Large Glass Demijohn Wine Flagon

A late-19th century French handblown dark green glass demijohn or “Dame Jeanne” bottle. This bulbous shaped and beautiful dark green glass bottle has visible bubbles and no seams that indicate it was hand blown rather than made with a mould. Originally used for storing wine and spirits.

The term demijohn or Dame Jeanne as it’s known in France, refers to any glass vessel with a large body and small neck. Legend has it that on a stormy night in 1347, Queen Jane, the Queen of Naples and Countess of Provence (La Reine Jeanne), sought refuge in the home of a glass blower in Provence after being expelled from her kingdom. Nervous at the prospect of blowing glass for the Queen, the glass blower overdid the blowing, creating an enormous bottle with a capacity of ten litres. When he wanted to call the bottle Queen Jeanne, the modest queen suggested calling it Dame Jeanne instead.