$7.00
March – April 2024
American Antique Glass Masterpieces and the Cullen Hall of Gems & Minerals Also in this issue...
Mold-Blown Glass Russian Tea Caddies In the Witness Protection Program John and Mary Wolf and medicine bottles that claim to “Cure” ACL #9 – Mammals A Toast to Collecting Diversity Collecting Antique Mirrors and so much more!
The official publication of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
Vol. 35
No. 2
Vol. 35 No. 2
March–April 2024
No. 272
TABLE OF CONTENTS
On the Cover: Three bottles from the Houston 24 American Antique Glass Masterpieces Exhibition with Selenite from Chihuahua, Mexico. FOHBC Officers | 2022–2024 ...................................................................................... 2
To Advertise, Subscribe or Renew a subscription, see pages 66 and 72 for details. To Submit a Story, send a Letter to the Editor or have Comments and Concerns, contact:
FOHBC President’s Message .............................................................................................. 3 Shards of Wisdom–Heard it Through the Grapevine ....................................................... 4 FOHBC News–From & For Our Members .......................................................................... 6 FOHBC Regional News ..................................................................................................... 8 Virtual Museum News by Richard Siri ................................................................................ 10
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John and Mary Wolf and medicine bottles that claim to “Cure” by Dann Louis ................... 12 ACL Corner #9 – Mammals by Mike Dickman ................................................................... 14 Antique Mirrors – Picture this: Reflections of the Past by Ralph Finch ................................. 21 Transporting Antique Bottles – The Jerry Box by Ferdinand Meyer V .................................... 28 In the Witness Protection Program by Jack Klotz ............................................................... 30
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A Toast To Collecting Diversity by Ralph Finch .................................................................... 41 Mold-Blown Glass Russian Tea Caddies by Richard Sheaff .................................................... 48 American Antique Glass Masterpieces and the Cullen Hall of Gems & Minerals ......... 56 Lost & Found ................................................................................................................. 60 Member Photos ............................................................................................................ 64 Classified Ads ............................................................................................................. 66
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FOHBC Sho-Biz–Calendar of Shows ............................................................................... 68 Membership Benefits, Display Ad Rates, Donations to the FOHBC .................................. 71 Membership Application, Classified Advertising & Article Submission ............................. 72
Coming next issue or down the road:
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A Creepy Clown, Concerned Parents and Voices in the Dark•The Three Blue Bitters•Lady’s Star•The Saltsburg Glass Works•ACL #10 Buildings•Privy Digger’s Dream•What Do You Collect?•Another Adventure of the Bottle Thief: Dead Chickens & Barking Dog•A Clinton Physician Dr. Carl Gruber•Dr. Guysott’s Extract of Yellow Dock and Sarsaparilla Update•M. A. Rue of Cranbury, New Jersey•Early Pittsburgh Glasshouses•Soldier of Fortune: George Furber and his Cordial of Mountain Balm•Keystone Coffee Jar•Soda City’s Only Two Earliest Colored Sodas: H. Deming & Co. and C.C. Habenicht•Treachery at Hotel ZaZa•Probst & Hilbs German Bitters Little Rock, Ark.•Pressed Stoneware Bottles•Whites Prairie Flower•Caswell Hazard Druggists•Te-Nex-Ine Ralph is stuck on an old product•Smith & Jones–Brazil, Indiana Bottlers and so much more!
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March – April 2024
So you don’t miss an issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, please check your labels for expiration information.
Elizabeth Meyer FOHBC Business Manager P.O. Box 1825 Brookshire, Texas 77423 phone: 713.504.0628 email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Fair use notice: Some material in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector has been submitted for publication in this magazine and/or was originally published by the authors and is copyrighted. We, as a non-profit organization, offer it here as an educational tool to increase further understanding and discussion of bottle collecting and related history. We believe this constitutes “fair use” of the copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this material for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use,” you must obtain permission from the copyright owner(s). Antique Bottle & Glass Collector © (ISSN 10505598) is published bi-monthly (6 issues per year) by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. (a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization) at 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; phone: 713.504.0628; Website: FOHBC.org, Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Raymore, Missouri 64083 and additional mailing office, Pub. #005062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@ gmail.com Annual subscription rate is: $40 for standard mail or $55 for First Class, $60 to Canada, $80 Other countries, $25 Digital Membership [in U.S. funds.] Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, Level 2: $500. The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. (FOHBC) assumes no responsibility for products and services advertised in this publication. See page 72 for details. The names Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. (FOHBC), and Antique Bottle & Glass Collector ©, are registered ® names of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc., and no use of either other than as references, is permitted without expressed written consent from the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. Certain material contained in this publication is copyrighted by, and remains the sole property of, the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. while others remain property of the submitting authors. Detailed information concerning a particular article may be obtained from the Editor. Printed by Modern Litho, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
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FOHBC Board of Directors Midwest Region Director: Henry Hecker, W298 S10655 Phantom Woods Road, Mukwonago, Wisconsin 53149, phone: 262.844.5751, email: phantomhah@gmail.com Southern Region Director: Tom Lines, 1647 Olivia Way, Auburn, Alabama 36830, phone: 205.410.2191, email: Bluecrab1949@hotmail.com Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors is a non-profit organization for collectors of historical bottles, glass and related collectible items. Our primary goal is educational as it relates to the history and manufacture of historical bottles and related artifacts.
FOHBC Officers 2022–2024 President: Michael Seeliger, N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521, phone: 608.575.2922, email: mwseeliger@gmail.com
Western Region Director: Eric McGuire, 1732 Inverness Drive, Petaluma, California 94954, phone: 707.481.9145, email: etmcguire@comcast.net Public Relations Director: Position Open Conventions Director: Craig Cassetta, 12 Marlin Court, Chico, California 95973, phone: 530.680.5226, email: craig.cassetta@gmail.com Historian: Brian Bingham, 4305 Arbor Cove Circle, Oceanside, California 92058, phone: 442.264.9945, email: brian.bingham@att.net Membership Director: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
First Vice-President: Position Open
Merchandising Director: Position Open
Second Vice-President: Stephen R. Jackson, P.O. Box 3137, Suffolk, Virginia 23439, phone: 757.675.5642, email: sjackson@srjacksonlaw.com
FOHBC Virtual Museum
Secretary: Alice Seeliger, N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521, phone: 608.575.1128, email: aliceajscreative@gmail.com Treasurer: Kathie Craig, 1037 Hazelwood Avenue, Campbell, California 95008, phone: 408.591.6511, email: kathiecraig@sbcglobal.net Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Director-at-Large: Ferdinand Meyer V, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Director-at-Large: John O’Neill, 1805 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, California 94002, phone: 650.619.8209, email: Joneill@risk-strategies.com Director-at-Large: Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, California 95402, phone: 707.542.6438, email: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net Northeast Region Director: Charles Martin Jr., 5 John Hall Cartway, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts 01985, phone: 781.248.8620, email: cemartinjr@comcast.net
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Alan DeMaison, 1605 Clipper Cove, Painesville, Ohio 44077, phone: 440.358.1223, email: a.demaison@sbcglobal.net Joe Gourd, 27W058 Fleming Drive, Winfield, Illinois 60190, phone: 630.653.7088, email: joegourd@aol.com Ferdinand Meyer V, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002, phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Miguel Ruiz, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002, phone: 713.222.7979, email: mruiz@fmgdesign.com Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, California 95402, phone: 707.542.6438, email: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net
Magazine Editor: Peachridge Collections, LLC, Ferdinand Meyer V and Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Design and Layout: Ferdinand Meyer V Proofreaders: Alice Seeliger and Bill Baab
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
President’s Message Michael Seeliger President Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521 608.575.2922 mwseeliger@gmail.com
I just returned from the Jackson, Miss. show where Alice and I had a wonderful time! Southern hospitality can’t be beat…add in craziness about bottles and there’s no more enthusiastic group of people. I was discussing rare bottles, and bottles in general, with a collector, noting that I had visited the archives of the Corning Museum of Glass to determine the cost of making a mold back in the 1880s. I deduced that even the rarest bottles were made in minimum batches of 300 to recoup the initial investment. So, when a bottle is considered a one of a kind (excluding rare colors), there must be more waiting to be discovered. The first bottles Warner, for example, produced with Craig (original Dr. Craig Kidney Cure strap-sided bottle) was produced for only three months. It is quite rare...maybe 20 or 25 are known. So, we agreed that even though we have lots of great bottles in our collections, there are still a lot to be discovered. On the other hand, based on all the information I have gathered about Warner’s advertising campaigns and financial expenditures, he would have produced millions of Kidney & Liver Cure bottles, which is why they are so plentiful. Those bottles are out there unless excess bottles from short runs were sent back for cullet. The sodas that are embossed “This bottle is never sold” often ended up in outhouses and rivers to avoid fines for having them in a person’s possession, as explained in Tod von Mechow’s article “Registering Bottles” in the July-August 2023 issue of AB&GC. Now that younger collectors, like Brandon DeWolfe’s two sons (one was pictured digging on a now-famous Jan–Feb 2023 AB&GC cover), are digging privies in earnest and doing deeper searches through other venues, our hobby is seeing an infusion of more really good bottles. Like many older collectors, I tended to dig surface dumps and never really got into privies, wells, and cisterns. The Jackson show had a nice mix of old bottles, ACL sodas and advertising, and other items including signs, Civil War memorabilia, and antiques. Attendance was great, with some collectors interested in bottles and others who came for the other collectibles but enjoyed looking at all the old bottles. There were younger collectors who were starting to show greater interest in collecting bottles. Great news for our hobby! Attendees and dealers were excited to get a free copy of our AB&GC “January 2024 Moxie issue” that we were handing out to introduce them to the FOHBC and to increase membership in the Federation. I think we will see 10-12 new members and some renewals from previous members. Fortunately, Federation membership is an easy sell when they see what they get for $40! All the fabulous table posters announcing Houston 24 drew lots of
March – April 2024
attention and we handed out Expo packets, reminding people to make their reservations early. Houston 24 is really shaping up to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Our Nation’s history in glass will be on display in a not-to-be-missed venue. The Houston Museum of Natural Science adds so much to our event and will enthrall the whole family for days. The FOHBC Houston 24 Antique Bottle and Glass Show & Sale and displays are being presented in a unique format in seven rooms on the main floor of the historic Hotel ZaZa. In the final planning stages, the Saturday evening Bayou City Sunset Auction, conducted by Crowded House Auctions (Martin Van Zant and “Balsam” Bill Granger), will bring in an entirely new dimension as auction items will be online for one week before the live auction event. Check out updated information on page 11 of this issue or our Hou24 event page at FOHBC. org. Please consider consigning something interesting to this eclectic auction. There are little to no seller consignment fees to FOHBC members and all auction profits go directly to the FOHBC. The Hou24 Mix & Mingle cocktail party and Dinosaurs Banquet will include the presentation of club and member awards so be sure to send in those entries. See page 47 of this issue or FOHBC.org for details. We will also honor those members we have lost in the past year. Please make your banquet reservations soon for this catered event in the HMNS Morian Hall of Paleontology. Our January webinar featured Dann Lewis presenting the collection of the late John Wolf, and it was very well-attended. Dann treasures this amazing collection given to him by John. If you missed the online Zoom presentation, it is well worth viewing on our website. Consult FOHBC.org for the complete schedule of upcoming monthly seminars. Attending an online presentation allows you to ask questions and participate in the dialogue during the Question and Answer period at the end. The FOHBC board still needs help in a couple of areas. Merchandise Director could be a fun and exciting position for the right person. Is that you? And if you’re great at Public Relations, we have a spot for you. Throw your hat into the ring now if you want to be part of the fantastic team assembled to lead this organization. Committee members are also needed. Please get in touch with me to find out where help is needed. I’ll be representing the Federation at the Kalamazoo, Rochester, Mansfield and the Chattanooga North Georgia show again this year, so if you’re there, please be sure to stop by and say hello. I’ve sure been enjoying seeing so many of you at the shows and appreciate the warm welcome I received from the show chairs. For fun, I tried something new at the Jackson show noted previously. Bill Mitchell could not attend due to health issues, so I escorted him through the show via Facetime! He ended up buying eight bottles and got to say hello to several dealers he has known for many years. Hopefully, he will be able to attend in person again soon, and I’ll have my old bottle buddy by my side. After all, one of the best parts of bottle collecting is the friends we make.
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Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine”
Where the Yellow Went Ralph Finch brings up the hobby’s No. 1 topic and asks...Is this yellow journalism? I am going to segue several topics into one (and you will recognize why other writers with more self-control haven’t): Back in the 1950s, a popular toothpaste ad claimed, “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent!” (Or, 1868 to forever: “Carter’s Little Yellow Liver Pills”) And: Many collectors often come to the same conclusion after having collected since...Truman was in the White House (the 1950s) and recognized that it was time to get rid of some stuff. It is never easy. And as a compulsive collector, I hate hearing that term. I am a believer in the collection axiom: He who dies with the most toys wins! Part of the problem older collectors often face: “My kids don’t want it.” Another challenge is: How to price it? Related to: “Where the heck did we get it?” And, sometimes: “Why the heck did we buy it?” So, Janet is packing things up, putting an educated price on some, a number picked at random on others. Then she asked… (OK, see the questions above, but change the word “we” to a more accusative “YOU”… and with an attitude.) And—I’m old—I replied: “I don’t remember.” Truly, at the age of 83, having an item embossed: “URINE SAMPLE BOTTLE” seems rather...familiar. And handy.
Clear glass embossed “Urine Specimen Bottle” with a pouring spout. 4-¾” tall. 4
Where did I get it? (See the often-stated “I don’t remember” defense above. At my age, that is more commonly heard than a politician claiming “The Fifth.”)
BTW: On the bottom it is embossed “Professional Specialties Co.” and on the reverse are measurements going from one to six ounces. And if six ounces may seem like a lot, notice that elephants can pee 12 to 15 gallons a day, one of the several reasons that most people don’t have a pet elephant...and can you imagine the size bottle an elephant’s vet must have? And does all this information fall into the category of not BTW, but “TMI”? FYI: My wife, who loves me (she’s a saint) and has patience with me, has publicly claimed: “I am not responsible for that man!” PEE-PS: I checked on Google, and there were 68 urine sample jokes, plus uncounted “off-color” references...(and what color are off-color urine sample jokes?) But I picked this one: “I took a urine sample at the doctor’s office today. I think my kleptomania is getting out of hand.” Pee-peeS: Two people commented on this story. An old and wacky friend said: “Ralph, I hope you didn’t pay for amber and got a clear glass.” I asked Ferdinand Meyer if they had a bottle like this in their collection, and he succinctly replied: “Wee don’t.” Wonderful! I’m jealous of how much humor Ferd got out of TWO words. Well, succinctness has never been one of my strengths … I’d explain why, but it would take me pages to explain. (Honestly.)
