the most value. Your bottle’s value would range between $10-$20.

 

A French bottle is worth about $10-$20.