National Ships-in-Bottles Day Date in the current year: October 4, 2026

A ship in a bottle is a popular type of impossible bottle. An impossible bottle contains an object that appears too large to fit through its neck, such as a coin, matchbox, crucifix, fruit, or model of a ship. There are several methods for placing objects in a bottle, which are chosen depending on the object. Options include molding the bottle around the object, letting the object grow inside the bottle (as with fruit), or making a foldable object that expands inside the bottle.

Ships in bottles are made using the latter method. First, the craftsmen build the mast, spars, and sails separately from the hull, making sure that the hull is small enough to fit inside the bottleneck. Then, the masts, spars, and sails are attached to the hull with hinges and outfitted with strings so that the masts and sails can lie flat against the deck. The ship is then flattened and placed inside the bottle. Finally, the masts are pulled up using the strings.

The exact origin of ships in bottles is unclear, but the oldest documented and surviving examples are attributed to Giovanni Biondo. Little is known about Biondo, but it is generally assumed that he was commissioned by the Venetian Navy in the late 18th century to create models of Venetian warships from that period. The three ships are dated 1784, 1786, and 1792.

Although some sources claim that ships in bottles originated as a sailor’s pastime during long voyages, this is highly unlikely because clear glass bottles were not widely available in the 18th century. Biondo’s ships, for example, were built in large, custom-made bottles blown by highly skilled artisans. Ships in bottles only became relatively popular as a folk art in the second half of the 19th century, when cheap, mass-produced transparent glass bottles became available. During that period, the art and craft of making ships in bottles did develop among sailors.

Today, ships in bottles are often mass-produced in factories as souvenirs, but building them yourself is still a popular hobby, as far as niche hobbies go. It has an organized community with clubs and associations that allow crafters to share ideas and tips, as well as show their work. For instance, the European Association of Ships in Bottles organizes conventions and competitions and publishes a quarterly magazine. Beginners can also find tips and tutorials on online platforms like Reddit and YouTube.

Initiated by the Ships-in-Bottles Association of America (SIBAA), National Ships-in-Bottles Day was first celebrated 2013. SIBAA was co-founded in the early 1980s by Don Hubbard and Jack Hinkley to raise public awareness of the unique art form of creating ships in bottles. The holiday’s date was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Jack Hinkley, one of the association’s founders and its first president, who passed away the previous year.