The Finches are Shipshape And that’s always better than being keelhauled, admits Ralph Finch. On September 13 this past year, we joined the crew at South Bay Auctions, a firm anchored in East Moriches, New York. The outfit boasts “a family-owned and operated auction house, specializing in artwork and antiques for over 35 years.” The sale we took part in was big on naval items, especially ship-related lots, like ship designs and paintings, British *woolwork (whatever that means), and perhaps your only chance to own two antique wrought iron double-flue harpoons with hinged barbs. I couldn’t tell if they sold for a whale of a bargain, but...if you missed out on them, don’t blubber. Talking about naval-related items: I admit, being slightly overweight, I haven’t seen my navel button in years. *And, to make us feel smarter: The meaning of ‘woolwork’ is needlework (as embroidery on canvas or knitting) made with wool.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine”
[Left] Lot 27. Dutch black glass onion-form wine bottle, with painted Naval scene and the Latin motto, “Luctor et Emergo,” of the province of Zeeland, Netherlands, along with date, “1763” and a partial Zeeland coat of arms, 18th/19th century. Some paint loss. 8-¼”, 6-½”dia.– South Bay Auctions
The Finches were interested in launching another item into our expanding fleet of painted bottles with naval-related scenes, and we set our sights on Lot 27, described (edited) as:
Two examples of the Finch’s expanding fleet of painted bottles with naval-related scenes.
So, once again, I went to see–sea in my bathrobe and claimed victory (thanks to Janet). Did Lord Nelson ever claim a victory wearing only his bathrobe?
“Dutch black-glass onion-form wine bottle, with painted Naval scene and the Latin motto, *Luctor et Emergo, of the province of Zeeland, Netherlands, along with date, ‘1763’, and a partial Zeeland coat of arms, 18th/19th century. Some paint loss. 8-¼ inches high. Estimated at $200-$300.” Sadly, Lot 27 was underestimated, and when the cannons settled, it was $1,100, plus the buyer’s premium of 25 percent, plus $143 for shipping, plus...the final figure: $1,518. FYI #1: The term “black glass” is relative. Those of us with a black glass bottle know that if you hold it up to a very bright light, you often recognize a hint of dark amber or dark green. In this bottle, you could hold up to the sun and only see...black. And the glass on this bottle is so thick that you might—if you were a fool—use the bottle to drive a nail into a board. “1763?” With luck, this bottle could be around for a few more centuries. FYI #2: Zeeland is the Netherlands’ westernmost and least populous province. FYI #3: *The phrase means “I struggle and overcome.” If I had a casino motto in Latin, it would translate as: “I struggle and— sometimes—break even.” March – April 2024
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte. Portrait by L. F. Abbott (1799). 5
FOHBC News From & For Our Members
Nicholas Longworth and his Catawba Wine Bitters Hi Ferdinand, as a serious collector of Rookwood Pottery, I greatly enjoyed the Nicholas Longworth (Catawba Wine Bitters) article. It was through his great wealth and progressive ideas that Cincinnati became the Queen City—and allowed his granddaughter Maria Longworth Nichols to establish Rookwood Art Pottery in 1880 becoming one of the first female owners of a manufacturing company in America. An interesting aside...the illustration of Nicholas Longworth on page 14 is a life portrait of him...humbly showing reminder notes safety pinned to his left sleeve as he was famously forgetful. I believe this portrait currently resides in the Taft Museum located in his former residence in Cincinnati. Job well done! The monster crock in the photo background is the largest (60 gallon) one made by Western Stoneware Co., Monmouth, Illinois. It is a great storage container! With contents it would weigh over 700 pounds. Jerry McCann Chicago, Illinois
60-gallon crock made by Western Stoneware Co. See Member Photos this issue.
Rookwood butterfly vase.
Promising Cures Dear friends, now that my book is published and I have completed my speaking engagements for 2023, I have embarked on the next phase of my plan: creating a website where I can write short stories and the results of my ongoing research. To that end, I have created a website with a blog: promisingcures.com 6
I started it a week ago and I’m very pleased with how it looks. I am hoping that you will take a look at it at least once and maybe drop in a comment about what you think of it! I would really appreciate the support of everyone whom I have reached out to in this email! By the way, I have set up this site to be completely ad-free, so you will only see what I have created. I hope you will like the site enough to come back to it often and to share it with your friends! Andy Rapoza Conroe, Texas
More on Tom & Mabel Hicks Responding to Ralph Finch’s terrific article, about Tom and Mabel Hicks, in the January-February edition of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, I give some of my thoughts and memories. Tom grew up in Autauga County, Alabama, and got his B.S. degree from Auburn University. He worked for the Georgia Wildlife Service as a Wildlife Biologist for most of his adult life and lived for many years on Rabbitskip Road, just South of Eatonton, Georgia. I first met Tom and Mabel at the Southeast Bottle Club’s show at the Community Center in Decatur, Georgia, in April of 1987. It was there that I first met the Hewitt family, Butch Alley, Faye and Larry Witcher, and many folks who became my “bottle collecting family.”At that time, many shows urged dealers to exhibit some of their collectibles and Tom won “Best In Show” for his glass Christmas lights. I remember how good the food was—it was specially prepared by Faye Witcher, Debbie Alley, and other wives of the club members. Another favorite memory is of the year Tom and I went to, and set up at, the fabulous Baltimore show, back when there was a waiting list for sales tables. Our location was right behind Jim and Janice Hagenbuch, so I had a great time getting to know them. I never went on any of their trips to England, so I’m glad Ralph covered that era well. Besides Baltimore, my wife, Joyce, and I either met or went with Mabel and Tom to many other shows, many thanks to all who have been, or are now, chairpersons of these wonderful shows. I’ve learned through the years that the friendships that are made through this hobby far outweigh the money that is either made or lost. As most of us know, Tom could talk almost non-stop about many things—including his vast knowledge of antique glass or pottery. His collection was significant, and much of it is still on display at his and Mabel’s home. He began to dig when he was assigned to the Darien, Georgia area, and later spent time searching and digging there, in Savannah with Tommy Mitchener and others, and Grant Park with Bobby Hinely, John Joiner, Jim Sanders, et al. In recent years Joyce and I would often meet them for lunch, Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
FOHBC News From & For Our Members
either in Eatonton, or in nearby Madison. I considered Tom my best friend, and I miss him greatly. I would take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE who now works, or has worked, to make our hobby so wonderful. I especially thank Ferd V, Elizabeth, Michael, John (three of you), Bill (two of you), and others too numerous to mention. Respectfully, Bill Johnson Snellville, Georgia
The Weirdness of Glass Article Just a note to express my enthusiasm for the article by Bruce Resnick in the Jan-Feb edition of AB&GC on the “Weirdness of Glass.” As an employee of Owens-Illinois Glass Co. in the late 1950s, writing articles for their plant newspapers, I have always been impressed with the many faceted qualities of glass. For collectors, I recommend, even if just once, touring a real glass factory making bottles and glassware, just to watch the molten glass rolling from the ovens. Boutique glassblowing shops are interesting. Seeing a red hot sea of liquified glass up close is a mind-blowing experience. Jack Sullivan Alexandria, Virginia
A Puce Eagle Tale Happy New Year. I read with interest Mr. Weiner’s article “A Puce Eagle Tale” as I have recently discovered where the old outhouse was on my property. It is brick lined and I wanted to ask him how one would go about digging it out. I have been collecting bottles and glass for years and enjoy your efforts with the FOHBC magazine! Would appreciate any help you can provide. Elizabeth Hower York Spring, Pennsylvania
Rothery’s Bitters Shard Back, maybe three or four years ago, I visited Jim Healy with Adam Koch. I was so impressed with a dug shard I saw with the embossing “The Great English Tonic, Rothery’s Appetizer and Stomach Bitters.” I thought that someday it would make for an interesting addition to the Virtual Museum.
“The Great English Tonic, Rothery’s Appetizer and Stomach Bitters” shard in topaz and a complete yellow example from a past auction.
Pre-prohibition glass ceramic-lidded beer stein Can you include this in an upcoming issue of our AB&GC magazine? I recently came across this example of a pre-prohibition glass ceramic-lidded beer stein. I am currently conducting local research and I have reached out to others to determine if there are similar examples from other areas. None western so far. I have seen others on eBay, and Paul Van Vactor (Louisville) reports that over the years he has seen others from the midwest (Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, etc.) I am thinking about a magazine article in the future, but would like to include photos. Would any readers who have examples send me high resolution photos of similar 6” steins for the article? Here is my email address: foabbott@comcast.net Steve Abbott Sacramento, California “Capitol Hotel Grill” painted white ceramic lid and handled glass beer stein.
Alan DeMaison (chief VM imager) Painesville, Ohio [Editor] It certainly would. This brand is listed as R 104 in Bitters Bottles and is rare in amber. It is found in two molds. The straw yellow and yellow glass is extremely rare. We will certainly add to the Virtual Museum Bitters Gallery. I have added an image of a yellow example to accompany your topaz shard. March – April 2024
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FOHBC Regional News Please visit FOHBC.org for expanded coverage.
Midwest Region [Henry Hecker, Director] Todd Knisley, North Canton, Ohio, says he has been fortunate enough to become the editor of “The Ohio Swirl,” the newsletter of the Ohio Bottle Club. The club was in a situation where the previous editor was stepping down after a long stint at the helm and the club had no volunteers to take over the duties. The club would be forced to morph to a digital format (only), with members receiving a PDF version each month. “I didn’t want to become the editor at the time, but I also didn’t want to see the club go digital only. Getting a tangible item in hand is an essential glue that bonds and holds the club together. Long story short, and after some growing pains, the club is now producing an 18-22 page newsletter that is in a magazine format.” As editor, Todd got the permission of the club officers and membership to produce this newly formatted newsletter as he saw fit, which is a blessing. Since the first issue he included several placements of FOHBC and the Virtual Museum material, both in articles and advertisements. He believes that being a 501(c) (3), the club’s primary obligation is to support the growth and education of the hobby both locally and nationally. For the rest of Henry’s report, please read online at FOHBC.org
Southern Region [Tom Lines, Director] Who is Marty Vollmer? Besides being the chairman of the annual Columbia South Carolina Bottle Show and being on the Augusta, Georgia National Convention consortium team in 2019, besides being an all-around nice guy and a great bottle collector—who is Marty Vollmer? What are his collecting roots? Marty was first attracted to old bottles when the street he lived on in Redondo Beach, California, was widened in 1969. Marty was 8
riding along Prospect Street on his Sting Ray bicycle and spotted some bottles in the freshly moved dirt. The town was founded in 1892. A spark ignited. He began riding his bike to the spot carrying a shovel, a trowel, a paper sack and some newspapers. In retrospect, Marty found no great bottles at the time, though finding cork-top bottles was beyond thrilling. Marty worked with his Dad’s grading company on projects around southern California, so opportunities to find other small dumping areas abounded. He remembers a particular Saturday when his Dad had picked up a job in downtown Santa Ana. Marty’s job was to remove soil and pile it close by. While doing so, he was surprised to find “circles of glass and trash,” as he put it. With no shovel available, he pushed out more soil, a foot at a time, with a D-8 Cat dozer. He ended up finding a few small blue and amber medicines, some marked from San Francisco. The spark turned into more of a fire. Marty was hooked! Fast forward to moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1982. Marty was newly married and in a new city, and the riverfront was being redeveloped. It was a perfect time to dig, but the idea of digging for bottles in privies eluded him. Instead, he searched for bottles in local antique shops, finding an occasional bottle here and there. When his wife’s internship at a hospital was over, they moved to Columbia, South Carolina. More time elapsed, and the family grew by two sons, but he always had his eye out for bottles. As time allowed, he began poking around Columbia, and the collecting fire heated up. A dump was discovered downtown, where he met a couple of local diggers…Bob Riddick and Eric Warren. That fire turned into a blaze. He learned about bottle shows, bottle magazines, and other local collectors. After joining the Columbia Antique Bottle Club, he attended their annual shows and became more active. At one such meeting, he was elected club president, which he attributes to having to use the restroom! It must have fit well because he’s still the president…and Show Chairman. Marty retired from a career with a local natural gas company after 35 years of service. During his working years, he accessed many construction sites, which provided the ability to find a number of treasures for his collection. In conclusion, I’ll quote Marty: “I have been so fortunate to have traveled to many shows across the country and rubbed elbows with many people who love the history and the fragile beauty of this industrial art. I’m grateful for the friendships, advice, good deals, fun, and learning. One last note: if you meet a young person who takes the slightest interest in the bottle-collecting hobby, take them under your wing.” PS: Don’t forget to come to Columbia’s Show this April. It has grown to 190 tables in recent years under Marty’s leadership. Saturday, April 20th, 2024. Thanks, Marty, for being such a great emissary for our hobby! Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
at 6:00 am bringing in their bottles. Fifty-four tables were ready to go for the early buyers at 8:00 am. Throughout the windy day, eighty-eight people braved the wind, the cold, and the snow to attend the show. As usual, there were buyers from all of the New England states and people as far away as Long Island, New York, in attendance. The socialization was full of smiling and chattering people throughout the day. It seemed as though every visitor left the building with bags of bottles. Those who set up to sell at the show expressed their joy at the amount of bottles they were selling. During the club meeting the following Tuesday at the Pontiac Free Library in Warwick, Rhode Island the membership voted to move our future shows to the first Sunday in April.”
In from Bill Baab, Augusta, Georgia reports on a new book, “Early Sodas of the Carolinas, The Bottles & Proprietors.” Since the beginning of the hobby of collecting antique bottles, much has been written about the various forms (beers, sodas, etc.), but many of the articles lacked key elements—the histories behind the bottles obtainable only by diligent research. Central Florida resident David Kyle Rakes over the years has developed a research skill, results which are apparent in his new book covering the histories behind the numerous colorful sodas developed by bottlers in North and South Carolina’s early days in mostly major cities. Not only did the author identify each bottler but included life histories of most nearly from cradle to grave. His skills are reflected not only in this book, but also in his other major works, Early Georgia Sodas, 2021, and Florida Advertising Jugs, 2022. As a retired journalist and longtime collector of antique bottles (since 1969), I have been honored to proofread each of David’s wonderful works and look forward to his future books. Please visit David’s website “Bottles and Jugs, Historical books by David Kyle Rakes” or email barakes123@gmail.com.
Northeast Region [Charlie Martin Jr., Director] The Little Rhody Antique Bottle Club did not waste any time starting out the New Year. They hosted their annual bottle show on January 7, 2024. Bill Rose, club president, and show chair, provided the following show report from the day’s activity. “Once again, Mother Nature stepped into the breach to deliver The Little Rhody Bottle Club Show…a frightening blow of strong winds mixed with light snow. The Taunton Inn, formerly Clarion Hotel, formerly Holiday Inn, was busy at 5:00 am plowing out the parking lot for the bottle enthusiasts. Dealers were lined up
March – April 2024
On March 10, 2024, The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club will host their annual show and sale at the Howard County Fairgrounds. In the Northeast Region we are blessed to have several shows that attract national attention from dealers and collectors. The Baltimore Show is certainly at the top of that list! Plan a full day (9 am to 3 pm) to explore the Exhibition Hall and see all the dealers. For some, six hours is not enough time to do the dealers and the show justice. I, for one, got great cardiac exercise, trying to see all that the show had to offer the last time I attended the show. Two weeks later, on March 24, 2024, the Somers Connecticut Antique Bottle Club will hold its 53rd Annual Show and Sale in Somers, Connecticut. On April 28, 2024, the Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association (GVBCA) will host their 53rd Annual Bottle and Antique Show at Wesleyan University, in Rochester, New York. The 7th Annual Dunkard Valley Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale will be held on May 5, 2024 in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Washington County Antique Bottle Club will host a milestone event when they present their 50th Annual Show and Sale on May 19, 2024 in Washington, Pennsylvania. As always, more show information can be found on our website Show Listings and on our Sho-Biz Calendar on pages 68 and 69 in this issue.
