The origin of the 'reputed quart' and other measures

GT V01 1960 055-068

The reputed quart, equal to two-thirds of  an imperial quart, is a firmly established, but unofficial, 'standard' capacity, for wine- and spirit-bottles, not only in the U.K. but also in most other parts of the world. Up to now, no satisfactory explanation, for this has been found. In an attempt to solve the mystery, the author has studied the development of English glass wine-bottles from the time when the first ones were made early in the seventeenth century, and also the related history of weights and measures. It was found that the reputed quart has been in continuous use for about three hundred years, and it is suggested that it was originally an unofficial variation on the legal wine quart, which itself had arisen largely by accident, following mistakes in the wording of the early laws.

B. E. Moody