2017 Reno Antique Bottle Club Show & Sale 6/16 – 6/17/2015
Holabird Western Americana Collections Live Bottle Auction

REMINDER:

I wanted to send out a reminder that the Reno Bottle Club Show & Sale will be held on June 16th & 17th 2017 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on 4590 South Virginia Street. It is a return to their old haunts after a number of years of having the club shows around town in various venues. Along with the show, Fred Holabird of Holabird Western Americana Collections will be holding a fantastic live auction with 1400 Lots of Western Bottles, Gaming & Mining Collectibles, Native American Items, Western Art, Tokens, and much more on Friday 6/16 at 6:00pm & Saturday 6/17 at 4:00pm at Western American Collections, 3555 Airway Drive, Suite 309, Reno, Nevada 89511. (PH –775-851-1859 / Website – www.fhwac.com)

The Reno-Sparks Antique Bottle Club has been going strong for 55 years and is one of the oldest clubs in America. “The hobby remains strong and vibrant. People are still fascinated with this art form” said club president Marty Hall of Reno. “Over the years we’ve had shows with hundreds of dealers. This year we hope to pull in dealers and collectors alike from all over the Western United States. There will be historical and topical displays of antique bottles, as well as vendors from all over the West.” Hall invites all interested collectors who may wish to display, sell or acquire special pieces for their collections. For more information, please call Marty Hall (775-355-9467) or reach him thru email, rosemuley@att.net.

This is always a great bottle show, and this year there will be a great auction to complement the show. Let’s not miss it. “Have Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting”. Mike

Hi to my fellow bottle collectors wherever you may be, or whatever hole or dump you’re digging in. I hope you’re finding some good stuff, or at least having a good time trying. This is a message that Fred Holabird recently sent out regarding the upcoming Reno Antique Bottle Show on June 16th and 17th at the Reno Convention Center. The reason that I’m posting it is that I wanted to share the good thoughts and words on the hobby of bottle collecting, and the impact it still is having on the entire hobby of Bottle Collecting. Remember, “Keep Having Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting. Mike

“The world of antique bottle collecting has taken a full turn from collecting pretty old purple and blue bottles in the desert to investment quality pieces envious of any art museum. With key rarities often trading in the tens of thousands of dollars, a new breed of collector has developed. “We are seeing many more new collectors who are collecting for the beauty of the product. The investment angle has also taken a toll, with some collectors heading straight for the rarities,” said national auction house seller Fred Holabird of Holabird’s Western Americana Collections based in Reno. “The spectacular shapes and colors rival anything else I can imagine” says Ferdinand Meyer V, a major collector of colored bottles and president of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, a national collecting organization formed for historical education about antique bottles.

Other collectors love the history. And what’s not to love – the aura of collecting bottles from Wyatt Earp’s saloon. “Antique Bottle Bible” author Mike Polak (Krause Publications) maintains the bottles found behind Earp’s old Northern Saloon in Tonopah have added value, and if nothing else “bring home incredible history to the bottle field itself.” Holabird’s new book “Ghost Towns and Medicines” highlights the Nevada collecting genre, with stories rich in history and local lore. Holabird has planned an auction of one of the top collections of western whiskey flasks and Hutchinson soda bottles from all over America on Friday night of the show.

The Reno Bottle Show this year will be June 16-17 at the Reno Convention Center on South Virginia. It is a return to their old haunts after a number of years of having shows around town in various venues. The Reno-Sparks Antique Bottle Club has been going for 55 years strong, one of the oldest clubs in America. “The hobby remains strong and vibrant. People are still fascinated with this art form” said club president Marty Hall of Reno. “Over the years we’ve had shows with hundreds of dealers. This year we hope to pull in dealers and collectors alike from all over the Western United States. There will be historical and topical displays of antique bottles, as well as vendors from all over the West.” Hall invites all interested collectors who may wish to display, sell or acquire special pieces for their collections. For more information, please call Marty Hall (775-355-9467) or reach him thru email, rosemuley@att.net.