Western Region [Eric McGuire, Director] I want to give a special recognition to the 49er Historical Bottle Association which will be hosting its picnics in April and June this year. Last year the club had a couple of speakers at their picnic, and it was such a hit that it is going to schedule talks as a regular part of its picnic gatherings. They already draw a large crowd at the picnics. The last time I checked the 49’er Club had about 75 members in good standing and 271 members on its Facebook site – “49er Historical Bottle Club.” For club information check out the listing provided on the FOHBC website. Editor: For expanded Regional News coverage and more images, please visit the FOHBC website home page and look for Editors’ Picks. 9
Virtual Museum News By Richard T. Siri, Santa Rosa, California
The FOHBC Virtual Museum has been established to display, inform, educate, and enhance the enjoyment of historical bottle and glass collecting by providing an online virtual museum experience for significant historical bottles and other items related to early glass.
Phase 4 A few new additions! $30k Phase 1 Flask Filled Dec. 2018
$25k
$20k
Please help us fill our Phase 4 Wishart’s Pine Tree Tar Cordial bottle.
$15k
Donations to the Museum are always needed to ensure we continue. We are a 501(c)(3) educational club, so your donation is tax deductible.
Phase 2 Jar Filled Dec. 2021
$10k
$5k
Phase 3 Barrel Filled Dec. 2022
Please help us in our Phase 4 fundraising capital campaign to continue development of the FOHBC Virtual Museum. The FOHBC and the Virtual Museum team thank our many donors who have helped us raise over $101,963 to date. We have $19,460 in available funds to continue development to build our galleries, exhibition hall, research library and gift shop. Donations are tax deductible. All donors are listed on our Virtual Museum Recognition Wall.
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With one salaried website technician averaging $1,200 a month, we need help. We are continuely traveling to collections, so more costs are incurred. All other time is donated by the Virtual Museum team out of our love and passion for the hobby and the FOHBC. Thank you!
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FOHBCV ir t ualMuseum .org For gift information contact: Alan DeMaison, FOHBC Virtual Museum Treasurer, 1605 Clipper Cove, Painesville, Ohio 44077, a.demaison@sbcglobal.net
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Bayou City
Sunset Auction SATURDAY EVENING 03 AUGUST 2024 HOTEL ZAZA Brought to you by Crowded House Auctions and the FOHBC
LOOKING FOR Q U A L I T Y CONSIGNMENTS
ACL, Advertising, Ephemera, Insulators, Jars Medicines, Signs, Sodas, Texas and just plain fun objects.
Featuring rare antique bottles, glass, insulators, ephemera and advertising. Online auction starts Friday, 25 July 2024. Live auction starts at 7:00 pm on Saturday, 03 August 2024. Event at Hotel ZaZa, Grapevine room. Cash bar and hors d’oeuvres in the adjacent Room with a View cocktail party at 6:00 pm.
LOW SLIDING CONSIGNMENT FEE! All auction proceeds go to the FOHBC. There is a 15% buyers premium. Contact: Martin Van Zant, Crowded House Auctions, mdvanzant@yahoo.com or Ferdinand Meyer V, FOHBC, fmeyer@fmgdesign.com
INFO FOHBC.org
John and Mary compiled the largest known co By Dann Louis
Dr. John W. Wolf [G] [H] was born on June 12, 1944, and grew up in Piqua, Ohio. He earned his medical degree from Ohio State Uni-
versity and was a Major in the United States Army where he served as a medical officer. For many years, John worked as a pediatric allergist in Dayton, Ohio, From the early age of five, John enjoyed the hunt for antiques. This passion never waned, as those who had visited John and his wife Mary [A] in their Ohio home can attest. The large home housed museum-quality antiques and Native American artifacts from room to room and floor to ceiling. John was a young adult when his interest in collecting bottles evolved. Eventually, John and Mary compiled the largest known collection of medicine bottles that claim to “Cure.” John met one of his closest bottle-collecting friends through correspondence over the cures, Alan Blakeman [B], renowned in England for his influence and organization of the annual National Bottle Show and British Bottle Review magazine. Alan remained a true friend to John, visiting one last time just one week before John’s passing.
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John was a regular attendee of many bottle shows, his favorites being the annual Mansfield, Ohio show and the English National every summer. He set up at every FOHBC national show and countless local shows in the Midwest—often with his “partner in cures,” Dann Louis. [C] John met Dann while living and practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan; their mutual interest in cures cemented their lifelong friendship. Dann recalls the first visit to see the John Wolf collection in John’s Ann Arbor home. A modest bedroom housed the collection of nearly 600 bottles. [E] Mary welcomed Dann and his wife, Sue, with her talkative and engaging personality; she and John provided them with lessons in cure collecting and shared their interest in antiques in general. In countless future visits to Ann Arbor and Dayton, Dann and John would spend hours deliberating which of the cure bottles was the best or which bottles John could relinquish to Dann and which would be sold at future bottle shows.
[E]
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John collaborated with countless other cure collectors over the years, including Dan Cowman [D], Ed Nikles, Will Meysing, Carl Sturm, Bill Agee, and many others. [F] [K] The John Wolf collection grew to over 2,200 different cure bottles. In addition to the glass itself, John collected and maintained information about known cures in written correspondence in published auction and sales catalogs and a library-style card catalog. John was forever searching for information to include in a future book of drugs and advertised in every bottle magazine he could. [I] 12
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
ollection of medicine bottles that claim to “Cure.” John passed away after a brief illness on September 26, 2023. He is survived by a brother, a niece, a nephew, and his many close friends. He was laid to rest in Piqua, Ohio next to his beloved Mary. John left his mark in the antique bottle community as the “go-to” guy for anything related to Cures. John has bequeathed all his information, records, and bottles to his dear friend Dann Louis, who, along with his wife Sue, are currently endeavoring to compile John’s information into the long-anticipated “Guidebook for Cure Collecting,” a testament to their dear friend John Wolf. John will be missed. [I]
[M]
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[A] Mary & John Wolf [B] Alan Blakeman & John Wolf [C] John Wolf & Dann Louis [D] Dan Cowman & John Wolf [E] Early Wolf bottle room [F] Dan Louis, Carl Sturm, John Wolf & Ed Nikles [G] John Wolf in research room [H] John Wolf hiking [I] Calling card “Cures Wanted” [J] Dayton bottle room with John holding the renowned Johnson’s Fast Kidney & Blood Cure [K] John Wolf, Will Meysing, Dann Louis, Ed Nikles
[J]
[L] Johnsons Fast Kidney & Blood Cure – Dan & Sue Louis collection [M] The River Swamp (embossed alligator) Chill and Fever Cure Augusta, Ga.– FOHBC Virtual Museum [N] Dr. Craig’s Kidney Cure (Embossed Kidney) – FOHBC Virtual Museum
[K] March – April 2024
Editor Note: Make sure you visit FOHBC.org to see the John Wolf Cures Webinar #9 that occurred on 09 January 2024. 13
ACL CORNER #9 [Mike Dickman]
MAMMALS
T
he folks who made and sold soda pop during the ACL era (mid-1930s through 1970s) seemingly had no limits with their imaginations. They used anything they could think of that might catch the consumer’s eye and induce them to spend a nickel on their product. And the range of images they used on ACL soda bottles is astounding, from portraits of the company owners to historic buildings, flowers, spaceships, and birds. Let’s look at a few of the many bottles depicting animals, and specifically mammals. We human beings, of course, are mammals. The defining characteristics of a mammal are vertebrae; fur or hair (yes, even whales and dolphins); milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young; three bones in the middle ear; and a neocortex region in their brains for higher-order functions such as sensory perception and language. Most mammals are intelligent, and many have self-awareness and the ability to use some form of tool, even if only a stick or rock. Elephants are the largest land mammals extant and among the smartest. “Nemo Beverages” was put up in 1956 by the Nemo Bottling Company of Grove City, Pennsylvania, and depicts an elephant standing on a circus prop. [Fig. 1] But not just any old elephant: the bottle shows Jumbo, a true superstar of the nineteenth century from whom modern terms such as “jumbo jet,” “jumbo shrimp,” etc., derive. Jumbo, of huge size but gentle disposition, was born and captured in Sudan in 1860 and sold to the London Zoo, where he gave rides to children, including those of Queen Victoria. But a scandal erupted in 1882 when the zoo unexpectedly sold Jumbo to Phineas T. Barnum for the substantial sum of $10,000 (equivalent to $300,000 in today’s dollars). Hundreds of thousands of British schoolchildren wrote to the Queen pleading to keep their beloved elephant in England but to no avail. Jumbo went to America and immediately became one of the main attractions of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Americans flocked to see Jumbo wherever he went, and the elephant earned a fortune for P. T. Barnum. Tragically, Jumbo was accidentally killed by a train in 1885 and was mourned across the world. 14
[Fig. 1] Nemo Beverages, 7 ounces, from Grove City, Pennsylvania, 1956, depicting Jumbo the Elephant.
[Fig. 2] Jumbo the Elepha jumbo-sized soda bottle. Af in 1885, his name became meaning “larger than usua
ant on a fter his death an adjective al of its kind.”
[Above] Circus poster featuring Jumbo, circa 1882, in which P.T. Barnum bragged about his “removal” from England of the biggest elephant in the world notwithstanding seeming insurmountable objections made by “the whole British nation.”
[Fig. 3] Buck, 10 ounces, from Monahans, Texas, 1972, a small town located in the Texas oil patch.
{Author Addition} Lucy the Elephant, a 6-story structure in Margate Beach, New Jersey, was built in 1881. It was modeled after Jumbo the Elephant but named “Lucy” to avoid a lawsuit by P. T. Barnum. The structure still stands and is a designated National Historic Landmark.
{Editor Addition} This figural amber brown elephant-shaped bottle was used between 1933 and 1936 and contained Old Sol Bleach from Baltimore, Maryland. The bottle was made for Old Sol by Brockway Glass Co. out of Pennsylvania. Two variants shown.
One of the many detailed, colorful crown caps used to seal the bottles of Buck Brand soda pop. Caps often are rarer than the bottles since most consumers threw them away but returned the bottles, for which they’d paid a cash deposit.
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Cinnamon American Black Bear poses on a large boulder.
The Monarch of the Glen by Sir Edwin Landseer, 1851, depicting a majestic red deer stag in the Scottish Highlands, from where the American herds were imported.
Ever the showman, P. T. Barnum continued to tour with Jumbo’s stuffed and mounted hide (reportedly stretched to make him even larger) and donated the skeleton to a museum. The Nemo Bottling Co. also made a quart-size bottle of their pop with the same ACL, but called— what else—“Jumbo Beverages.” [Fig. 2] Deer are mammals that exist across the world. In North America, we have five native species of deer: whitetail deer, mule deer, caribou, elk and moose, which are the largest at more than seven feet tall. Red deer are a non-native species that were brought over from Scotland and now thrive in several herds in the U.S. and Canada. The hunting of deer is popular across the country and provides people with high-quality meat (venison) while generating a huge amount of economic activity from the sale of government licenses and hunting-related travel and equipment. “Buck” was a brand of soda pop manufactured by various Coca-Cola Bottling Companies throughout Texas and used a variety of colorful ACLs showing the head of a buck (a male deer). Figure 3 shows a Buck bottle from Monahans, Texas, in a 10-ounce size from 1972, with a large, striking label showing a 10-point buck. “Red Deer Beverages” is a 6 ½ ounce ACL soda bottle from Alberta, Canada, that was put up in 1952. [Fig. 4]. Buck bottles are relatively common and inexpensive (typically in the $10-25 range), and the many different varieties from different Texas cities, showing different deer heads in different colors, can make a nice mini-collection. The Red Deer bottle is much harder to find but not expensive, either. Bears are another mammal found throughout the world, with three species in the United States: black bears (the most common and widely distributed species, which, despite the name, also can be brown, blonde, blue-gray or white), brown bears (which include grizzlies) and polar bears, which are the largest of the three species. “Medford” is a seven-ounce ACL soda bottle put up in 1958 by the Medford Bottling Works of Medford, Wisconsin, a city in the central part of the state with a population of just 3,260 souls in 1960. 16
[Fig 4] Red Deer Beverages, 6-½ ounces, from Alberta, Canada, 1952.
A crown cap showing a polar bear for Polar Cherry Soda.
The unusual brown-andblack ACL depicts a brown bear lumbering forward, and the bottle is scarce but inexpensive; I bought a mint example in 2023 for $50. [Fig. 5] Polar bears weigh up [Fig 5] Medford, 7 ounces, from to 1,800 pounds and Medford, Wisconsin, 1958. Wisconsin are found in Alaska and has a thriving population of black bears, Canada. They are mostly estimated today at 25,000. carnivorous and are clever hunters, often stalking seals or walruses for miles across the ice or waiting in ambush for hours at water’s edge. Because of their association with coldness, snow and ice, polar bears are depicted on numerous ACL sodas, including “Eskimo Beverages” from Montreal, Canada, an eight-ounce bottle that was put up in 1953. [Fig. 6] Again, the bottle is scarce but not especially pricey and typically sells for $50-$75 when found. The bottle was also made with green glass and came in a rare 30-ounce size. Seals, the preferred prey of polar bears, are marine mammals. They are thought to have been land dwellers who returned to the ocean tens of millions of years ago, evolving their bodies into a streamlined form and their four limbs into powerful flippers for fast, efficient swimming. Seals can dive a thousand feet deep and remain submerged underwater for over an hour, exhaling the oxygen in their lungs before diving to prevent the bends and then Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Female polar bear with her cubs.
Like human beings, horses are a species of mammals that come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
Cute seal in the Arctic snowy habitat.
[Fig 7] Keep Kool, 7 ounces, from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, 1953
surviving only on the dissolved oxygen in their bloodstream. “Keep Kool” was made in St. John’s in Newfoundland, Canada, the most easterly city in North America and one of the oldest, in an area explored by John Cabot in 1497. The company used several ACLs showing different seals, and the bottle I’ve shown here is from 1953, contained seven ounces, and depicts an adorable seal cub placidly floating on an ice floe. [Fig. 7]
[Fig 8] Stir Up, 10 ounces, from Phoenix, Arizona, 1954
Horses are mammals that need no introduction, having been domesticated by human beings and used for thousands of years for transportation, work, warfare and recreational activities. I’ve previously shown several painted labels depicting horses (ACL Corner #6, Cowboys and Cowgirls), and “Stir Up” is another one. It’s a very rare bottle put up by the Delaware Punch Bottling Company of Phoenix, Arizona, in 1954, with a red-and-white ACL applied to green glass dramatically showing a bucking horse in the process of throwing off a wouldbe rider. [Fig. 8] The brand apparently did not last long in commerce, notwithstanding its striking and [Fig 6] Eskimo Beverages, 8 ounces, from Montreal, Quebec Province, Canada, artistic label, and probably there are no more than a couple of dozen of 1953. the bottles extant today. Equestrian collectors can find dozens of ACL soda bottles depicting horses of every shape and size engaging in a wide variety of activities. I want to conclude with a thought about foreign ACL soda bottles. Some U.S. collectors scrupulously avoid them and collect only bottles made and sold in the United States. Other collectors, myself included, love the colorful, interesting ACL bottles from Canada, Mexico and several countries in Latin America. (Few companies outside of the New World used ACLs for soda pop.) March – April 2024
They are mostly scarce bottles and generally not as expensive as their American cousins and make a wonderful display on the shelf. Truthfully, could anyone not love a “Red Deer” or “Eskimo” or “Keep Kool” bottle? Someday, I’ll write more about this unexplored little backwater of the ACL soda bottle world. The author welcomes comments, questions and suggestions at mikedickman@yahoo.com. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Sweeney, Rick, Collecting Applied Color Label Soda Bottles, (3d ed. 2002, PSBCA). Tim A.C.L.-Miller, a Facebook page showing hundreds of rare ACL sodas from Tim’s collection. VintageSodaCollector.com by FOHBC member Tom Petitt, a great resource containing hundreds of color photographs as well as interesting, useful articles about all things ACL. Weide’s Soda Page (ca-yd.com), by Chris and Catherine Weide, another great resource. Wikipedia entries for bears, deer, elephants, horses, Jumbo the Elephant, mammals, polar bears, seals.
