Hi Everyone- I wanted to remind everyone that the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors(FOHBC) Convention & EXPO, Brought to you by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors and the Ohio Bottle Club, will be happening August 2-5 at the Cleveland Convention Center, Cleveland Marriott Downtown, This will be a great EXPO and one that shouldn’t be missed by any collectors. Recently, Terry Kovel printed the following article and I thought it was good as a reminder about Privy/Outhouse Digging. I also have a 14 Page Chapter in my book, Bottles: Identification & Price Guide, 8th Edition, that provides detailed information titled “Digging For Bottles”. Also, Terry Kovel will be a guest speaker at the EXPO.

Finding Treasure: ‘Privy Digging’ is not-so-secret Trick of the Trade

With a little pre-planning, proper precautions and permission, bottle collectors can find treasure beneath modern-day feet. It’s called “privy digging” and it involves figuring out the locations of privies of the 18th and 19th century. Why privies? They could be filled with treasure.
Before city sewer systems, there city privies. Nearly all were pits lined with stone, brick, wood boards or a bottomless barrel. Urban privy owners used professional “soil men” to cart away the waste at least once a year, usually in the dead of night.
Fast-forward to today. The privy waste has deteriorated into dirt. The pits are filled with life’s leftovers, including old bottles (taking a nip of liquor while in the privy?), marbles, coins and even collectibles such as jewelry that were accidentally dropped in the depths.
So how does one become a privy digger and find these long-ago collectibles? Follow a few rules, according to Terry Kovel:
1. Do your research and look at old maps. Locate the logical spots for the old city privies.
2. Go out and see the spot. Many times, it is now an open field.
3. Find out who owns the land and get permission.
4. Look for areas where the soil might be a different color. Does it coincide with old maps that indicate a privy location?
5. Dig in groups. Never do it alone in case there are collapsing walls or other dangers.
Good luck and enjoy your privy digging!

Terry Kovel will be guest speaker at the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) 2018 National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo. It’s in Cleveland the weekend of August 2 through 5. The annual convention is the largest (and most exciting!) antique bottle and glass event of the year. The convention will take place at Cleveland’s downtown Huntington Convention Center and the nearby Marriott Key Center Hotel. For information about the event, visit the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors website, fohbc.org. And if you are attending the convention or some of the events, be sure to stop and say hello to Terry!

BOTTLES ARE HOT!!!

Bottles are hot. They’ve always been hot. But, I can’t take credit for the title of this blog. That honor goes to Jeff Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions, Sacramento, California, who currently is involved with his Auction No. 65 which commenced on June 29th and ends July 8th. He issued a Newsletter titled, “Bottles Are Hot!” via his web site and by email on July 3rd with the following message; “The initial participation to this auction is really overwhelming and we thank you from the bottom or our hearts.” I like it when I hear the word “overwhelming” when talking about Bottles.

Bottle collecting continues to experience increased popularity in both the domestic and international markets. There were over 100 Bottle shows in 2017 and 50 shows through June 2018. In addition, the bottle selling and buying market has been robust. There were 17 auctions in 2016 with sales over $100,000 per auction, 20 auctions in 2017 and 9 auctions through June 2018 with similar results. And, it’s still happening. Jim Hagenbuch of Glass Works Auctions recently concluded Auction 122 on June 4 in excess of $350,000. This is followed by Norm Heckler Auctions with Auction No. 164 starting on 7/9 and ending on 7/18. And, the excitement doesn’t stop with the auctions.

On top of all of the various Bottle Club show across the country, one of the biggest shows ready to happen is the National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo to be held August 2-5, 2018, in Cleveland, OH, sponsored by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors and the Ohio Bottle Club, the 50th FOHBC Bottle Convention & EXPO will be held August 1-4, 2019 in Augusta, GA, and EXPO being held in Reno, NV July 30-August 2, 2020. Here’s another interesting trend. Terry Kovel, of Kovel’s issues regularly issues a “Kovel’s Collectors” Tip Sheet with thirty “Trends You Must Know.” Number 1on the current listing is; “Soda bottles and milk bottles with enameled lettering are going up in price, especially those with pictures or sayings. Look for patriotic slogans. Beware of fakes.”

Another area I want to focus on is Summer Time Bottle Digging. With summer finally here, bottle digging is happening all over the country with Bottle Club and individual groups of diggers finding great bottles of the past. On a daily basis I’m seen numerous photos and video from club members and other diggers of all their finds and treasures. But, when I check the You Tube, I’m not seeing many of these great Bottle Digging Videos posted for the world to see. I want to put out a challenge to every bottle digger that produces video from their digs; Let’s get those videos on You Tube so the whole world can see how much fun the Hobby of Bottle Collecting can be, especially while Digging For Bottles.” The more, the better!