The Loss of a Great Friend and a Great Mentor
Bob Ferraro

The Bottle Collecting World lost a true giant of the hobby when Bob Ferraro passed away at 81 on Saturday April 29th following a lengthy illness. Since his passing, there have been numerous condolences and messages to his family, especially to his wife Connie, and there most likely will be many more over the next few weeks. I know that all of these messages recall his many contributions and devotion to the community of Boulder City, Nevada, the Hobby of Bottle Collecting, his passion for the State of Nevada, and his positive influence and kindness to everyone he met. He always had a great smile, never refused to help or answer a question, was a tremendous inspiration to everyone he met, and a true Gentleman.

I began my love of bottle collecting in 1974 with a trip to Tonopah, Nevada for the first of many adventures of digging in the early 1900’s dump. A year or two later, I met Bob at a bottle show while we were both looking at bottles on a sales table. I paid attention to the type of questions he was asking the seller about some of the bottles, and realized he knew much more than I did. That never changed. No matter how much I’ve learned over the years, Bob still knew more I did, or ever would. I introduced myself, told him about my trip to Tonopah, and asked how I could learn more about bottles. He took it from there and never stopped teaching and helping. He not only became a mentor and supporter, but also a great friend.

This information has been printed elsewhere, but I wanted to highlight some of Bob’s many accomplishments. He was appointed to the Boulder City Council in 1976 and served 31 years, including six separate terms as the Mayor, spend 19 years on the Clark County District Board of Health, Chairman of the Southern Strategic Planning Authority, and served on the board of numerous organizations in Southern Nevada, including the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. In addition, Bob was an active supporter of the Boulder City Hospital and served on its board for 12 years. As if this wasn’t enough, he worked for Pacific Engineering and Production Co. in Henderson, Nevada for 31 years.

But, his passion was bottle collecting. Bob got the collecting bug in the mid-1950’s, and accumulated an outstanding and superior collection of Figural Bitters, Western and Eastern Whiskeys, one of the best mint pristine Nevada Collections ever seen, and a vast amount of other Nevada collectibles and documents. He wrote his first book, The Past in Glass (1963) and A Bottle Collector’s Book (1964). He was the President of the Southern Nevada Antique Bottle Collector’s Club from 1971-1973, Chairman of the FOHBC’s Western Region from 1971-1973, President of the Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) from 1977-1978, and was inducted into the FOHBC Hall of Fame in 2002. He continued to serve the Federation as First-Vice President from 2008-2014, and Director at Large in 2015.

While we won’t have Bob around anymore to enjoy that smile and his willingness to help and teach, he will always be with us in spirit because of the great legacy he left for everyone. Bob, you were truly a Great Friend and A Great Mentor.

Bottle Collecting is Alive and Kicking

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my blog and website about the fun stuff going on in the world of bottle collecting, so let’s get started.

Since the last blog, I’ve attended three great bottle and collectible shows sponsored by the Los Angeles California (Sept 2016), Las Vegas Nevada (Feb 2017), and the Phoenix Arizona Bottle Clubs (Feb 2017), spending time and having fun with fellow bottle collectors and friends from various parts of the US. I’m usually selling bottles (and probably buying more, of course) along with my book, “Bottles: Identification and Price Guide”, 8th Edition. During the shows, nearly everyone who buys or checks out the book, or collectors who just what to talk about bottles, always ask this question, “Do you think Bottle Collecting is still big and how are the prices holding up?” That’s an easy question to answer. Bottle Collecting is kicking butt.

During 2016, there were over 100 shows attracting hundreds of dealers and buyers, sponsored by various Bottle Clubs including the International Perfume Bottle Association, across the US and Canada. One of the biggest was the successful National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo in August 2016 in Sacramento, CA, sponsored by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. Mark your calendars for another great Expo, the Springfield, MA FOHBC Bottle Convention & Expo to be held August 3-6, 2017 at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place. Contact Jim Bender, Show Chairman at 518 -673-8833 or jim1@frontiernet.net for information. Don’t Miss It!!! From Jan through March 2017, there will have been over 20 shows to kicking off the new year.