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March – April 2024
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
PICTURE THIS... REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST
MIRRORS
March – April 2024
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MIRRORS Picture this: “Reflections of the Past: A Guide to Identifying and Collecting Antique Mirrors.” Found on the Internet by Ralph Finch. Embellished by the FOHBC
One of the most multi-functional decorative objects to collect
and own, mirrors serve multiple purposes beyond just the utilitarian function of evaluating one’s personal appearance. Whether you need to create more space in a room, add light to a dark environment, or simply seek to elevate an atmosphere with an air of sophistication, a well-placed antique mirror could make the perfect addition to nearly any interior. While mirrors are considered commonplace objects in our lives, they have a surprisingly rich history, including fascinating evolutions in the manufacturing process over time, making antique mirrors sought-after artifacts on the auction market to this day.
The Surprisingly Rich History of Mirrors Before the invention of mirrors, historians believed that people used reflections in pools of water to evaluate appearance. As far back as 6,000 BC in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), humans were thought to have created some of the first mirror-like objects by polishing stones to create a flat, reflective surface, most likely out of volcanic obsidian. Other ancient civilizations used polished metals to produce the same effect. Some metal-backed glass mirrors, much like the ones we use now, were first produced around the first to third century AD in ancient Rome. Over time, the proliferation of mirrors coincided with technical developments. With the invention of glass blowing, mirrors also became increasingly popular, though initially reserved for the wealthy. One of the most distinctive early styles was the Venetian Renaissance mirror, created by coating one side of glass with tin and mercury. It wasn’t until the invention of silver-backed glass mirrors and subsequent mass production capabilities that the objects started to become a staple in middle-class households. How to Identify an Antique Mirror
A GUIDE TO IDENTIFYING AND COLLECTING ANTIQUE MIRRORS
A Régence Style Carved Giltwood Mirror, 19th Century, sold for $1,700 via Bonhams (January 26, 2021). Height 78 in., width 38 in. 22
Antique mirrors are commonly made of glass coated with silver, gold, or chrome. Outside of using tin and mercury in Venetian antique mirrors, which causes mirrors to develop a crystalline appearance as they age, there are other telltale signs of a mirror’s age. Modern glass manufacturing has largely eliminated bubbles and other impurities from being captured in panes, so seeing bubbles often indicates the mirror you are looking at is an antique. Other imperfections like inconsistent glass thickness or waviness could also suggest that the mirror is old, though it isn’t always a guarantee the piece is an antique. If there are no imperfections, however, it’s more likely that the mirror is a modern recreation, even if it otherwise looks like an antique mirror. Oxidization Because antique mirrors are generally backed by a very thin sheet of reflective metal, like silver or gold, you can expect to notice some level of oxidization over time. Due to the accumulation of moisture seeping between the glass and the sheet of metal, oxidation will most likely be visible toward the bottom of the mirror. Any micro scratches or abrasions will also result in some amount of oxidization. Oxidization typically resembles dark blotches on the mirror and is very rarely uniform. In some modern reproductions of antique mirrors, oxidization is applied to add an authentic appearance. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Caring for Antique Mirrors If you choose to purchase an antique mirror, it is important to embrace imperfection. Though some grease smudges, fingerprints, and dust can and should be cleaned off, antique mirrors are often very prone to damage during cleaning. When dusting your mirror, do your best to be gentle, do not abrasively rub the frame, as this may cause chipping. Additionally, clean the glass of the mirror, but take care with the back, as this may wear off or scratch important metal coatings. If a light cleaning of the glass and a little bit of dusting won’t do, there are certainly ways to restore an antique mirror while maintaining its integrity and charm. Sometimes, the frame, especially if it is wood, requires a bit of refinishing. If the mirror is extremely blotchy, it’s possible to strip the silvering on the back of the glass and re-silver it. However, this can be a very delicate procedure and is probably best left to a professional. Different Types of Antique Mirrors Handheld There are many different kinds of antique mirrors on the market. Among the most common are antique handheld mirrors. The first metal-backed mirrors created in Lebanon and Rome were handheld and often only a few inches in diameter. As humans learned to make larger panes of glass, the size of handheld mirrors increased as well. Standing mirrors, where you can see your whole body, did not become common until the 1700s due to glass manufacturing restraints. These full-length mirrors were initially freestanding.
[see opening page for full mirror image and top and bottom mirror details this page] A George II carved giltwood wall mirror, probably Irish, mid-18th century, Est: £10,000–£15,000 via Sotheby’s London (November 13, 2020). From the Collection of Sir Michael Smurfit. The scrolled swan-neck pediment centered by scrolled cartouche with cabochon, with masks and reed decoration to each side and the scrolled apron with a winged female mask, with a beveled plate, re-gilt. 5 ft. 9 ¼ in., 3 ft. 6 ½ in. In good restored condition, the later gilt surface with rubbing revealing gesso. Movement to joins at each corner. The same is true at the bottom. Minor chips, losses and repaired breaks to some carved detail, notably to floral swag to apron as visible in catalogue image. Plate possibly re-silvered with oxidization and small losses. Nice quality. – invaluable [see upper left] Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Mirror Handheld Vanity Mirror. Monogrammed on the backside of the face. Hallmarked along the rim Tiffany & Co. 18556L Markers 14548. Approx. Net Weight: 332 grams. 10 x 5.5 in. This piece is in great condition, with wear commensurate with age.
Cheval Mirrors
Gustav Stickley cheval mirror, #918 Eastwood, NY oak signed with red decal 31”w x 18”d x 67.5”h. Original finish. Mirror plate intact without cracks or losses. Some minor edge chipping. Structurally sound. – Toomey & Co. Auctioneers, June 06, 2015, Oak Park, Illinois, Lot 157: Sold for $15,860,
Some of the most popular standing full-length mirrors are Parisian cheval mirrors. Cheval mirrors are distinguished by their four feet, hence the name “cheval,” which means “horse” in French. They’re typically held up by two posts on either side of the mirror and often feature a swivel. True to the Rococo style, these framed mirrors are generally round and decorated using natural patterns. Ranging from intricate and ornate to minimalist and organic, their frames can be made from both wood and metal. Antique cheval mirrors usually start at a few thousand dollars. Other styles of frame decoration include Baroque, Georgian, Gothic, Neoclassical, and Regency-style mirrors. Baroque-style mirrors can be identified by their gold or silver gilding. The carvings are usually ornate, often featuring feathers, flowers, angels, and fruits. Georgian mirrors, alternatively, feature little to no ornamental decoration aside from perhaps the top of the frame. Even so, Georgian decorations are primarily geometric and aim to produce symmetry. Vintage engraving from 1862 of a Venetian Cheval Glass Mirror. Prize Medal.
Gothic mirrors are typically even more intricate than Baroque-style antique mirrors, though they generally do not feature any gilding. Instead, they use dark wood, often coming to a point at the top of the mirror. Neoclassical mirrors are mostly rectangular and are often gilded, but instead of intricate carvings and iconography, they often reflect column-style architecture. Regency mirrors also feature some gilding and often use natural mahogany but use significantly thinner frames than other styles. They also often feature columns as well as flowers and natural iconography. Antique mirrors come in all shapes and sizes and can be a great piece to add to any home. There are countless styles to compliment any interior, and the right mirror can also serve as a statement piece. Not only do they add a sense of style to a room, but antique mirrors also carry the rich history of glassmaking and architectural style throughout the ages. Despite—or perhaps even because of—their imperfections, antique mirrors are beautiful and unique and can be incredibly rewarding to collect and own.
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
George I Gilt-Gesso Pier Mirror. In the manner of John Belchier circa 1725. Scrolled pediment centered by a cherubim’s head and foliate carved cresting above beveled divided mirror plates, with outset rounded corners, the scrolled apron centered by a foliate carved spray and fitted for candle arms, now lacking; appearing to retain their original backboards, one with penciled 19th/20th century inscription “2” right side of window above an 18th century chalked inscription “Tapestry Room” over “P... arlour?” Between windows/left. Height 55 inches, width 34 ¼ inches.
The present mirrors are of a form described as a “sconce” in the 18th century, which differed from that of a candle branch because of its decorative backpiece, often made of lacquered brass, silvered brass, and carved and gilded wood; see Adam Bowett, Early Georgian Furniture 1715-1740, Woodbridge, 2009, pp. 277-283. Mirrored glass sconces began to be produced in the early 18th century and are found at Boughton House and Drayton Hall, Bowett, ibid., pp. 278-9. Their popularity was probably due to the 1720s fashion for using them instead of candle stands between windows. For a related sconce with mirrored borders and supplied for Erddig, Wrexham, Wales, by John Belchier in 1724 see Bowett, ibid., p. 281, pl. 6:29. John Belchier (d. 1753) is listed in 1717 as a cabinet maker at “The Sun” on the south side of St. Paul’s Churchyard. His most major commission was for John Mellor at Erddig, Wales, a commission that included a State bed, pier tables, pier mirrors and a japanned desk and bookcase. Because of his ability to use glass, his labeled desks and bookcases have mirrored doors to the cabinet sections. Belchier’s work at Erddig is discussed by Martin Drury, Early Eighteenth-Century Furniture at Erddig, Apollo, July 1978, pp. 46-48, where many of the pier mirrors are illustrated. The crestings are similar to a pair of mirrors attributed to Belchier with a similar cherub’s head and ruffled scrolls, possibly supplied to the Godolphin family of Helston, Cornwall, illustrated G. Beard and J. Goodison, English Furniture 1500-1840, Oxford, 1987, p. 67, fig. 4. A very similar cherub’s mask appears to the cresting of a group of George I mirrors formerly in the collections of Percival D. Griffiths and J. S. Sykes and illustrated, R. W. Symonds, Masterpieces of English Furniture and Clocks, London, 1940, pp. 59-60, figs. 38-39. One of the pairs of mirrors with a similar cherub’s head from the Percival Griffits and J. S. Sykes collections was sold, Christie’s, London, November 16, 1995, lot 302 (34,500). Property of the Estate of Kathleen Harriman Mortimer. [Below Left] Rare Venetian Glass Mirror. Fourth quarter 19th century, of baroque inspiration, the beveled mirror plate framed with segmented mirror plate engraved with scroll work and spiral-turned glass edging, the arched crest decorated with an engraved griffin, trimmed with sculpted glass rippled trim and sculpted glass flowers and leaves, with engraved, scrolled “ears” on each side, and a lower engraved and scrolled skirt with like decoration. h. 57”, w. 42-½”, Provenance: Estate of Victor and Marie Cascio, Monroe, Louisiana. – New Orleans Auction Galleries, July 27, 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana, Lot 107. Sold: $6,000.
A Continental Baroque-Style Gilt and Red Painted Mirror, 19th century, height 38 ½ in., width 46 in. – Lot 162: Est: $1,000 - $1,500, Sold: $1,000, Bonhams, January 26, 2021, Los Angeles, California
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
March – April 2024
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Transporting Antique Bottles
The Jerry Box
I fear there may be a little redundancy here, but it is an important
Jerry was kind enough to send me pictures of his box, and I added a pic of my new box. I can’t wait to use it! As a designer, I’ll probably dress it up and add stickers from each city I visit.
topic I would like to expand on. In the last issue of Member News, you may recall that I answered Mr. Schoenborn’s “Houston 24 Bottle Transport Question” as he is planning on attending the Houston 24 Expo and was wondering if I had any suggestions on how to transport bottles that he may buy at the show from Houston to the San José airport. I advised that nothing valuable should be transported below the cabin or in luggage. I typically carry my bottles on board and allow TSA to check, if needed, under my observation. When I attend a show, I always ensure I have room to bring something back as often it is an oversized small antique. If I can’t fit it on board the plane, I leave time to visit a pack-and-ship retail business. Always double-box and supervise the packing, apply fragile stickers, and have the box correctly marked regarding address and contact info. I mentioned that the best way to transport bottles came from my friend Jerry Forbes, who is also coming with his wife Helen from Big Sur, California. They typically fly out of San José International Airport, too. I’m unsure, but we first met at the Pomona 2009 National Antique Bottle Convention. I’d seen Jerry around before, and he always had this cool hat on and was carrying this interesting beat-up, small, taped-up box with a handle. He would leave home with the box full of bottles for sale and typically return with new ones, all tucked away, compartmentalized, and protected in his “Jerry Box.” I should mention that the box was carefully sized to meet FAA requirements and fit in an overhead bin. Over the years, the heavily taped cardboard box has some nice “wear and tear” as it has been kicked, poked, scratched, wrinkled and stained. But it still works, maybe even better like my many worked-in Luchesse boots. Tip: Always resole your boots before buying a new pair. My bottle-carrying method is similar but not nearly as effective as I use a leather strap bag and pack my bottles in ski socks. The bag stays with me throughout the trip. Jerry surprised me, and one day I got a notice that a package was at my gate. I went and retrieved it, and like something supernatural, my phone rang, and it was Jerry asking if I liked my new “Box?” It was a box, but I had not yet opened it. A light bulb went off, and I knew he had sent me a Jerry Box made by none other than the crafty Ken Edward, maker of great backlit wood bottle display cases. 28
By Ferdinand Meyer V
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Hello Kitty carry-on bag
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Double-Take: I have another anonymous bottle friend who has visited my house several times to see the collection and have a quick visit as he is always on a business trip. Once, he pulled up to the house in this nondescript rental car and came to the house, pulling a pink and white “Hello Kitty” children’s suitcase. I started laughing until he told me what was in it. You see, he is in the high-dollar gem and mineral business at an international level. See the article on page 56 of this issue and put two and two together for you sleuths if you are wondering who this is. What was even funnier was when we went to dinner later, he pulled his “Hello Kitty” into the restaurant and put it on a chair beside him. I bet it is amusing to see this suitcase on a flight, too. It beats having the case handcuffed to your wrist or traveling holding a teddy bear...or pillow. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
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you could buy this “20th Century Louis Vuitton Suitcase Classic 5 OrMonogram Canvas 60s” carry on for your bottles for $4,461.15 new Jerry Box. Eight compartments instead of ten. I can’t wait 6 Myto liquor and sticker it up! I should have it in Baltimore with me in March if you want to check it out. Ken Edward: The boxes sell for $175 plus shipping. They can be customized for different size bottles. okkenner@aol.com
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original Jerry Box has seen better days but I bet those 1-3 The were great days as the box brings back memories! This corrugated fiberboard carton is soundly put together, reinforced and bound with black packing tape. The handle is attached to a metal plate and the box has two mechanically attached straps and clasps. Easy to open—easy to close, and tight as a bug in a rug. The inner compartments are fully reinforced and cushioned. Easy to repair too...do it yourself!
