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

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

Winter is gone and bottle collectors are looking forward to some good bottle action for 2015. Kicking off 2015, there were 19 Bottle shows during the first 3 months from California to Florida, with dealers offering Fruit Jars, Insulators, Crocks and Stoneware, Bitters, and Whiskeys, with a variety of other bottles. I started the year by attending the Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectible Club’s show on February 14th-15th in Las Vegas, Nevada, then drove to the Arizona desert for the Phoenix Antiques Bottles & Collectibles Club’s show on February 27th -28th.

The Las Vegas Bottles and Collectibles Club began their shows in1965 so this year’s event marked their 50th Anniversary. It’s a fun show and always held the 2nd weekend in February. There’s usually a good selection of both bottles and antique collectibles, and a good crowd of collectors. The club’s 2016 show will be held on February 12th -13th.

The Phoenix Antiques Bottles & Collectibles Club show held on February 27th – 28th was the club’s 32nd annual show and as usual did a fantastic job. The crowds for both days were excellent with great deals on bottles and collectibles. Betty Hartnett, the Show Chairperson, said she was very pleased with the attendance. She’s looking forward to next year’s show, which will be February 26th & 27th, since there were a number of dealers on a wait list for this show

But, this is just the start. Throughout the rest of the year there are approximately 80-90 additional shows across the country, including Hawaii, England, and Australia, to satisfy collectors everywhere. To view a full listing of all of the show check out the FOHBC web site at www.fohbc.org. While all of the shows are important and exciting, there are two major shows in 2015 deserving special attention. 
                  
The first event is the 27th Annual Convention of the International Perfume Bottle Association (IPBA) being held in Spartanburg, South Carolina on April 30th to May 3rd at the Spartanburg Marriott. Among the many events are the “Collectors Flea Market”, Awards Dinner with Keynote Speaker Bernard Dennery, a “Perfume Bottle & Vintage Vanity Show”, and a Perfume Bottle Auction being held on Saturday by Ken Leach. For further show information, contact Deborah Washington at brasslady@comcast.net, or additional auction information, contact Ken Leach at ken@perfumebottlesauction.com. The IPBA is also hosting a London & Paris Trip on September 24th – October 6th 2015 which will include visits to Perfume themed museums and other major points of interest. For further information, contact Linda Kerr, Community Education Travel, at linda.kerr@d214.com.

The second event, sponsored by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) is the 2015 National Antique Bottle Show in Chattanooga, Tennessee on July 31st –August 2nd that will be at the Marriott Chattanooga Convention Center Exhibit Hall. Among the many events is an “Banquet & Awards Dinner” , “Battle of Chattanooga Bottle Competition”, a two day bottle show and sale, various seminars with topics such as “History of Jack Daniels”, “The Evolution of the Coca-Cola Bottle”, and “Bottle & Relic Digging”, to name a few. The highlight of the convention will be held on Saturday evening, with a “Bottle Auction” by the “Daniel Auction Company”. There will also be educational displays and exhibits focusing on numerous bottle categories. For show and registration information, contact Jack Hewitt at (770) 963-0020 or John Joiner at (404) 538-6057.

If you happen to be in the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York, I would recommend a visit to The Corning Museum of Glass. The museum, which is the world’s foremost library and research center on the subject of art, history of glass, glassmaking, is preparing the largest exhibition to date devoted to ancient mold-blown glass from May 16th, 2015 through January 4, 2016. This exhibition will feature examples form the early 1st Century to the 7th Century A.D. More than 120 works of glass, including the Corning Museum’s collection of ancient glass, along with loans from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other international public and private collections, will demonstrate the relationship between mold-blown glass vessels and their counterparts in ceramic and metal, which had been shaped in molds for centuries. The use of molds in glass-making began at the end of the 1st Century B.C. soon after the introduction of glassblowing, which made the production of glass vessels much faster and simpler. For more information on this historic exhibition, museum hours, and the museum in general, visit www.cmog.org.

A question I’m often asked is what types of bottles are more desirable or popular. Since we’re in still in the early months of 2015 and there are a bunch of shows and auctions where we collectors will be buying, selling, or trading, it’s a good idea to have some information about the more desirable and popular bottles. There are a number of methods that helps the collector know which types of bottles are considered “hot” or the most popular, and which bottle categories are still interesting but not on fire. Besides the bottle shows, one of the best indicators of what’s hot or isn’t hot, are recent auctions that provide a large varied selection of bottles from every category. The results from these auctions usually reflect a strong desire for collectible and valuable bottles by all collectors, and have defined popular or favorite bottle categories.
Based on current 2015 auction results, four categories that rank high with collectors are Flasks, specifically Historical Flasks, Medicines, Bitters, and Whiskey bottles. I’m certainly not saying that other bottles such as Poisons, Inks, Hutch’s, and Soda & Mineral aren’t popular and desirable, it’s just that these for categories are on fire right now. As we know, those categories can quickly change.

As an example, in Auction #106 held by Jim Hagenbuch’s Glass Works Auctions on March 23, 2015, there were 459 Lots representing 12 categories of bottles for bidding, of which 252 items, or approximately 55% of the auction, represented Flasks, Medicine, Bitters and Whiskey bottles. These four bottle categories alone collected a total amount of $340,000 which equals approximately $1,350 per bottle. The most popular bottle was the Flasks which consisted of 113 lots, and collected a total of total of $195,000 of the $340,000, almost 60%. I’ve included a side bar that reflects some of the big swingers in Auction #106 and other auctions.

If you are interested in either buying or selling your items, you can contact Norm Heckler Auctions, Woodstock Valley, CT; Glass Works Auctions, Lambert, NJ; American Bottle Auctions, Sacramento, CA; McMurray Antiques & Auctions, Kirkwood, NY, and American Glass Gallery, New Hudson, MI. For a complete detailed listing of auction houses, check out my website at www.bottlebible.com.

As you can see, there isn’t any shortage of fun and exciting stuff going on during 2015 with shows, digging, buying, trading, and museums, all adding up to a lot of fun with the hobby of bottle collecting.
Side Bar – Current Pricing Examples

FLASKS
Description                                                                                            Realized Price
Bust of Washington/Taylor-Pint-Light Blue Green 1825-1835 $ 350.00
Father of His Country/Washington-Pint Olive Amber1848-1855 $1,100.00
Major/Bust of RingGold- Pint-Pink Amethyst 1846-1850 $4,500.00
La Fayette/Bust Of La Fayette – Pint – Olive Amber 1825-1830 $ 950.00
New Jersey Bridgeton – Pint – Deep Ice Blue Green 1850-1855 $8,000.00
Eagle-Cornucopia – Pint – Light Olive Amber–1815-1825 (Rare) $14,000.00
Cornucopis – Urn – Pint – Yellow Olive Amber -1825-1835 $ 220.00
Prospector – Eagle – Pint – Blue Aqua – 1860-1870 (Scarce) $ 190.00
Union/Clasped Hands/Frank & Sons –Quart –Blue Aqua-1855-1870 $ 140.00
“Jeny Lind” And Bust –Calabash Flask- Quart -Med/Deep $7,020.00
Sapphire Blue- 1845-1860
Pitkin Type Flask – 5 1/8” – Bright Olive Green-1783-1830 $1,404.00
Success To The Railroad – Pint –Med. Olive Amber-1830-1848 $ 761.00
For Pikes Peak and Prospector – Pint-Pale Grass Green -1860-1870 $1,170.00

MEDICINES

Description                                                                                    Realized Price
Dr. Wynkoop’s Katharismic Honduras Sarsaparilla New York $10,000.00
10 ¼”- Cobalt Blue -1840-1860 (Early Pontiled Medicine that
was Blown in Cobalt Blue Glass)
Seaver’s Joint & Nerve Liniment -4”-Yellow Amber-1840-1860 $ 550.00
S.M. Kier – Petroleum- Pittsburg,PA- 6 3/8”-Sapphire Blue-1840-1860 $ 1,000.00
Dr. W.M. Drake’s Concentrated Liniment-8 ¼”-Aqua 1840-1860 $ 275.00
American Pulmonary Balsam – 5 ¼” – Aqua 1840-1860 $ 170.00
G.W. Stone’s Liquid Cathartic & Family Physic-8 7/8”-Medium $ 18,720.00
Yellow Amber – (Rare) 1860-1870
Bear’s Oil – 2 ¾” – Clear with Label-“Genuine Bear’s Oil- For $ 702.00
Promoting The Growth & Beauty of the Hair 1840-1860

BITTERS

Description                                                                                      Realized Price
William Allen’s Congress Bitters – Emerald Green – 1865-1875 $ 3,000.00
Baker’s Orange Grove Bitters – 9 ½”-Black Amethyst -1865-1875 $ 2,750.00
Bismark Bitters – C. Lange & Co. – 8 ¾” –Red Amber -1890-1910 $ 230.00
The Fish Bitters-W.W. Ware Patented 1866-11 ¾”-Medium Lime $ 4,000.00
Green – 1866-1875
Dr. A.S. Hopkins Union Stomach Bitters -9 ¾” –Olive Yellow 1870-1885$ 550.00
DWD E. Dexter Loveridge Wahoo Bitters- 10 1/8” –Medium Blue Green $ 20,000.00
1863-1870 (Extremely Rare)
WHISKEYS

Description                                                                                          Realized Price
Turner’s Brothers New York – 9 7/8”-Yellow Amber-1865-1875 $ 325.00
Southern Turf Nashville Tenn – 12 3/8” –Yellow Amber – 1895-1909$ 300.00
J.H. Cutter Old Bourbon A.P. Hotaling – 11 ¾” – Deep Amber $ 2,200.00
1873-1877
Hilderbrandt Posner & Co. – 11 ¾”- Medium Amber 1884-1890 $ 210.00
The Jockey Club Whiskey – G.W. Chesley & Co. S.F. 11 ¾” $ 4,600.00
Light Amber – 1873-1878