Are prices holding up? You bet they are. From a personal perspective, I started collecting bottles in 1972 and I’ve never seen prices decrease, only increase. I’ll admit that there have been some hiccups along the way due to impacts to the economy such as the recent recession, but overall there were mostly leveling off periods, not price decreases. As an example of how robust the bottle selling and buying market has been among collectors, in 2016 there were 17 successful major bottle auctions with many averaging over $100,000 in sales. That also makes a major statement of the increased popularity of bottle and glass collecting from both a domestic as well as international view point.

Bottom line, the Hobby of Bottle Collecting is Alive, Kicking, and Growing. One way we all can help to make that continue to happen is to attend and support as many of the Bottle Club Shows as possible. For those collectors that don’t belong to a club, check the FOHBC website, www.fohbc.org, to locate the closest bottle club in your state or region.

One last note, for those collectors in the Reno, Nevada area, I and Fred Holabird, a well-known Nevada Historian and Bottle Collector, will be giving separate presentations at the Churchill County Museum in Fallon, Nevada on April 18, 2017 from 6:30 – 8:00pm as part of their 2017 Spring Lecture Series. It should be a lot of fun so join us if you can.

Remember, “Keep Having Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting”
Mike

Bottles, Advertising, and Color

I thought I’d better get to work since I haven’t written an update since July. Since the last blog, I’ve been too three bottle shows (Picked up some nice bottles of course), a wedding, took a vacation, and squeezed in two fishing trips. Now it’s time to catch upon on some bottle stuff.

As I’ve written before in my previous blogs, I’ve always thought there are three things that keep fueling the growth and interest in the hobby of bottle collecting; Bottle clubs and their members, Monthly bottle shows sponsored by the clubs, and Variety of items made available for the collectors at these shows. The three bottle shows that I recently attended are great examples, and tie into my “Bottles, Advertising, and Color” theme for this blog; The San Diego Bottle Club Show in June, The FOHBC Sacramento National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo in August, and the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club Show in September.

The one thing in common at all three of these shows wasn’t necessarily the selection of bottles, or the array of advertising such as posters, artwork, advertising cards, beer trays, and labels and placards, but how all the colors of these items jumped out at me when displayed together. Every bottle collector has heard the term, “Color is King”, along with Condition, but it’s also the same way with advertising.. It’s almost like looking at the 20 outstanding displays that were featured at the FOHBC Expo in August (To quote Ferdinand Myers, President of the FOHBC, “You could rely on every person who visited the displays to say an extra “Wow” to all displays). As a note, I’ve been to many shows during my 45+ years of collecting, and the Sacramento EXPO set the bar high for all future FOHBC EXPO”s. It was absolutely amazing!

To further highlight the allure of antique advertising and color, below in italics are excerpts from an article written on August 6, 2016 for The Journal of Antique and Collectibles, “Antique Advertising at Auction: When Color Became King:, by Mike Eckles, Co-owner with wife Lori, of Showtime Auctions located in Woodhaven, MI. I’ve provided the following link if you would like to read the entire article. http://journalofantiques.com/2016/features/antique-advertising-auction-color-became-king/. For further information for Showtime Auctions, you can visit their website at www.showtimeauctions.com, or email at mike@showtimeauctions.com.

In the last ten years, antique advertising has become a very popular lot in auction arenas around the country. The category is made up mostly of posters and signs but also includes calendars, banners, chargers and trays. Printed advertising as we know it has been around for hundreds of years, starting with simple signs denoting the trade practiced at a particular shop, to lengthy advertisements in newspapers and printed magazines.    It is however, examples produced from 1880 to 1925, when color lithography began and quickly gained in popularity, that are considered the most sought after and desirable among advanced collectors. Some of the specialized printing during that period included ink containing gold in the red and silver in the blue, producing some of the most colorful and vibrant images for advertising. And from then forward came colorful graphics printed on almost every surface available.
During the key segment of advertising history in the late 18th and early 20th centuries, all a company needed to get their name on the walls of general stores, cigar stores, saloons, drug stores, soda fountains, hardware stores, etc. was to hire an artist to portray their product in a colorful image, create the poster, and get the store owner to hang it on their walls.
As early as 1975, the extraordinary beauty of these pieces caught the eye of people who wanted something aesthetically beautiful to grace the walls of their home and business. It wasn’t until 1989 when Peter Sidlow of Los Angeles, California sold his advertising collection at Noel Barrett’s auction house in New Hope, PA, that people started taking notice. Signs that were then selling for several hundred dollars sold for several thousand dollars at this auction.
The next significant auction that created a big stir was the George Cross collection offered in 2008 by Showtime Auction Services in Ann Arbor, Michigan. One example of a growing interest was realized by the sale of a Buffalo Brewing Tin Charger that had typically fetched $10,000 in the past but sold at this auction for $57,750.00 (including buyer’s premium). The amount of collectors seems to be doubling and tripling nearly every year. This increase in demand has kept the prices up and they are continuing to rise. The extraordinary color and graphics displayed in advertising signs creates a compelling esthetic value.
Much of the most beautiful examples of the artwork involved are for alcohol, tobacco and firearms. These companies were the most successful at that time. Therefore, it was easier for them to afford the best artists and the finest printers in the U.S. Some of the original paintings from these artists are fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction houses today.    As you can imagine, subject matter plays an important part of the value of advertising signs. It is not a surprise that nude women rank at the top of list. These mostly appeared in signs advertising Whiskey or Tobacco and were found hanging on the walls of establishments catering to men such as saloons. Cowboys, cowgirls, Indians and pretty women are favorites for collectors living our West. Animals, children and everyday people doing everyday things are popular with collectors in the East.
The signs, posters and calendars put out by makers of farm implements, wagons and equipment were spectacular. Some of the best color is found on paper or tin advertising a steam engine or thrasher. Some other categories that are popular among collectors are drugs, soda, grocery, hardware, millinery, tools, cleansers, soap, shaving, furniture, seed, insurance, candy, stoves, railroad, cutlery, transportation, and clocks.

For anyone just now starting to get the collecting bug, I would suggest taking a serious look at the advertising category. Donna and Bruce Weir of Indiana are promoters of a wonderful Antique Advertising Show in Indianapolis twice a year with a large assortment of signs, trays, calendars, tins and much more. Visit their website at www.indyadshow.com for more information. The Antique Advertising Association of America, better known as Quad A, offers great information. For more about this organization, visit www.pastimes.org. They publish 4 newsletters a year and have a convention for the members each summer.

There’s probably a great Bottle Show, Antique Sale, Flea Market, or an Auction close to home that will also have great examples of Advertising, and probably a few bottles.      Keep Having Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting……..Mike

 

            I belong to two bottle clubs in the Los Angeles area, the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club, and the South Bay Historical Bottle Club.  While the South Bay Club is only 5 years old, the Los Angeles Club is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary during 2016.  The year was 1966, a few wannabe bottle collectors got together, found a location to meet, and the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club was officially born,  becoming the Fifth Charter Member of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC).   The club’s mission statement was simple, “To socially unite the bottle and fruit jar collectors of Los Angeles County and to promote, foster and encourage all legal activities toward the betterment of bottle collecting.  We encourage the exchanging of information and the exhibiting, promoting and researching of bottles and related collectibles.    The club is still going strong with 50 members, celebrating 50 years of carrying out their mission, while having a fun time with the hobby of Antique Bottle Collecting.

My thought for this blog was to do a little bragging about our club and all of its many accomplishments during its 50 years.  Then, the light turned on.  50 years?  Wow!  That’s a long time to stay together, for anyone, and I began to wonder about how many other clubs are celebrating anniversaries.  It’s interesting to note while the Los Angles Club started in 1966, there were numerous other clubs that had formed between 1965 -1968 across the US, Canada, and Europe,  during a peak wave and frenzy of interests in bottle collecting and glass in general.  This accounts for the large number of bottles clubs that have celebrated their 50+ Anniversaries in 2015 and 2016, with many getting ready for celebrations in 2017.  Just to mention a few; Antique Bottle Collectors of Colorado (51^st), Northwestern Bottle Collectors Assoc.(50^th), New England Antique Bottle Club (50^th), Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society (50^th), Chico Bottle Club (50^th), San Diego Historical Bottle Club (51^st), and Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectible Club (51^st).  But following close behind, and too many to mentions, are numerous clubs with 45+years of having bottle collecting fun following close behind.