March – April 2024
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Well, here I go again! I’m writing a dig story before I even get
a shovel in the ground! The last time I did this, I dug up a green Ravenna flask! It seemed to bring me luck then, why not now? [Left] (Star) - “Ravenna Glass Works” flask, fresh out of the ground.
[1] This adventure started ten days ago, the day before the Super Bowl game. I was walking the dog and noticed my neighbor friend Will had his outside garage light turned on, which was code that he was watching a game in his garage. I stopped to see if he had plans to watch the big game, but he had other plans. Will is the neighbor who so graciously allowed me to dig two moderate-size privies in his meticulously well-kept lawn where I dug a quart-size Pikes Peak flask a couple of years ago. I stuck around just long enough to chit-chat, and just as I was about to leave (sound familiar?), he mentioned a friend of his who lives two blocks away who saw my recent episode on PBS about the hobby of bottle digging. His friend was so interested he wondered if I would be interested in hunting and digging in his yard. I asked where his friend lived and when he described the place, I knew right where it was! I have been driving past it for several years, intending to ask permission to dig, but I always got sidetracked. This large two-story brick house near the street’s corner looked every bit Civil War age. The only other yard I have dug that old in town was Will’s! Before I made contact, I thought I would go to the local library and research to see if I could find the age and original owner. I failed on the owner’s part but came up with a solid age hit of 1858! The pontil age always gets my old bones moving!
[Above] Aquamarine “Bailey & Eaton Paraffine Gun Oil” bottle.
IN THE WITNESS
The large two-story brick house near the street’s corner looked every bit Civil War age.
Shortly after my research, I was again walking my dog and “coincidentally” happened to be passing by the house of interest when I made contact with the 30
By JACK KLOTZ
Jack Klotz being interviewed by PBS in his kitchen before the dig. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
‘
When I mentioned this to the property owner, he waived the notion of being on camera, saying, “Noooo! No way!
Not me! Not on camera, please!” Having made it
through my high school years with no known photos of me, I fully understand his position. I jokingly replied with a knowing laugh, “Yeah,
I hear ya. I’ve been in the Witness Protection Program a time or two myself!”
S PROTECTION PROGRAM J. KLOTZ, 10.03.22.
MISSOURI. INTERVIEW. 1A2a03
March – April 2024
J. KLOTZ, 30.15.23. MISSOURI. EXPLAIN. 1A2a04
J. KLOTZ, 30.15.23. MISSOURI. PRIVY. 1A2a05
J. KLOTZ, 30.15.23. MISSOURI. DIGGING. 1A2a06
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The Sanborn map used to study the property and determine where to dig. The dwelling, shed and long-gone barn are indicated.
owner outside visiting with friends. After a short conversation, he was indeed interested in my hunting the property and possibly conducting a dig. This was like getting two birds with one stone, as I was introducing a potential enthusiast to the joys of bottle digging and getting a bucket puller for free! As of yet, I have an unfilled position for a privy dig when the PBS crew would make a return visit to film an actual dig. On their original visit on January 10, they only filmed some of my collection and me yammering on ad nauseam about the aspects of privy digging. It’s not too much of a spectator sport, but hopefully, a good dig, if not at least a mediocre dig with great potential, should move viewers closer to the video screen. Being it is only February 22, I have another month to go before the digging season can really get into full swing. Plus, I have to work out some possible snags concerning PBS.
vermin! Jack’s here with his magic pathfinder probe! Thursday, March 3, I arrived to hunt while the homeowner was at work for the day. I had previously informed him if I encountered anything of interest or any anomalies, I would flag it out. I began by placing two flags near the edge of a long-gone brick barn that appeared on the Sanborn maps to keep me away from probing inside the barn, as 99% of privies in these parts are found next to or in close proximity to the barns and rarely inside them. I then began a rather tight grid pattern along the back property line shared with another house of a similar date of 1858. While closest to the chain link fence separating the two yards, I began angle probing in case the property line had been “adjusted” or moved over the years as they often did. Within ten minutes, I clunked into what felt like a wall, but on the other side! As the house had been sitting vacant for a good while, I felt duty-bound to take the short hike around the fence and try some probing for the walls, and sure enough, I triangulated it in no time! It also went to the depth of my five-foot probe with some ashy-looking residue on the tip, all good signs I was likely in a privy hole. Well, now, we’ll have to keep that on the front burner of my mind! Back to the chore at hand, which was finding the privy in the yard that I had permission to hunt! My grid pattern took me to the edge of the intersecting
When I mentioned this to the property owner, he waived the notion of being on camera, saying, “Noooo! No way! Not me! Not on camera, please!” Having made it through my high school years with no known photo of me, I fully understand his position. I jokingly replied with a knowing laugh, “Yeah, I hear ya. I’ve been on the witness protection program a time or two myself!” Next, I needed to determine the extent of his preference. If it is just him, it is easy to keep him out of frame, but if it is his property, I need to keep looking for another digging spot for the film crew. Regardless, I will not make the mistake of letting moss grow on this permission. First sign of good spring weather, I will assure you where I can be found! The time has come, and the homeowner is good with the PBS crew doing their thing. Now, the only thing left is to find us a privy with good age and hopefully good glass. A fellow digger on the internet has a saying that I really like— “I’m only responsible for finding the hole, not what’s in it!” I wasn’t sure what lay ahead of me, but in the back of my mind, I felt as though I might soon be conducting a little air traffic control. Trying to coordinate the timing of the dig to include the homeowner and the unknown schedule of the PBS crew was going to be iffy at best. And then there was the weather to factor in. This time of the year can be tricky, as last March 9 we had an unusual 70-degree day. This year, we were expecting the same weather a week later than last year for several days! Time to break out the probes and get to scarin’ some worms! Move over, you squirmin’ 32
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
property line to the yard next to his. I stopped there as I wasn’t sure if the vacant lot adjacent to his property was his. Continuing my search, I must have scared at least a few hundred worms before I stopped to rest after about 300 holes were met with a firm answer, “NOPE! NOT HERE.” I’ve gotten pretty good at taking rejection over the years, and this yard was nothing new. I have learned not to take the bottle goddess’s rejections personally. After 2 ½ hours of tough probing, the worms sent me packing, at least for the day. The older I get, I swear, the harder it is to probe than actually dig the hole! For some odd reason, I waited three days to return to probe the yard. Oh, right! I had to ice my elbows and wrists, not to mention my aching back from all the probing! Plus, Randy, the homeowner, would be available to help out. I arrived late in the morning An interesting variety of unembossed bottles came from the dig. Even in clear and aquamarine glass, the grouping recalls the excitement of finding each one. A quick cleaning makes for a fun group picture.
March – April 2024
and Randy met me in the back as I arrived. He was in an excited state as he had seen my flags and presumed that was the privy area! He was astounded it would be that big and I had to apologize for failing to pick up my flags and explained the situation to him. Also, it was a bit embarrassing to inform him I had probed the most likely areas nearest the old barn and only came up with the one privy in the neighbor’s yard! I was able to save face, however, after Randy informed me the original property included the neighboring vacant lot, which he still owned, by managing to find the privy in two stabs of my probe! Even I was impressed, if not simply for my timing. We began opening it up after confirming three brick walls. There was loose fill for the first couple of feet, and then we began to hit an ashy burnt layer of screwtops! They looked from the early 1930s and were disgusting to my eye, but then we were still quite shallow. I have learned to dig with a blind eye to as much as the first three feet before getting concerned, but we were getting close to that point. As we continued digging, we hit the bottom about five feet deep. This was a blessing in disguise as all we were finding at the deepest part were machined corkers from about 1910. This pit was clearly the newest, as there were no shards or evidence of anything older, and it went right up to the early 1930s. We pulled out a good number of Pluto Water bottles, cobalt Milk Of Magnesia screw top bottles and an assorted group
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of others I had no interest in even seeing, nevertheless remembering! Fortunately, Randy and his wife were ecstatic over their newly acquired collection! In the meantime, a number of Randy’s buddies filtered in and stood around the hole, drinking beer as they, one by one, got “the word” and made their way over to check out the crazy guy who digs crappers for old bottles! They were all older “good old boys” but younger than myself. One fellow asked a few questions, and when I answered, he asked, “Are you shi*tin’ me?” Without missing a ripe opportunity, I replied with a straight face, “I would never sh*t you while standing in a crapper.” This comment resulted in a roar of hoots and “He got you there!” Five minutes had barely passed when the same curious fellow hit me with more questions and followed my answer with, “You gotta be sh*ttin’ me!” I again replayed my previous response, but this time with a big grin. “Now you’re just bustin’ my balls,” he laughed good-naturedly, to which I explained I couldn’t help myself. “I got a million of them,” I said in my best Jimmy Durante impersonation. Considering the nature of their general banter, I surmised they were the core of what I would call “Country Mafia,” for lack of a better descriptor. I quickly decided it was best to “keep it zipped” as I didn’t wish to offend by accident or any other method! Fortunately, they were impressed by how many bottles came up and how deep the hole was! To me, five feet is a sadly shallow privy in these parts unless one is digging a quick grave! The only redeeming factor in digging this pit was, for some reason, they had decided to dig the brick liner on top of an earlier wood liner. The wood liner was only a couple of feet deeper, but it at least had a handful of bottles from the mid-1890s to presumably 1910. The first bottle looked just like a large-size clear “St. Jakobs Oel” but instead turned out to be embossed “National Pain Cure!” This was a cure unfamiliar to me! Cool! Next to it was a rare local pharmacy but with a different embossing style from one already in my collection! Well, it just shows the truth in the saying, “Success favors the persistent.” After the dig of the brick liner, I had to reconnoiter the situation. Considering the age of the house, there surely had to be an older hole somewhere—and I was right! Probing about five feet away, I smacked into what seemed to be a rubble field coupled with an impenetrable wall! It appeared to be stone on the probe tip, and I decided to wait until the next day to get serious about it. After all, we had already dug two privies that day. Well, one and a half, since the wood liner that intersected the brick liner had been cleaned out to the same depth as the newer one, leaving the meager few bottles remaining on the very bottom. As Monday’s dig began, I made the dubious choice to dig opposite where I had probed the night before. There was an old pine tree stump right in the way that factored in my decision. Figuring I could avoid most if not all of it by starting away from it, I was met with the grueling task of removing massive limestone chunks the size used for foundations that were blocking my efforts. Coupled with some tormenting roots that were anything but dead, I was feeling whooped after an hour or two. Still not certain to any degree I was even in a privy, I returned to the stump, moved back a couple of feet, and managed to find a seam that my probe followed down to the handle. When it came up with lime on the 34
tip, I was pretty well convinced it was a good hole. After filling my disastrous starter hole, I returned to the more promising yet problematic stump side. I would just have to deal with the stump as best I could. I focused primarily on finding a wall and following it to a corner. Once I get a corner uncovered, I felt like I was getting somewhere. My probe said there was a wall down there, but finding it by digging was as elusive as a snake in the grass! After digging down about three feet, the first wall became more apparent. According to the probe, the corner wasn’t where it was supposed to be, so I moved in the opposite direction for a while and still couldn’t find a corner! Returning back to the starting point, I finally discovered the corner of the second wall. Now, with a clearly defined starting point, I began the chore of opening it up and widening it out. After a couple of hours, I was becoming concerned. I was approaching three feet deep with not a shard of bottle glass and barely any scraps of dishware or window pane glass. Not a good sign in my book, but then there was much to dig still. Keeping next to the wall, I finally began uncovering bottle shards dating from the 1870s! Now we’re getting somewhere! Randy soon showed up after work and asked if there was anything he could do to help. He was concerned about safety as he works for a local gas company where he frequently gets called out to excavate lines for repair or placement. He’s a true “professional,” as he gets paid to do this
This grouping represents some of the better aquamarine embossed bottles. Left to right: “Eureka The Infallible Hair Restorative,” “Heinz & Noble Pittsburgh. Pa.” pickle, “McDonald’s Compound Syrup of Petroleum Trenton, N.J. For Lung Complaints Nature’s Remedy,”“Bailey & Eaton Paraffine Gun Oil,” a shoulder embossed “Meyers & Bros. St. Louis,” “J & C Maguire” druggist from St. Louis, “Tarrant & Co. Druggist New York,” and a small “E. R. Durkee Co. New York.”
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
sort of thing on a regular basis! I responded, “Yeah, how about you diving in and digging a good bottle? I seem to be having no luck!”
chip from an old one and let him off the hook. The iridescence was clear evidence that exonerated him and set him free from bottle-damage jail.
Up to now, I had dug only a handful of unembossed extracts and bluing bottles, primarily from the newest area along the wall about three and one-half feet deep. The hole was still narrow as I tend to keep my digging to a minimum until I figure out just what I’m into or up against before widening it out. In other words, it appeared I was standing on my head upside down in a privy hole! Randy professionally suggested we widen the hole, but I said, “Naw! Just jump on in there. It’s as safe as milk! Besides, your tree stump is blocking the way to a wider hole.” Randy good-naturedly dove on in and, within seconds, pulled out a quart-size whiskey flask looking early 1870s all day long! Sporting an early key mold base, sadly, the lip also sported an old large slice out of the lip and neck. I teased the newly minted bottle digger for damaging the bottle but quickly educated him on how to tell a fresh
Randy continued for a few more minutes and yelled after removing a few small slicks, “I got something big!” Well, it was bigger than the slicks, but it turned out to be a pickle jar. As he handed it up, it screamed early 1870s and had a couple of indented panels. Now, 99% of pickles from this period were label-only jars, so I fully expected it to be unembossed. I was shocked to see the faint embossing “Heinz & Noble” in one panel and “Pittsburgh. Pa.,” in another panel! I recalled that these were the earliest of the Heinz Company jars, as Heinz was no longer connected with Noble by 1874. This gave me pause to think about the age of this pit.
March – April 2024
Coupled with the construction of the house in 1857 or ‘58, this could turn out to be a bottle bonanza! After Randy felt his blood coagulating in his brain from being inverted in the hole, he relinquished it to me. I dove in for a final few minutes before deciding to return in the morning and get serious about it then. Besides, the sun rapidly disappeared, giving way to the chilly March night air. I returned Tuesday morning at 10:30 to attempt to find a third wall while widening the hole and avoiding the pesky stump. It was a tall order, but I managed with some success. Once I created enough room to sling some dirt, the depth increased considerably. A half-hour into the dig, I extracted the first bottle of the day. It was somewhat surprising, and not in a good way. It was a three-piece mold medicine, shoulder embossed “Meyers & Brothers St. Louis.”