And, I need to plug The Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club Show & Sale (My Club) on Saturday September 8th at the Huntington Beach, California Elks Lodge, 7711 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92710. Doors open at 8:00am for Early Bird Collectors for $10 and Free Admission from 9:00am – 3:00pm. The Elks Lodge is centrally located near the Los Angeles and Orange County Freeways and is within a half-mile from the beach. Hope you see you there.

The last item to mention is my book, “Bottles: Identification and Price Guide, 8th Edition.” I know that many collectors have the book, but I want to make a special offer to all collectors that don’t have the book, that you just can’t refuse. The book normally retails for $24.99 + Shipping $6.70. For a short time only, I’ll offer the book for $20.00 + Shipping. If you want more than two books, the shipping cost will change, but the $20 Book Cost will remain the same.

Now, I want everyone to keep digging, buying, and trading for those hard to find bottles, and don’t forget to post your digging adventures on You Tube. “Keep Having Fun With The Hobby of Bottle Collecting.

The Hobby of Bottle Collecting
It’s Looking Good for 2018

First off, a belated Happy 2018 New Year to all my fellow bottle collectors. I hope that the New Year is going well for everyone so far. I know it is for Bottle Collecting, so I thought I better get back into action with the latest and greatest news and events.

For the collectors and diggers on the East coast, I know the weather isn’t the best for hunting, exploring, and digging for bottles. But, there are a lot of great shows with a selection of every category of bottle that will hopefully take care of the bottle itching bug, and it’s warmer. While there were only 7 shows in January to kick off the new year, the after burners are wide open for February with 10 shows from Oregon to Georgia and Florida, and New Jersey, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Connecticut and South Carolina, and so far 8 shows are lined up for March. I never can say enough about how everyone in the hobby needs to support these shows which supports and strengthens the overall hobby.

Along with the shows, there are a number of auctions that have happened already this year and some great ones planned for the near future. Jim Hagenbuch of Glass Works Auctions completed this ‘First of the Year’ auction with 325 lots that closed on January 8th. Glass Works Auctions will also be holding auctions in 2018 for the ‘Charlie Kota Collection of Colorful Historical Flask’, a major collection of Poison Bottles, and the ‘Bitter Bottle Collection’ of the late Larry Umbreit.

Fred Holabird of Holabird Western Americana Collections completed a successful 1st auction of the year with 2700 lots that closed on January 21st that included some great Western Bottles: A Pontiled Medium Cobalt Blue California Gold Rush Soda, ‘M R & D (1863-1864) that sold for $2,500, A Battle Mountain, Nevada ‘Lemaire Soda Bottle’ (1890-1892) that sold for $1,750, and a Seven Troughs, Nevada ‘The Owl Pharmacy Co.’(1909-1914) that sold for $1,812.

Another great one was from October 13-22, 2017, not 2018, Auction No. 64 that deserves attention by Jeff Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions, and consisted of 260 lots. Some of the highlights of that auction included a rare medium green ‘Indian Queen Bitters” bottle patented in 1868 that sold for $14,375, a ‘Lafayette DeWtt Clinton half-pint lime green flask that sold for $10,925, and a collection of 75 Western Sodas from the Ken Salazar collection sold for an amazing $80,000.

If all of these Bottle Shows and Auctions aren’t enough to keep you busy, how about attending the Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) 2018 National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo August 2nd -5th at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio. There’s going to be plenty of great Displays, Educational Seminars, a major Bottle Auction, a delicious Banquet, and over 200 Dealers with a great selection of Bottles and Historical Artifacts for sell. For more information contact Louis Fifer at: PH: 330-635-1964 or Email: fiferlouis@yahoo.com.

Another major event, especially for all of the Perfume Bottle Collectors, is the International Perfume Bottle Association’s 30th Annual Convention April 26th -29th at the Sheraton Tysons Hotel, Tysons Corner, Vienna, Virginia. They will also have Displays, Educational Seminars, a major auction that is also top notch, and dealers offering various categories of Perfume Bottles for sale. For more information, contact Rusty Hernandez at conventions@perfumebottles.org.

With all of these Bottle Shows, Auctions, and Events, 2018 is shaping up to be another fantastic year for the hobby of Bottle Collecting. Remember, “Always Have Fun With The Hobby of Bottle Collecting”.

Mike

Hi to all of my wild bottle collectors and digging buddies. I always try to keep my blog lighthearted, but I read this story yesterday (10.24.17), and felt that I needed to bring it to everyone’s attention. I know we all talk about it, and not all of us always do it, but we need to be extremely cautious of where we dig and the surrounding area. Privy’s can be dangerous, but digging in caves is even more dangerous. And most of all, none of us should ever go digging alone, ever. If there had been someone with this lady, she might be around today and be able to do more digging. There isn’t any bottle out there valuable enough to to die for. Let’s all be careful. Have Fun and Good Bottle Hunting- Mike

By Brian Rokos | brokos@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
PUBLISHED: October 23, 2017 at 4:58 pm | UPDATED: October 24, 2017 at 6:07 am

The Lake Arrowhead woman who was found dead in a collapsed cave in Crestline might have been digging for antique bottles, a San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokesman said Monday, Oct. 23.