To help celebrate their 50^th Anniversary, the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club is extending a warm and welcomed invitation to all Bottle, Insulator, and Glass Collectors to attend and join in the celebration during their 50^th Anniversary Antique Bottle Show and Sale on Saturday, September 17^th, 2016 at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge, 212 Elk Lane, Santa Ana, CA 92701, centrally located near both Los Angeles and Orange Country Freeways.   The show hours for Saturday start with a special 8:00am Early Bird Admission of $10, 9:00am – 3:00pm with Free Admission, and plenty of Free Parking.   The Los Angeles Historic Bottle Club would like as many collectors as possible   taking part in their 50^th Anniversary celebration.   For additional show information, contact Don Wippert at 818-346-9833 or Dick Homme at 818-362-3368.

I think that the spark that feeds the fire for the Hobby of Bottle Collecting, and the life’s blood of the hobby, are all Bottle Clubs, both domestic and international.     Let’s make sure we always support these clubs through their shows and sales and all activities.  Have a great time this summer finding bottles and other treasures.  And don’t miss the “National Antique Bottle Convention and Expo” in Sacramento, California 8/4- 8/7.  “Have Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting” – Mike

BOTTLES IN THE NEWS 

Alleged Theft Foiled At Popular Antique Bottle Show

Hi Fellow Collectors.  I just received this article from another collector and dealer, and wanted to post it as a reminder to all of us that we always need to pay close attention and be aware when selling at shows.   While I feel that all buyers are honest collectors, it only takes one to ruin things for everyone.   If we all watch and help each other when we’re selling or buying, we’ll be able to catch and stop these knucklehead characters.

A rare Keene 1830s sunburst flask, valued at $800, went missing from a dealer’s table at the 46th annual Somers Antique Bottle Show at St. Bernard’s School in Enfield on Feb. 28, 2016, casting a shadow on an otherwise successful show.

Scott St. Laurent, a collector and show dealer, had the flask out on his table when a man came along, picked it up, and chatted with him about it. The man put the flask back and moved on. A woman following right behind bought a small bottle from his collection. Laurent said that when he bent down to get wrapping paper for her purchase, he immediately noticed the Keene flask was missing. As no other visitor had passed his table, Laurent said he stopped the woman and confronted her.  She claimed the bottle she purchased was all she had. She invited him to follow her out of the school auditorium where the show was being held to check her bag in the school entryway.

Laurent followed her out where she again said he could check her bag, but that she needed to use the bathroom. The bottle wasn’t in her bag, and when she came back, Laurent apologized. But, he noticed that she was acting very strange and nervous

Suspicious, he went into the women’s bathroom and picked up and shook the waste basket, which was full of paper. He heard a rattle and found the missing bottle buried underneath the papers.  Organizers detained the woman and called police.  “It’s a shame. This never happens here,” said one of the regular vendors.  “I’d like her to be permanently banned from this show,” said St. Laurent. “But I’m happy. I got my bottle back.”   Despite the incident, the show presented an excellent opportunity for dealers, collectors, and the just plain curious to buy, sell, and learn about popular vintage glass.  We always hear  the saying, “Let the Buyer beware”, but maybe we need to add a new one that says, “Let the Seller beware”.

“Have Fun With The Hobby Of Bottle Collecting”    – Mike

Hi everyone. I thought I better get to work with some updates on what’s happening in the world of bottle collecting.

First, let start with some Good News! The 8th Edition was published March 1, 2016 and is available online and in all major book stores. In order to continue making the “8th Edition” the most informative reference and pricing guide available, and to provide the beginner and veteran collector with a broad range of detailed pricing information and reference data, major updates and additions have been included in this revised edition. Based on numerous requests by the Pot Lid collectors, the 8th edition is introducing a special new chapter on one of the fastest growing segments to complement bottle collecting, “Pot Lids”.