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The first strike is it looked 1890s and likely tossed in with the fill. The second strike was it’s from St. Louis. Most medicines from St. Louis are common, and this was no exception. After a couple of hours of slick medicines and extracts, finally, a nice large medicine appeared in a pocket of 1860s-looking glass shards and lamp chimneys. Taking care while filming with one hand while wielding the ever-dangerous screwdriver to unearth this mystery bottle, I could see it had embossing. All I could read on a side panel was “Complaints.” As I pulled it free, I could clearly read “For Lung Complaints.” I turned it over to read on the opposite side panel, “Nature’s Remedy.” Too bad it wasn’t a cure, went my thoughts. As I cleaned off the front panel, I could read “McDonald’s Compound Syrup of….., Trenton, N.J.” Without cleaning it better and minus my glasses, I couldn’t make out the last word in the center line. After cleaning up, I discovered it was “Syrup Of Petroleum”! GACK & YUCK! I mean, really? Regardless, it’s a nice beefy size aqua med with a crudely applied lip and hinge mold, appearing from the late 1860s. Very little info seems to be available on this bottle. Only an obscure ad from 1870 suggests it had been around for some years, though it seems it never gained much more than regional distribution to Trenton. Regardless, it was a new one to me. Shortly after this find, out popped a small bottle, looking like it should have been pontiled. It has an early applied flat lip with a diagonal hinge mold and embossed on one side, “Bailey & Eaton,” on the opposite, “Paraffine,” and on the front, “Gun Oil.” There was almost enough indentation on the base to look pontiled and the glass was as whittled as a rectangular bottle can be of this small size! As fond as I am of odd-named medicine bottles, this one would rank as my favorite of the dig. Again, the bare minimum of information indicates this was from the 1860s. Rounding out the remaining finds on the day were a couple of hair tonics, one an early unembossed “Ayer’s Hair Vigor” with only “Ayer’s” embossed on the base and a nice “Eureka The Infallible Hair Restorative” in a faint aqua. Every time I find one of these, they are always in an 1860s context, though some consider them to be an 1870s bottle. Go figure. A “J&C Maguire” druggist from St. Louis rounded out the embossed finds along with the ever-present unembossed slicks. What did surprise me was the fact there were no pontil bases or shards found yet, though there was at least three feet left to the bottom. I was getting anxious to confirm the pre-civil war date of the home to Randy. He had only 36
word of mouth from old-timers who claimed the house was from the late 1850s, and in towns this size, it can be near impossible to trace back that far to confirm dates. The next day would provide some evidence. Wednesday began about 10 o’clock with me determined to remove, once and for all, the pesky stump. If I did nothing else at all, I was going to give it Hell until either stump or man prevailed. I had brought my secret weapon, my Arkansas toothpick, or spud bar, as is more common where I’m from. I was able to hack, pry, beat and occasionally saw my way to the winner’s circle before noon! I let out a war whoop and punched a hole in the sky as I boasted my win before noon, my imagined goal. I was suddenly deflated as I noted the time on my watch was two minutes past noon! Oh well, I’m sure my watch was running fast. Sure. Either way, I won. Now, I was well on my way to making the hole wide enough for the camera guy from PBS to join in if need be. I knew I had to add a few extra feet as he was as big as me, plus some. I got it to look pretty respectable, safety-wise. It’s more than necessary to the seasoned digger’s eye but passable to those less inclined, especially those claustrophobic types. Since we had a set date and time for the next day, it had been a bit tricky stretching out this dig that normally would be finished in a couple of days by myself or one day with a seasoned partner. It is easy to get carried away when in this age of a pit, so I had to take extra care to not over dig the hole before filming. It would be embarrassing to end up like Geraldo Rivera, opening Al Capone’s vault to nothing! I could hear the Waaa-Waaa horns go off at the end of such a finale. Added to all this was the idea suggested by more than one person who asked, “So, are you gonna plant a good bottle to film?” The first time caught me in utter shock and surprise. “No way!” I exclaimed. “Why would I do such a thing?” Well, people will want to see something, it was explained. “People need to know that not Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
every time one goes digging, they find something.” That was my firm stand and still is. While widening the hole and getting a little deeper, I encountered a smattering of open pontiled bases and cathedral pickle panels, a sure sign we were bumping up against the end of the 1850s, good news for Randy. After a couple of early smooth-based slicks came up in one corner, I stopped digging deeper. I figured it would be a likely spot to find something for the film crew the next morning. As I widened and searched for the elusive fourth wall, I dug a nice 1870s undamaged whiskey flask up in the fill where everything else was 1890s! It was likely a late throw, but unembossed made it less impressive. Another druggist bottle appeared, “Tarrant & Co. Druggist New York,” looking 1870s. It was then that I decided to apply the brakes and hold off until the crew arrived the next morning. I tossed my plywood board over the gaping pit and tucked it in with a large tarp for the night as rain and possibly snow was predicted for the afternoon and evening of the next day. The PBS crew was to meet me at my home at 11 o’clock and follow me the three blocks to the dig site. At 10:30, I get a knock at my door, and it’s the crew, ready to go! I was still choking down my morning toast and coffee when I answered. We started the interview in my kitchen with me explaining where we were going and then resumed when we were on site. I had the idea I would try to involve the host to get in the hole and dig up something but discarded that idea as the cameraman, also named Randy, began his slow and deliberate descent with camera and gear. I was silently grateful I enlarged the dig extra wide as we used every square inch, it seemed! Randy filmed behind me and over my shoulder and to his credit got some good angles. March – April 2024
Digging where I had left off the day before, within 77 seconds of resuming the dig I discovered the first intact pontiled bottle dating prior to the civil war. The incredible timing looks suspicious, but I swear it was not staged! This was followed by an even earlier open pontiled puff and a key mold bottle within a couple of feet of one another, likely discarded at the same time. These bottles were found within 10 minutes of the first find, which pleased me no end, assuring me the viewers would get to see more than Capone’s vault revealed, or even Oak Island on most episodes! The final minutes were taken up by explaining what was found and the hopes of what was yet to be discovered. We said our goodbyes, and after covering the hole with the tarp, I, too, was on my way to the warmth of my cozy home. It was already delivering snow flurries while filming and ended up dumping about a foot and a half of snow over the next couple of days. Once again, I did not return until three days later. Returning at noon on the last day of this dig, the weather was forecast for 60 degrees, way warmer than the previous few days when I chose to stay toasty warm at home. It was now time to finish it up and call it good. I found only one undamaged key mold bottle near the bottom, and on the very bottom, I dug a busted “H. T. Helmbold Genuine Fluid Extracts” from Philadelphia with an open pontil. Nearby were a couple of shards to a bitters-type bottle with embossing “__RIGHT’S ___MOUNTAIN ___TERS.” The base came out in two pieces with a crude half-circle key mold and an old amber glass color. My best guess was “Wright’s Green Mountain Bitters.” I was almost correct as it was an ultra-rare “Dr. Wright’s Rocky Mountain Bitters!” The Bottle Goddess was showing her cruel side that day! That one would have made my year! It certainly would have added to the memorable quality of the dig. [See center spread shard] It was memorable in the intangible dimension due to meeting and making new friends in my little town, and having a PBS crew filming the dig is priceless. I also made a friend out of one of those who stood and watched that first time digging in this yard and have gotten a number of permissions that the two of us have tackled with some success. I’ll keep him nameless for now as I suspect he might be one of the “Usual Suspects.” I would hate to be the one to blow his cover on the Witness Protection Program. I don’t wish to be found floating face down in the “big muddy” on my way to New Orleans! I hear there’s some great bottles down that way waiting to be dug, however… 37
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
March – April 2024
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
A TOAST To Collecting Diversit y Ralph Finch, a little crusty, explains:
I like different and odd. Janet adds: “That’s why I love you.” She After that, I met other toaster collectors, and even went to a thinks she’s cute.
Once, many years ago, I interviewed Michigan’s King of Toasters. (Perhaps the Toaster King of other states, too, but those statistics are hard to research. Maybe I should’ve checked with the Guinness Book of Records.) Anyway, the King had one room filled with nothing but toasters. From floor to ceiling, toasters after toasters. March – April 2024
toaster auction, and now have several nice ones. We met with others warmed by the knowledge that they have a few, including Michigan’s John and Liz Pastor, Mary and Tim Kokles of Texas, and Jodi and Jim Hall of Illinois. “Vintage” toasters from 1940 and up usually run around $15, but super-rare examples can burn up a few thousand dollars. On top of that. I later bought, at another auction, “Lot 693, an assortment of 35 Miscellaneous Toaster Electric Cords, estimated 41
A peek at the Finch toaster collection; note that one toaster has its own toaster rack. Photo Janet Finch. $25-$50.” Nearly three dozen toaster cords? Aren’t they all the same? Nope. We got them at a reasonable price and were able to find different cords for our different toasters. See, what’s odd about early electric toasters is that when they first came out in about 1900, there was no uniformity. Every toaster came with its specific cord, some with two prongs, three prongs, flat prongs, round prongs, etc. One rare cord has a switch built into the plug.
“The technical challenge for the early toasters was developing a heating element that could sustain repeated high temperatures. In 1905, Albert Marsh created “Nichrome,” a filament wire with an alloy of nickel and chromium that was safe and durable when heated. “In 1906, the first U.S. patent application for an electric toaster was filed by George Schneider of the American Electrical Heater Co. of Detroit, using Marsh’s wire.
After we bought the large box of cords, we were contacted by someone who had a rare toaster sans cord, and we had the correct cord. He gave us $85 for it, and he was a happy toaster. You should have seen his face light up...he practically beamed.
“General Electric introduced its first electric toaster in 1909, using a competing alloy. The D-12 model, invented by Frank Shailor, was considered to be the first commercially successful electric toaster.
A little history from the Internet and Google: “That lofty goal in cuisine was given a boost in 1906 when 35-year-old Detroiter George J. Schneider of the American Electrical Heater Co. registered the first American patent for an electric toaster (using Albert Marsh’s wire) that he described as an ‘electric cooker.’”
“By 1913, the Copeman Electric Stove Co. introduced the “toaster that turns toast,” a device that eliminated the need for the bread to be turned manually halfway through cooking.
On the Internet, I warmed up to the well-worth-visiting Hagley Museum website, which explains (edited): “Toast is a quick and easy breakfast that can be eaten on the go, but it wasn’t always so. Before the development of the electric toaster, hand-sliced bread had to be toasted on a long metal fork or in a metal frame held over a fire or on a gas stove. 42
“It wasn’t until 1919 that a Minnesota mechanic named Charles Strite created an easy-to-use toaster designed for restaurants. In 1921, he received his patent for the automatic pop-up toaster.” Now, don’t you feel warm and toasty with this new knowledge? I feel like a heel, and I also collect those large bottles shaped like (and called) “loaves of bread.” Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Loaf of Bread Demijohn, America, 1860-1880. Loaf of bread form, brilliant golden amber, applied sloping collared mouth, smooth base, height 8 5/8 inches, width 9 inches, depth 5 ¾ inches (minor interior stain). Beautiful color. Fine condition. – Heckler Auction 107, Lot 45
“Toaster,” Sidney Russell, 2002, Oil paint on painted canvas with yachting cord, 31 x 23 x 47 inches. Unique work. $10,000
Nearly three dozen toaster cords. Lot 693, an assortment of 35 Miscellaneous Toaster Electric Cords, estimated $25-$50.
FYI: The most expensive collectible “toaster” is artwork designed by female artist Sidney Russell. It was offered in 2022 for $10,000, and it is still available on the Internet. Toast history... and complaints The Hagley.org website has more history, photos and illustrations; do sample a slice of it. Also worth a visit is the Antique & Vintage Electric Toaster Sales website. The day I looked in, there was a variety of toasters offered from around $40 to a Blue Willow Toastrite for $1,495— with correct cord—saying: “The Blue Willow Toastrite electric toaster is one of the harder to find and rarest of all antique electric toasters, and … made by Pan Electric of Cleveland Ohio. These decorated china toasters date from the late ‘20s, and production lasted just a few short years before the Depression hit.” I’ve been fortunate to visit England at least 20 times. It is a beautiful land where, in AD 43, the Roman conquest of Britain began, and they maintained control of their province of Britannia until the early 5th century. The end of Roman rule in Britain facilitated the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, which historians often regard as the origin of England and the English people. Now, the Romans, in their time, were among the most advanced cultures in the world. And England produced much for centuries, March – April 2024
and then it got distracted and created things like mushy peas and Spotted Dick (steamed pudding). But not toast. In all my visits, I’ve never found even one screen window, even at Buckingham Palace, or two showers that work the same way. (Each one operates independently of another, and despite the fact that the Romans had hot natural baths in England, hot water is often...iffy.) And toast? HOT toast? Forget it. The Beatles were hot; toast was never hot. In a hotel, it often will slowly come out of a big machine, and when the pile is large—and cool—it is then served. In nice restaurants, it is even served on open silver toast racks, designed, I think, to make toast even colder. But toasts aren’t for everyone. We once had people over for a Thanksgiving Day dinner, and at the meal, I said, “A toast to good friends,” but one person declined. She said that in her “religion,” she was not allowed to make a toast. I refrain from commenting. 43
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Kalamazoo’s Early American Bottles, Flasks, Glass Fruit Jars, Dairy Bottles, Stoneware, Insulators, Marbles and Related Items
43rd Annual Saturday, April 6, 2024
10 am to 2:30 pm
Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds (Inside Expo Center) 2900 Lake Street Exit 80, (Off I-94) Kalamazoo, Michigan 49048
Michigan’s Largest!
For Info Call: John Pastor (Show Chair) 616.581.7005 or Rob Knolle (Club President) 269.993.5125
Free Appraisals of Antique Bottles & Related Glass Bitters
Inks
Poisons
Advertising
Flasks
Milks
Spirits
Medicines
Cures
Insulators
Jars
Stoneware
Sodas
Druggist
KalamazooBottleClub.org March – April 2024
Breweriana Ephemera
General Admission: $3 Senior Citizens: $2
Children under 12: FREE
Facebook: Kalamazoo-Antique–Bottle–Club 45
visit
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
FOHBC 2024 CLUB & MEMBER CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT
HOUSTON 2024
NATIONAL ANTIQUE BOTTLE & GLASS EXPO
Winners announced at the FOHBC Houston 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition!
AWA R D S
C - Newsletter Contest A T - Show Poster / Flyer Contest E G - Writer’s Contest O R I - Club Website Contest E S - Club Social Media Contest March – April 2024
Submission deadline is 01 June 2024 Get more information by contacting Elizabeth Meyer 713.504.0628 or fohbcmembers@gmail.com Download the applications by visiting FOHBC.org, scroll across the top to “Members,” scroll down to “FOHBC Club Contests” and left click. All contest winners and awards will be announced during the “Dinosaurs Banquet” program in the HMNS Hall of Paleontology at the FOHBC Houston 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition this coming 02 August 2024. You do not have to be present to win. Thanks and Good Luck!
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Mold-Blown Glass
[Fig. 1] Warehouses with packaged tea in Kyakhta which is a town and the administrative center of Kyakhtinsky District in the Republic of Buryatia, Russia. Engraving from the 19th century.
