Hi Billy,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

“Eau de Vie” is French for “Water of Life.” This term refers to a category of clear fruit brandies traditionally made in France, Germany, and other parts of Europe. Despite "Eau de Vie" usually being clear, it’s strong (often 40%+ alcohol by volume) and intensely aromatic, meant to capture the essence of the fruits used (pears, plums, raspberries, cherries, applies, apricots or more exotic fruits)

The bottle in your photo looks decorative and likely gift-oriented or artisanal; I can tell this from the stylized font used in the embossed letters, the use of floral motifs and the fact that the liquid is amber, denoting its a flavored or aged variant. The name “Eau de Vie” is sometimes used loosely by companies outside France to evoke old-world charm—even if the spirit inside is not a classic clear fruit brandy. Since there is no detailed distiller name, region, or fruit listed, it is most likely a decorative or novelty product rather than a certified regional eau de vie.

The final clue this bottle shares is the closure - a swing-top (or flip-top or bail-top) closure; this design was invented in 1875 by Charles de Quillfeldt in the U.S. but the presence of the plastic and synthetic gasket seen on your bottle indicates a post-1950s manufacture — not from the 1800s. It's possible this was bottled in 1964 as a centennial anniversary.

The number 500 probably refers to 500 milliliters (about 2 cups).

Novelty bottles of unattributed (unidentified maker) spirits are currently selling for about $100 at auction.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A vintage 500 ml bottle of Eau de Vie brandy
probably mid 20th Century
The rounded shouldered bottle with swing-top closure, the body embossed on one side "Eau de Vie" within flower vines, the other side with "Bottled in 1864."
500 ml
CONDITION: Unopened
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$75-125*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia