Hi to all of the bottle collectors out there. I hope everyone is digging, buying, or trading for bottles to fit your collections. I wanted to post a couple note worthy events that I was recently involved with.
The first item happened on June 21, 2014in Tonopah Nevada. By a great miracle, the Wyatt Earp “Northern Saloon “ excavation site was reopened in April 2014 to Ray Forrey for some continued digging. I met up with Ray, and another adventurer and friend, Dave Finnern who is also an experienced diver. Dave is an award-winning writer and has published numerous articles and books on underwater exploration. But, he’s also done his share of digging. It didn’t take long until we were digging and sifting for tokens, bottles, and other artifacts. After a full day of digging, we didn’t find any bottles but I did find two Vienna Bakery Tokens-Tonopah, Nev. (Circa 1905-1907) and Dave found two Wheat Pennies dated 1918 & 1920. The second day luck was again on my side and I found three more Vienna Bakery Tokens. Dave had to leave the next day, so Ray and I sent him home with one of the tokens to go along with the Wheat Pennies. He deserved it! We had a lot of fun but there is still plenty of dirt to sift for more treasures.
Mike Polak at Wyatt Earp’s Saloon Site holding a “Vienna Bakery -Tonopah, Nev.” Token (6/21/2014)
The next item is regarding an award I was honored to receive from the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC). During the August 1-3, 2014 FOHBC National Antique Bottle Show held in Lexington, Kentucky, I received the First Place Award for the Best True Story – “Wyatt Earp’s Northern Saloon and Tonopah ,Nevada” which was published in the Federation’s magazine, “Bottles & Extra’s” in the November/December 2013 issue. The plaque reads as follows:
Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
Commends Mike Polak, Author
First Place 2014 Best True Story
“Wyatt Earp’s Northern Saloon And Tonopah, Nevada”
Published in the “Bottles & Extras”
hi,to dig on a site like that would be truly amazing as I have a huge interest in the cowboy history,thanks and good luck,all the best,rob.