[Fig. 2] Russian Tea Caddies in various sizes and glass colors. Sheaff collection.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Russian Tea Caddies By Richard Sheaff
For decades, I have collected vintage Russian-blown glass tea
caddies, a “few and far between” process netting me about 30 of them so far. I have also spent many, many hours researching such items without actually learning nearly as much as I would like, even from Russian sources (I studied the Russian language in college). This article will pass along some of the things I have learned so far, but it is also an appeal to my fellow glass and bottle collectors for any additional information they might have. “Tea caddy” meant various things at various times and places. Early European tea caddies (also known as trunks or chests) were finely made locked wooden boxes with containers inside to keep precious tea fresh. Individual containers—made of porcelain, pottery, metal, or glass—were also called tea caddies. The word “caddy” is thought to have derived from the word for a Chinese unit of weight or mass, the catti or kati, which was used to measure out trade tea. Apparently, the English first dubbed tea containers caddies; Russians were more likely to call them jars. Early individual tea caddies—also called canisters—were made of porcelain or faience (tin-glazed pottery). My interest in the blown glass caddies came directly from my years of study and collection of blown three-mold (B3M) glass. [Fig. 3] Blown three-mold glass was first created between 1813 and 1820 as a far less expensive imitation of the cut glass tableware so popular at the time. Most B3M was created by a gather of glass blown into a hinged mold already patterned with “quilted” diamond and ribs patterns closely approximating cut glass designs. Though not every mold was a three-piece mold, the majority were, and so this type of glass became known as three-mold regardless of the actual number of mold parts.
[Fig. 4] Amethyst tea caddy.
[Fig. 3] Amethyst blown three-mold decanter.
Most B3M items were then attached at the base by a pontil rod as the neck or top rim was fire polished, a lip was added, or it was otherwise finished. A bit later, snap-case holders which could gently grab an item near the base eliminated the need for the pontil rod and the resulting rough glass pontil mark on the bottom of the piece. Some items such as bottles, inks, salts and small plates were created in similarly patterned molds by the blow-over and crackoff (or “burst-off”) technique, especially in Ireland and England. After a gather had been blown into the mold, its top was broken off roughly by either of two methods: scoring the top and striking it with any metal tool at hand or simply continuing to blow an increasingly thin bubble of glass until it merely popped off at the March – April 2024
[Fig. 5] Yellow green glass tea caddy.
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[Fig. 6] 1879 Musatova Tea trading scene advertisement.
[Fig. 7] Jin–Jun Brand caravan advertisement by an association of Kyakhta tea traders.
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[Fig. 8] Sergey Sporov tea advertisement. Sporov was a Mascow merchant.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
top of the mold. Either method left rough glass at the top of the piece, which needed to be finished off. Editor Note #1: Search “Cracking off YouTube Corning Museum of Glass” for a well-done short video on this process. Editor Note #2: A vintage video showing cracking-off by overblowing can be seen at the Sha.org website. Russian-blown glass tea caddies were made in the same way as the pieces called B3M—perhaps that designation should also apply to them. Very few bear a pontil mark on the base. Most or all were made in a two-piece, the seams very well-matched and difficult to notice. Almost none show mold seams on the base, suggesting that perhaps their molds had a separate flat bottom plate with the hinged portion above. All seem to have crack-off necks. The rough top did not matter, as they were finished off with brass or silver mouth fittings, which covered up the sharp glass edges at the top. [Fig. 9] Their airtight top fittings, which usually also included a cork, preserved the tea’s taste and aroma.
[Fig. 10] Blue ribbed-glass tea caddy.
[Fig. 9] Peter Botkin & Sons, Moscow tea merchants caddy with silver fittings reading “Moscow Tea” on the top. Most are about three inches square and about five inches tall, though some are slightly larger or smaller, and others have about half that capacity. Though generally referred to as a caddy, they are sometimes called a canister, a jar, a bottle, a pot and sometimes—erroneously—a perfume bottle or an inkwell. The few writers I have found who mention them at all—generally in auction listings—attribute these patterned blown glass caddies to the second half of the 19th century, though it is possible some pontiled examples could be earlier, and certain screw-top examples may be a bit later. Some bear the name of the glassmaker on the base; some have the name of the retailer on the side panels. This pattern shown in the picture at the beginning of this article is attributed by Russian sources to the Klyuchinsky Crystal Factory organized by Moscow merchant A. V. Bolotin in 1873 in the village of Klyuchino (later “Red May”), in a chemical factory founded in 1859. [Fig. 4]
[Fig. 11] Green patterned glass tea caddy.
By the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century, Russian March – April 2024
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[Fig. 12] Blue glass Federovsky Brothers tea caddy.
retail tea was generally sold and stored in decorated tin boxes. A still-open question—for me at least—is whether these patterned glass tea caddies were sold at retail filled with tea or whether they were sold as empty containers intended to be repeatedly refilled, much like American historical flasks for whiskey. One way or the other, it would seem that these were products for the masses. The upper classes traditionally owned lockable wooden tea chests or used elegant individual caddies made of fine porcelain or glass with precious metal fittings. These patterned-blown glass tea caddies were, in fact, analogous to American blown threemold decanters and tableware: a quickly produced simulation of more expensive, fancier wares. Like B3M, they have their own particular charm and attraction for collectors. Expensive cut flint 52
[Fig. 13] Kyakhta green glass tea caddy.
glass pieces have a heaviness with a bit of hard-edged coldness. Patterned mold-blown glass has an attractive visual softness and is generally lighter in weight. Most glass Russian tea caddies exist in a wide range of interesting colors. One current frustration is that while I can identify some great color variants on offer on Russian auctions and eBaylike websites, current economic sanctions imposed as a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine make it impossible to send money to Russia at present. So why are these blown glass caddies believed to be Russian in origin? There are several reasons. One is simply that some have the names or initials of Russian glassmakers on the base or on Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
[Fig. 14] This clear glass stoppered mold-blown caddy is not Russian, and likely French or English.
the top fittings. [Fig. 9] The tea caddy style most often seen—oftentimes in an opaque blue glass—has an inscription in Russian and an inscription in Chinese. The Russian wording translates to “Kyakhta tea,” Kyakhta being a town currently in the Republic of Buryatia, Russia. It was the major trading post for tea and other goods from China in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The Mandarin Chinese inscription on that style caddy translates as “Fragrant Orchid” or “Orchid Fragrance.” In Russia, Chinese tea brought in over the trade route was known as Kyakhtinsky tea; to the rest of the world, it was considered Russian tea. Commercial tea trade between China and Russia began in 1689. Kyakhta, on the Mongolia-China border south of Lake Baikal, was designated as the official trading portal between China and March – April 2024
Russia-Europe in June 1727. To communicate, the Russians and Chinese traders developed a unique local pidgin language. Kyakhta’s name derives from the Buryat and Mongolian words for couch grass, a type of wheatgrass common in the area. Previously, there had been some fourteen official trade caravans between Russia and Beijing, in addition to various illegal independent trading operations. The trade was primarily Russian furs for Chinese silk, tobacco, cotton and tea. (The Russians also traded textiles, cattle, leather, deer horns, and hardware, and the Chinese additionally traded in porcelain, fruits, rice, rhubarb, candles, musk and ginger.) Tea was a fairly small proportion of the trade at first but quickly grew. Most of the tea was said to have come from Yangloudong near modern Chibi City, Hubei. 53
Tea had become a household essential amongst Russian nobility during the 18th century and had become more affordable to the masses by 1800, as Russians consumed tea equal to “six thousand camels loaded.” A distinction was made between “family tea” (high quality) and “ordinary tea” (lesser quality). Throughout the 19th century, tea in Russia became universally widespread and relatively inexpensive. The first public tea room opened in 1882 in St. Petersburg, and by the 20th century, Russia had become the world’s largest consumer of tea.
[Fig. 15] Brick tea being transported. The 1727 Treaty of Kyakhta required that all trade go through Kyakhta. The Russians quickly established the town, and the Chinese equally quickly built a corresponding town, Maimachen (“buy-sell-town”), on their side of the border. The new treaty called for trade caravans to be scheduled every three years, and six such caravans between Russia and China took place between 1727 and 1760. The tea was brought by Chinese caravan to Kyakhta, traded to the Russians, and then brought to Moscow via caravan using camels, sleighs, troikas and palanquins, in chests holding 25 to 35 kilos each, packed both as compressed bricks and loose tea. [Fig. 15] Carrying tea by caravan was a dangerous and unpopular job, as thieves known as “tea cutters” robbed many caravans. The Kyakhta connection gave Russia a major advantage over all other countries, which could trade with China only by sea through Canton, a slower process. In Russia, the “Caravan tea,” which came east over The Great Tea Route from Kyakhta to Moscow, was differentiated from “Cantonese tea,” which came by sea. In 1762, her first year as Russian Empress, Catherine the Great changed the process to continual free trade rather than scheduled caravans. All sales and bartering still took place in Kyakhta. In 1763, the first Kyakhta “trade fair” was held. The peak year for the Kyakhta tea trade was 1824. In the 1820s, Russian wholesale trading was centered at a fair in Makaryev (later moved to Nizhny Novgorod), and commodity traders were very active until the 1860s. Tea was the central item traded. When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, the shipping of tea by boat became more economical and logical, and the port of Odessa became the “new gate” for Chinese tea into Russia. The opening of the Trans-Siberian Railroad at the turn of the 20th century finished Kyakhta off, and it reverted to an unimportant spot in a distant desert. The town was renamed Troitsko Savsk in the early 20th century but reverted to Kyakhta in 1935. (Some sources describe Troitsko Savsk as a fort adjacent to Kyakhta.) 54
These mold-blown glass tea caddies, which interest me so much, seem to be found throughout Russia and also in various other nations which the Soviet Union subsumed, such as Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, etc. They also seem frequently to exist in households in northern Iran and amongst Iranian families now living in the United States. What is so very curious to me is that I have been unable to find a single photograph or a paragraph about them in any book I have found about the history of Russian tea consumption or Russian glass. My assumption is that they were regarded as so lowly that they are not worthy of mention or consideration. Such books always feature the most elegant and fine early Russian glass and tea caddies, but never—that I have yet been able to find—one humble patterned mold-blown glass caddy of the sort discussed. I would love to discover some source that explores the subject!
[Fig. 16] Transluscent white glass Chai tea caddy.
[Fig. 17] Kyakhta opaque glass tea caddy. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
[Fig. 18] Unusual speckled glass example.
[Fig. 19] Opaque white painted glass tea caddy.
[Fig. 20] Russian tea caddies in various sizes and glass colors. Sheaff collection. March – April 2024
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CULLEN HALL OF GEMS AND MINERALS Nature’s Masterpieces: A Collection of Dazzling Mineral Specimens
Paired With
AMERICAN ANTIQUE GLASS MASTERPIECES A major, museum exhibition showcasing the Sandor P. Fuss Collection Houston 24 — the most exciting antique bottle and glass event in a generation at the Houston Museum of Natural Science! The beautiful butterfly and spectacular early glass is our theme as you can experience the Cockrell Butterfly Center habitat and see the featured Sandor P. Fuss “American Antique Glass Masterpieces Collection” and highlights from the legendary “Wilber and Gugliotti Barber Bottle Collections.” You will also get a chance to visit the world-famous Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals. From a huge amethyst weighing more than 850 pounds to a crystallized gold cluster that is one of the most highly coveted objects in the mineral kingdom, the spectacular specimens on display here are true masterpieces — the Rembrandts and Picassos of the natural world. Discover more than 450 beautifully crystallized mineral specimens, including some of the world’s most rare and beautiful examples. Examine these dazzling treasures in detail from all angles through walk-around display cases illuminated by fiberoptic lighting to provide optimum viewing. We thought we would pair a few of the glass and gemstone pieces on display. Amethyst, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Pressed Glass Twisted Loop Vase, Sandwich Glass Works, Sandwich, Mass.
Pattern Molded Salt Cellar, Zanesville, Ohio
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Mesolite with Fluorapophyllite, Pashan Hills near Khadakvasla Poona, Pune District Maharashtra, India
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Topaz and Albaite, Nevada, United States
Barite, Puit 18, Touissit, Touissit District, Jerada Province, Oriental Region, Morocco Cassin’s Grape Brandy Bitters, San Francisco, Ca.
Jared Spencer flask, Manchester, Conn.
Rhodochrosite, Alma, Park County, Colorado, United States
Gold, Placer County, California, United States
Cut Overlay Decanter, Sandwich Glass Works, Sandwich, Mass.
Azurite on Kaolinite, South Australia Pattern Molded Sugar Bowl, Pittsburgh District, Pa.
March – April 2024
Eagle-Cornucopia Historical Flask, Probably Pittsburgh District, Pa.
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Selenite, Chihuahua, Mexico
Aquamarine, Haramosh Mountains, Dassu, Gilgit Division, Pakistan
The Fish Bitters, Philadelphia, Pa.
Chamberstick, Sandwich Glass Works, Sandwich, Mass.
Tourmaline, Tourmaline Queen Mine, Pala District, San Diego County, California, United States
Rhodochrosite, Sweet Home Mine, Alma, Park County, Colorado, United States
Cut Overlay Decanter with Matching Stopper, Sandwich, Mass.
Eagle Masonic Arch Historical Flask, New England American Life Bitters, Tiffin, Ohio
Calcite, Fluorite and Barite, Elmwood Mine, near Carthage, Smith County, Tennessee, United States
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Corn for the World Historical Flask, Baltimore, Md.