In addition to a number of valuable illustrations, the 8th Edition features 250 stunning color photographs throughout the book. Also included in this update is complete new pricing updates and revisions for both the “Old Bottles” (pre-1900) and “New Bottles” (post-1900) sections, and a new special feature to assist the collector to better visualize the items. Now, approximately 85% of all the line items, specifically in the “Old Bottle” section, include a color photograph to complement the line item pricing. With this newest added feature, the book now provides the collector with a total of approximately 2000 color photographs, and a unique value-added research source to help with the identification of your bottles.

In order to help the collector to better understand the details of how to price and evaluate your bottles, the “Determining Bottle Values” chapter has been updated and expanded along with the reference and research sections on “Trademarks”, “Bibliography”, and the “Glossary” of glass related terms. This edition also includes extensive updates and revisions to essentials of the hobby, such as the “History and Origin of Glass and Bottles”, how to start a collection, “Basic Bottle Facts”, “Bottle Sources”, bottle handling techniques, and one of my favorites, “Digging for Bottles”, which features the digging adventures of Charlie Cook and Terry Guidroz and their crew, from New Orleans, Louisiana. I hope everyone enjoy the new 8th Editions. If you would like to order the book direct from me, send $31 ($$25 Book & $6 Shipping) to Mike Polak, PO Box 30328, Long Beach, CA 90853. If you have any additional questions, you can always contact me at bottleking@earthlink.net or through my website at www.bottlebible.com.

Another new book that is close to hitting the book shelves is “Ghost Towns & Medicines, The Nevada Bottle Book Volume II, Drug Store Bottes”, by Fred N. Holarbird. If you collect any type of Nevada Bottles and associated items, this is a must book to have. In fact, I think that if you are a collector of any type of Western Drug Store Bottles, you need to add this book to your research library. The book provides 458 pages of detailed comprehensive research and pricing information on all aspects of Drug Store Bottles of Nevada. There is so much data in fact, that the book had to be divided into six distinct parts; Nevada Medicine and Pharmacology, Nevada and the Drug Store, The Drug Trade, Drug Store Bottles, Reference Materials, and Nevada Druggists. If you’re interested in additional information about the book, including ordering, contact Fred Holabird at 775-843-0229 or 775-851-1859, or fred.holabird@holabirdamericana.com.

The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC), in conjunction with various bottle clubs, sponsors a yearly National Antique Bottle Show featuring a three-day bottle show and sale with an average of 300 sales tables, educational displays, educational seminars and programs, and a banquet. This year, the National Show will be held August 4 -7, 2016 in Sacramento, California, at the McClellan Conference Center with the Lions Gate Hotel as the event host hotel, including an great auction hosted by Holabird Western Americana Collections with a quality selection of rare and scarce bottles. This will be one of those shows that shouldn’t be missed. If you are interested in obtaining additional information about contracting for tables or other show events, contact Richard Siri, Show Chairman, at rtsiri@sbglobal.net. Don’t Miss This Show!!

Another great show that will be held on the West Coast is the International Perfume Bottle Association (IBPA) 28th Annual Convention with a theme of “Scents, Wine & Roses” in Portland, Oregon from April 7th to May 1st, at the Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront. The convention will be hosting numerous events and educational programs and displays. The event is open to the public free on Saturday, April 30th, with the highlight of the convention being the Perfume Bottle Auction on Friday evening, April 29th, with Antique Roadshow celebrity Nicholas Dawes returning again as the auctioneer. This is another show that shouldn’t be missed. For additional information and a full list of events, contact Teri Wirth at 407-973-0783 or www.vicepresident@perfumebottles.org, or the IPBA website at www.perfumebottles.org.