A cause of death had not been announced Monday for Jessica “Jace” Elyce Widner, 32.

Deputies were called to the area of Highland Drive and Scenic View Drive about 7:20 p.m. Thursday to investigate a death after an anonymous woman saw a hand sticking out of the ground near a glass bottle dump.

Gil Flores, a spokesman for the sheriff’s Twin Peaks Station, said the dump is frequented primarily by transients, but Widner did have family locally and had not been reported missing. Investigators believe compacted soil that had been dislodged from the roof fell on Widner a few hours before her discovery, Flores said.

There were tools found at the scene that suggest she was excavating the soil for bottles, Flores said.

“The bottles are remnants of the early 1900s, possibly during the Prohibition Era,” Flores wrote in an email. “So some of the bottles can bring in a few dollars for collectors. This brings people to the location looking to make a few bucks.

“What made this situation dangerous was the hillside people dug into in order to retrieve buried bottles was not stabilized. It was primarily decomposed granite, so the soil was very dense,” Flores wrote.

Fun Happenings with Bottle Collecting

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated the Bottle-Bible Web Site along with my Blog, so I thought I better get myself in gear on what’s been happening with Bottle Collecting. There’s been a bunch of great stuff, so let’s get going.
As everyone knows by now, I’m always reminding the collectors that one of the best ways to support the hobby of bottle collecting is to support not only your bottle club, bottle shows, but as many other club and bottle related events as possible. Keeping that in mind, I want to give a big shout-out to the National Bottle Museum located in Ballston Spa, NY and their yearly request for support. I first connected with the museum in 1999 when I attended the Saratoga Bottle Show and participated in a book signing for the 2nd Edition of “Bottles: Identification and Price Guide” and again in 2008 for the 5th Edition book signing. At that time, Jan Rutland was the Museum Director, and now Gary Moeller has assumed the responsibility as Director, and doing a great job.
Over 1,000 visitors have signed the guestbook for the first eight months of 2017 representing 29 states as well as other countries such as Canada, Hong Kong, Turkey, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Australia, Philippines, Dubai, and China. The museum continues to grow with over 3,000 bottles, a library containing over 1000 books and publications, and numerous educational Bottle Displays and Exhibits. The museum is a must see for all collectors, and your donations will help with its continued mission of providing a valuable resource of education and research for all Bottle and Glass collectors. If interested, contact with Gary Moeller, Director, or Ellie Dillon, President, at 518-885-7589, or www.nationalbottlemuseum.org.
Have you ever dreamed about finding a room with nearly 100 bottles and demijohns containing Madeira wine dating back as early as 1769? I’ve dreamed about it, but I’m still waiting for it to happen. Recently, museum workers and historians have been renovating the Liberty Hall Museum, originally the home to New Jersey’s first elected governor and signer of the Constitution, William Livingston, at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. During the renovation, they found a Prohibition-era wall with a locked wooden cage containing 50 Bottles and 42 Demijohns of a rare Madeira wine dating back as early as1769. The six-month renovation also led to major discoveries of additional wine bottles in the attic. Keep the faith collectors, there has to be other rooms left to discover.
And, there’s been plenty of hot action with numerous bottle auctions. As part of the Reno Bottle Club’s 53rd Annual Show on June 16th – 17th, Fred Holabird’s Western Americana Collections held a two-session auction of 400 lots of limited scarce and rare bottles, headlined by the Ralph Van Brocklin collection of Western Whiskey Flasks and the Rod Stock Hutchinson bottle collection. One of the highlights of the auction was an 1880’s “H.T. Tobin Western” Pumpkin Seed Flask, made for the Walla Walla Saloon when Washington was still a territory that sold for $4,840. Van Brocklin said, “I consider this to be one of the top five Western pumpkinseed flask.”
Not to be outdone, Glass Works Auctions conducted their “Colors of Fall” auction September 18th – 25th with 312 lots including Mineral Water, Soda and Beer, Medicines, Bitters, Historical Flask, Whiskies, and much more. Some of the highlights of the auction were a very rare “Crystal Spring Water/C.R.Brown/Saratoga Springs/N.Y.” Emerald Green Quart, 1865-1875, for $8,000; an extremely rare “G.A.P. Mason-Alpine/Hair Balm-Providence, R.I.” Olive Green, 1850-1860, for $7,500; and a very rare “General Washington/ Bust of Washington-Eagle/J.R./Laird.SC.Pitt” Clear Glass with Amethyst Tint, Pint, 1830-1860, for $10,000.
Like I said, there’s a lot of good stuff going on with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting, and let’s make sure we all keep making it happen. “Have Fun with the Hobby of Bottle Collecting. Mike

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