I wanted to add one more thought before signing off. I’ve mentioned two major bottle shows within this blog, but there are many more shows happening out there, approximately 35 shows between March and June, that offer collectors a wealth of education, knowledge, and great bottles for sale or trade. The Bottle Clubs, their Members, and their Club Shows, are the life-blood of the Hobby of Bottle Collecting, and should be supported and attended by as many collectors as possible.

Keep Having Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting.
Mike

                                                                         Breaking 2016 News! Breaking 2016 News!

               Hi Everyone. It’s been awhile since I’ve updated the Bottlebible Blog as well as other sections of the website, but I’ve had a good reason. I wish I could say I’ve been buried in a privy digging for bottles, or digging and metal detecting in the Tonopah, Nevada for some Wyatt Earp treasures, but instead I’ve been buried, but having fun, writing the newest edition of the bottle book, “Bottles: Identification and Price Guide”, 8th Edition, scheduled to be published in the March/April 2016 time frame. As with the first seven editions, I’ve been incorporating all of the positive feedback, and working hard to live up to the nickname “The Bottle Bible” given the book by collectors, clubs, and dealers. So, I wanted to provide a sneak preview of what to expect.

              In order to continue making the “8th Edition” the most informative reference and pricing guide available, and to provide the beginner and veteran collector with a broad range of detailed pricing information and reference data, major updates and additions have been included in this revised edition. Based on numerous request by the Pot Lid collectors, the 8th edition is introducing a special new chapter on one of the fastest growing segments to complement bottle collecting, “Pot Lids”, along with a special chapter featuring the “Corning Museum of Glass” located in “Corning, NY, and home to the world’s major important and finest collection of glass spanning 3, 500 years.

              In addition to a number of valuable illustrations, this new edition will also feature 700 stunning color photographs throughout the book. Also included in this update is not only total and complete pricing updates and revisions for both the “Old Bottles” (pre-1900) and “New Bottles” (post-1900) sections, but to assist the collector to better visualize the items, approximately 85% of all the line items, specifically in the “Old Bottle” section, now include a color photograph to complement the line item pricing. With this newest added feature, the book now provides the collector with a total of approximately 2800 color photographs, and a unique value-added research source to help with the identification of your bottles.

               In order to help you better understand the details of how to price and evaluate your bottles, the “Determining Bottle Values” chapter has been updated and expanded along with the reference and research sections on “Trademarks”, “Bottle Clubs”, “Bibliography”, and the “Glossary” of glass related terms. This edition also includes extensive updates and revisions to essentials of the hobby, such as the “History and Origin of Glass and Bottles”, how to start a collection, “Basic Bottle Facts”, “Bottle Sources”, bottle handling techniques, and one of my favorites, “Digging for Bottles”, which features the digging adventures of Charlie Cook and Terry Guidroz and their crew, from New Orleans, Louisiana.

              As a reminder, while you’re anxiously (I Hope) waiting for the 8th Edition, the 7th Edition of the book, along with the 1st Edition of the “Picker’s Pocket-Guide-Bottles”, is still available at all retail Book Stores as well as all On-Line venues, to help with all of the Bottle Collecting questions and needs. If you don’t want to mess with the Book Stores or On-Line sites, you can still order the books through me by sending a check or money order to:
Mike Polak, PO Box 30328, Long Beach, CA 90853:
– 7th Edition of “Bottles: Identification and Price Guide” – $30.00 ($24.99 Book & $5.01 Priority Shipping)
– 1st Edition of “Picker’s Pocket Guide-Bottles” -$21.00 ($14.99 Book & $6.01 Priority Shipping)

That’s it for now. Remember, “Always Have Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting”
Mike (Alias the Bottleking)

Hi. American Bottle Auctions (ABA) completed their 61st Auction on April 27th 2015, and was an apparent success. Following the auction, Jeff Wichman, owner of ABA, wrote a detailed review of Auction No. 61 which included his thoughts on the current status of the Hobby Of Bottle Collecting. After reading the article, I thought it would be great for other collectors to read and enjoy. The following is only an excerpt of the article written by Jeff, but the entire article can be read on ABAs web-site at www.americanbottle.com. Enjoy. Mike Polak (Alias the Bottleking)

It’s April 27th and American Bottle Auction finished their 61st auction last night with a roar. It’s apparent that the computer age has now become a reality as only one person bid by phone. We also had a good number of collectors come in and take a look. That helps even the eastern folks who can’t see them but know someone out here who can. We’ve noticed a more educated and alert audience in the bottle market. Ten years ago we’d need to explain various facts or details about a bottle and now it seems everyone knows it already. They often know much more than we do. Condition has become an issue of great importance to some, not all collectors
The hobby is apparently very strong, on most of the bottles we had. We didn’t have any historical flasks in this sale so we can’t elaborate on that but the bitters market seems especially strong, condition and color a major hurdle in getting the top dollar.

The western sodas and mineral waters did well, the rare examples from Nevada were pretty solid, not what they’ve been in the past but the soda and mineral water category is like a roller coaster. Puce umbrella inks are hot and we had a good one that brought $2,400 (all prices before the 10% buyers fee). Who says western flasks are fading? Our Castle flask brought $6,000 and the Fleckenstein & Mayer $1,000, not bad at all. A Wunder Beer tray brought $2,800 but the small advertising pieces were a bit of a disappointment going under $300. Is advertising losing its luster? A beautiful London Jockey did $4,600 and the rarer cleaned variant $2,200. The cleaning had a pretty big impact but the pricier variant was an extremely rare color and in great condition.

Western whiskeys as well as examples from the east did well and our top lot the Taylor’s Virginia N. brought $10,500, nice in these days of wondering where the western fifth market is headed. Good examples are selling strong, maybe not what they did in their heyday but that’s understandable.

Pontiled medicines fared nicely, a large blue and beautiful Wynkoop’s Katharismic and ague and fever cure sold for $8,500 and $3,600 respectively. Other pontiled meds like the Covert’s Balm of Life ($2,200) and Hyatt’s Infallible ($2,200) showed us that prices may be down a bit but solid.

Bitters did predictably well. If all you ever collected was bitters for the last 30 years you’d need a crowbar to get the smirk off your face. Eastern/western, it really doesn’t matter, bitters bottles come in such a stupendous variety of colors and shapes that by all accounts it’s hard to believe they will ever slow down. Some bitters have slowed mostly because of condition or the fact that there are more available. The Wormser Bros. is a good example. When we put out a scarce or rarer and more desirable bottle such as the Kimball’s or Phoenix Bitters we see more interest $1,000 and $1,200 respectively and of course both of those are pontiled. There seems to be a 30% price on the pontil, it’s a big deal. No pontil and they do $800.   The barrels have been showing in swarms lately and although there are a lot of them out there, particular colors in particular variants are showing good returns. A Greeley’s R/H R101 in a very fresh and rare colored green with just a smidgen of a dink on the lip did $2,200. Without the dink? Probably a lot more, even though you can barely see it. Cabins are always hot and although a drop dead example in canary yellow 4-log Drake’s did $2,600 we thought it was underpriced. An amber/olive 6-log Drake’s brought the same. A lot of examples out there and color and condition are going to be the prevailing factors down the road. Color is by anyone’s guess the most important aspect of bottles and especially their bitters bottles next to condition. Bottle collectors love their bitters and there’s no sign of letting down.

We would be remiss in not mentioning the mostly Sandwich Glass Works items we were able to include from the collection of Bryan Grapentine. They included everything from an 1876 Centennial inkwell to fancy cut inkwells and some very rare and beautiful colognes and decanters.

From all accounts the bottle market is still filled with good natured laughter and effervescent moods, depending on condition. Veteran collectors as well as the eager and ready to learn new faces are in full force throughout the country. We see so many new and younger people getting interested in the bottle collecting hobby, is it a sign of things to come? There are so many websites and books new and old that collectors can spend their days and nights checking it out. The hobby is a “big deal,” now and with more core collectors than ever before. With bottles now it seems like we are closing in on the variants, rarity and established collections around the country. It brings a little pause to the hobby, but there will always be a new find or bottle for sale.
Jeff Wichmann