Amethyst, Jackson’s Crossroads Mine, Wilkes County, Georgia, United States
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Quartz, McEarl Mine, Crystal Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, United States
Wulfenite and Mimetite, San Francisco Mine, Santa Ana, Sonora, Mexico
Double Handled Footed Vase
10 Diamond Pattern Molded Flask, An Ohio glasshouse
Kunzite, Laghman Province, Afghanistan
Emerald, near Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina, United States
Double Eagle Historical Flask, Louisville Glass Works, Louisville, Kentucky
Pitkin-Type Pattern Molded Flask, An Ohio glasshouse
Cuprosklodowskite, Shinkolobwe Mine, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)
Kossuth & Frigate Calabash Flask
March – April 2024
Barto’s Great Gun Bitters, Reading, Pa. Stilbite on Fluorapophyllite, Jalgaon District, Maharashtra, India
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[Left] In artwork depicting the Napoleonic Wars, gunpowder often clouds the scene, but among the
hundreds of troops, one figure is immediately recognizable as Napoleon Bonaparte. What makes the French emperor stand out from the other uniformed men on horseback? Naturally, his bicorne hat. Napoleon’s penchant for croissant-shaped headwear made him one of the few historical figures who can be instantly identified by mere silhouette. His obsession with the headpiece drove him to accumulate an estimated 120 bicorne hats over his lifetime. On Sunday, an unidentified buyer put down 1.9 million euros—or about $2.1 million—for one of them, largely surpassing its estimated high value of 800,000 euros. The cracked black beaver felt hat sold by the Osenat auction house in Fontainebleau is one of approximately 20 that remain from Napoleon’s collection. The hat sold on Sunday was worn by Napoleon around 1810 as he established French hegemony over much of continental Europe. – Daily Mail, November 2023 [Left] For those who
[Left] Jessica Vincent often stops by the Goodwill in Hanover County, Virginia, on her
way home from work. On a regular afternoon in June, a colorful glass vase caught her eye. It was 13 inches and wrapped in burgundy and green brushstrokes. Then she saw the mark on the bottom: Murano. “It was so unusual. It had such quality. I knew it was a good piece of glass with the mark on the bottom,” Vincent, 43, said. She paid $3.99 for it, even though she was prepared to pay $8.99 or more. “I knew it was coming home with me.” The Carlo Scarpa Rare Pennellate vase sold for $100,700 at a recent auction. – Wright Auctions [Below group and bottle] This medium olive green “John Moffat New York Phoenix Bitters Price
$2.00” was part of a recent discovery in Kingston, New York. While renovating a historic home from the 1830s the woman pulled down a lathe and plaster ceiling and found a trove of objects that appear to be from the 1840-1870 period including many bottles. This example has not seen the light of day in close to 180 years. An old makeshift cork, possibly part of the paper wrapper, is in the mouth. The bottle is approximately half full of some type of black granular material. It was gently and easily cleaned with a bit of Windex, and the accumulated attic dust and soot was simply washed off. As noted in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2, very rare, and one of the most desirable of all the Phoenix Bitters molds. – American Glass Gallery and Peachridge Glass.
appreciate the finer tipples in life, a bottle of the world’s “most sought-after Scotch whisky” sold for more than $2.7 million Saturday (18 Nov. 2023) at Sotheby’s in London. The Macallan 1926 is one of just 40 bottles drawn after ageing in sherry casks for 60 years, making it the oldest Macallan vintage ever produced, according to the auction house. Sotheby’s had expected it to raise between $934,274 and $1.4 million, but were in for a shock when the prized bottle fetched a whooping $2,724,967, making it a “new record for any bottle of spirits or wine sold at auction,” the auction house told AFP news agency. – Sotheby’s London. [Below right] This interesting (and rare, I believe) Dr. Stiebel’s Stomach Bitters bottle was dug by my digging partner Andrew Weber in an oyster pit in Galveston, Texas on the site of an old saloon. We both did a double-take when we saw the embossing as we expected it to be a Hostetter’s. I’d love to hear if anyone has any idea where this bottle originated from. – Brandon DeWolfe
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Lost & Found Houston 24 Expo
Read and see more in the FOHBC Virtual Museum. [Left] This incredible “Sphinx” bottle will be on display at
Houston24. (Mortar and Pestle) “L S & CO” (monogram) “CHICAGO, ILL” - (Griffin) / (Front view of the Sphinx) (Human Headed Lion). The neck in the form of an Egyptian Obelisk and is covered with hieroglyphics as are other areas of the bottle. (unlisted), Illinois, ca. 1883 - 1885, medium amber, 12 ¼” h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth. – Hou24 [This Image] Researchers at New York University’s Applied Mathematics
Laboratory created clay models of the Great Sphinx that incorporated harder inclusions. The team washed the models with a fast stream of water to represent the wind and its erosion effects. – NYU’s Applied Mathematics Laboratory [Left] A rare first-class menu from the Titanic sold for over $100,000 when it went on sale in November 2023 in an
auction of memorabilia associated with the ill-fated ocean liner. The salvaged and heavily water-stained menu details the first dinner on board after the Titanic set sail from Queenstown, Belfast, and reveals the opulence that the ship’s first-class passengers would have experienced. Dinner options on the night of 11 April 1912 included oysters, salmon, beef tornadoes, sirlion of beef (with horseradish cream), spring lamb, duck, with desserts including apricot Bordaloue (a type of tart), Victoria pudding and French ice cream. – Henry Aldridge & Son, UK
[Above] Have you ever wondered what the favorite “M&M” candy initials stand for? The initials stand for Mars and
Murrie. The son of the Mars company founder, Forrest Mars Sr., spotted British soldiers eating Smarties in the 1930s during the Spanish Civil War. The sugar-coated chocolate inspired him to invent M&Ms, which received a patent in 1941. Mars is responsible for the first M in the initials. The second M, Murrie, comes from Bruce Murrie—the son of Hershey’s Chocolate president William F. R. Murrie. He had a 20% share in the product, and Hershey’s chocolate was used to make the original product. M&Ms were actually once used to feed soldiers during World War II.
[Bottom Right] Along the Maryland–Pennsylvania border, a volunteer group of surveyors is racing to save the stones—and the story—of the Mason-Dixon Line. 18th-century Englishmen
Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon placed the monuments at one-mile intervals along the border line that now bears their names. About two dozen Maryland and Pennsylvania surveyors volunteered to locate and document these aging landmarks embedded in the ground over two centuries ago. Some have been replaced, a few are missing. They wear the scars of time, weather, neglect, and maltreatment—accidental or intentional. Monuments have been buried, broken off, tipped over, plowed under, shot at, stolen, dumped, defaced by souvenir hunters, and repurposed as church steps, curb stones, platforms for mounting horses, and building blocks for farmhouses and barns. – Popular Mechanics
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March – April 2024
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Member Photos
Read and see more in the FOHBC Virtual Museum.
A collection of spectacular and inspiring photographs from around the world and around the web. Please feel free to submit your images for consideration.
Houston 24 Expo
Western 60 gallon crock. Placed it in 1974...no moving it about! – Jerry McCann
My first butter jar, it’s a big fella! – Gail Coppinger
Colorful Glass – Michael & Alice Seeliger
From the Washington Bottle & Collectors Association (WBCA)
Warner’s – Michael Craig 64
Clyde Glass Works flasks – John Spellman
Deer me! Checking out Janet’s snuff bottles – Ralph Finch
Ralph & Janet Finch Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Member Photos
Lightning in Southern California – Scott Horner
Bottle display case – Michael Seeliger
Painted Demijohns – Ralph & Janet Finch
Mountain stain– Jerry Forbes Labeled Hand Made Jar – Anna Dodge Winter Sodas Dennis Sasseville
Blown three mold salt in amethyst – Michael George March – April 2024
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Classified Ads ADVERTISE FOR FREE Free advertising in each issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (AB&GC). One free “WANTED” or “FOR SALE” ad in AB&GC per year each renewal. See page 72 for more info. DEALERS: Sell your bottles in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector. Change the bottles each issue. Include your website in your ad to increase traffic to your site. Send all advertisement info to FOHBC Business Manager, Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423 or best, email to: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
rarity ratings and index. 194 photos and stories on every bottle and jug. Published by Advanced Litho., Great Falls. $90 plus $10 postage. If purchased concurrently with Marvin Michelotti’s book Montana Milk Bottles © 2,000, price is $100 plus $10 postage. If you only desire Marvin’s book it is $17 plus $10 postage for a total of $27. Send check to Henry Thies, PO Box 1363, Cut Bank, Montana 59427, email bottlerx@ gmail.com, phone 406.873.2811. 03/24
chips. Richard Kelley, kelleye719@verizon. net, 315.946.6316 (05/06_24) WANTED: Jar lid for Cohanseys ½ gal. RB# 625. Must be one around call. Ed DeHaven, 609.390.1898 or 609.402.6229. Thanks. (03/04_24) WANTED: Laurens Hutchinson soda from Laurens, S.C., No damage. Light scratches or case wear is acceptable. Contact Joe at 850.532.2505. Thanks. (03/04_24)
FOR SALE
WANTED
MISC
FOR SALE: Books: “A History of the Des Moines Potteries, with additional information on Boonesboro, Carlisle, Hartford, and Palmyra.” Cost $23 plus shipping, media mail add $4.50. Mail to Mark C. Wiseman, 3505 Sheridan Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50310, 515.344.8333 (03-24)
WANTED: Harley bottles of West Chester, Pa. and Philadelphia, Pa. The West Chester bottles (4) display either J. Harley, James Harley, Jas. Harley or E.M. Harley. The Phila. Bottles (4) display Edwd. Harley, Schul (Schuylkill) 4th & Market St., Philada. or E. Harley, 802 Market St. or E. Harley, West Market St. or Edw. Harley, 1838 Market St., Phila. Bob Harley, Phone 215.721.1107. Email: rwh220@Yahoo.com 11/24
SHOP: When in New Mexico, please come by our shop in Los Cerrillos on NM HW 14. We have lots of bottles in our museum. CasaGrandeTradingPost.com (03/04_24)
FOR SALE: Or trade. Better Jars and Lids. Let’s go back to the old-fashion way and help this magazine survive. Last issue one page of classified ads. Pretty pics don’t help me grow my collection. Remember “Hearts Desire.” C. Tunstall, 908.454.3198 (03-24) FOR SALE: 1) 14-inch-tall Cathedral pickle, medium forest green, six sided. Cathedral window design with four petals above. Rare color for this mold. $575. 2) Drake’s Plantation Bitters. Very light topaz ginger ale. $725. 3) U.S. Mail embossed eagle mail-box-shaped whiskey. Fluted neck whiskey. Large size. $85. 4) “Leon’s Sarsaparilla Belfast Me.” Unusual neck and lip. You’ll see 100 Dana Sarsaparilla’s before you see a Leon’s. $75. 5) Amber straight-sided coke. Giering Bottling Co. in slug plate. Youngstown, Ohio. Two lip chips. $200. 6) “J. Gahm” mug-base beer. Honey amber. $85. No buyers premium or taxes. Postage $15. Don, 978.994.2629. (01-01-25) FOR SALE: Quality bottles largely from the US, meticulously described and well-priced. Listings with images available on my High Desert Historic Bottle website at historicbottles.com. My email for contact noted on the website. Bill Lindsey, Chiloquin, Oregon. 11/26 FOR SALE: By author. New book © 2023. Bottles & Jugs of Central Montana. ISBN# 978-0-692-03800-0 includes Great Falls, Arlington, Belt, Bynum, Choteau, Conrad, Cut Bank, Monarch, Sand Coulee, Stanford, Shelby and Vaughn. Spiral Bound, 234 pages includes
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WANTED: Colored Figural Bitters. Also other bitters that are unusually shaped or unusually colored, for their grouping! Mint specimens only please! Randolph Haumann, 10410 Gold Arrow Drive, Reno, Nevada 89521-5190 or cell 415.518.4124 (leave message) or email: hawkeye751@ outlook.com, Call Now! So you are not sorry...Later! 11/24 WANTED: Hobble skirt embossed Coca-Cola bottles: 1915s, 1923s, D-Patent’s 6 oz and 6 1/2 oz. Collector will buy or trade. Jim Georges, georges77@twcny.rr.com or 315.662.7729. 07/24 WANTED: Poison bottles, American or foreign. Especially want “H.K. Mulford/ Chemists/Philadelphia” poison bottle in amber. With label even better. Also want scarce medicine bottles and bitters bottles with character. Please contact: Marc Stolzer, 613 Village Drive, Edison, New Jersey. 08817, Phone: 732.572.9554, Email: stolzema@ ubhc.rutgers.edu (05/06_24) WANTED: Bottles with both brothers, L. B. and H. G. Hotchkiss included on paper label. Also: Bottles from L. B. Hotchkiss (Phelps, NY), Peppermint Producers, M. H. Dillenbeck and Hall & Parshall (Lyons, NY), Peirson & Perkins (Newark, NY), and A. M. Todd (Kalamazoo, MI). No cracks or
WELCOME We welcome the following new and returning members to the FOHBC: Arlie Anderson, Shari Sue Carney, Gail Coppinger, Eric Cox, Jaydon Fearnow, Brian Haltiwanger, Henry Kornfeld, Ethan La Moure, Thomas Lewis, Marty Loschen, David MacDougall, Chris Maloney, Fred Meek, Peter Morrissey, Ron Neep III, George Persick, Kevin Persick, Andrew Pischalnikoff, David Powell, Gail Rapoza, Gwendolyn Rapoza, Nicholas Rapoza, Dana Reid, Timothy Ross, Paul Russell, Bruce Semans, Janelle Terciak, Clifford Trebilcock, Travis Tuckell and Bill Williams.
VOLUNTEERS The FOHBC is looking for help and volunteer work for the many projects and initiatives of the organization. This includes a mid-atlantic imager for the Virtual Museum, a Merchandise Director, researchers for the Virtual Museum, Houston 24 volunteers, local and regional show reporters, help with advertising and sales, online Zoom Webinar presenters and AB&GC writers.
Support the FOHBC by advertising in the FOHBC Houston 2024 Souvenir Program. Contact Ferdinand at fmeyer@fmgdesign.com
01 - 04 August 2024
SOUVENIR PROGRAM
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
WANTED: Anything to do with Dr. E. R. Clarke from Sharon, Mass. All bottle sizes and variants, labeled or unlabeled, pontiled or unpontiled plus any related ephemera such as advertising, billheads and historical information. Charlie Martin Jr. 781.248.8620 cemartinjr@comcast.net
March – April 2024
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Sho-Biz Calendar of Shows FOHBC Sho - Biz is published in the interest of the hobby. Federation-affiliated clubs are indicated in red. Information on upcoming collecting events is welcome, but space is limited. Please send at least three months in advance, including telephone number to: FOHBC Sho-Biz, c/o Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; phone: 713.504.0628; email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Show schedules are subject to change. Please call before traveling long distances. All listings published here will also be published on the FOHBC.org website.
10 March 2024 – West Friendship, Maryland The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, baltimorebottleclub.org, Howard County Fairgrounds, Main Exhibition Hall, 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship, Maryland 21794, Contact Info: Shawn Peters, Show Director, 240.508.1032, BaltoMd_stoneware@outlook.com. For Contracts: Micah Dolina, mdolina@hotmail.com, FOHBC Member Club
05 & 06 April 2024 – Reddick, Florida The Deland Antique Bottle Show at Turkey Creek, Saturday, 06 April, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Friday, 05 April, Early Buyers $20 and Dealer Set-up 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. FREE admission Saturday, Turkey Creek Auctions Building, 15323 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick, Florida 32686; Contact Ronnie McCormick, 352.262.8672, oldflabottles@ gmail.com or Louise O’Quinn, 386.943.2766, edlouise210@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club
25 – 28 April 2024 – Newport, Rhode Island 36th Annual Perfume Bottle and Vintage Vanity Show & Sale Annual Show, Newport Harbor Island Resort, 1 Goat Island, Newport, RI 02849, Thursday afternoon April 25th to Sunday Afternoon April 28th. Set up April 24th and 25th for Vendors. Cost of admission for show $350. Cost of early admission $450. International Perfume Bottle Association, Contact Teri Wirth, President, 407.973.0783, president@perfumebottles.org
15 & 16 March 2024 – Dalton, Georgia Chattanooga North Georgia Antique Bottles & Advertising Show, Dalton Convention Center, 2211 Tony Ingle Pkwy, Dalton, Georgia 30720 (Exit 333 off I-75). Concessions available. Early Buyers Friday: 1:00 to 6:00 pm and Saturday 8:00 to 9:00 am ($20). Admission Free Saturday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Parking is free. Show Chairmen: Jason Herron 205.913.9748 and Buddy Lasater 423.718.3521. FOHBC Member Club
06 April 2024 – Kalamazoo, Michigan The Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club’s 43rd Annual Antique Bottle & Glass Show & Sale, 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake St., Kalamazoo, Michigan 49048, Contact: John Pastor, 616.581.7005 jpastor@americanglassgallery.com or Rob Knolle, 269.993.5125, Sponsored by the Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club, Visit Facebook Page, FOHBC Member Club
28 April 2024 – Rochester, New York 53rd Annual Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association’s (GVBCA) Rochester Bottle & Antique Show, Roberts Wesleyan University, Voller Athletic Center, 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, New York 14624, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Admission $5. 17 and Under FREE, Show and Dealer Inquires: Aaron and Pamela Weber, gvbca@ frontiernet.net, 585.749.8874. FOHBC Member Club
17 March 2024 – St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis 54th Annual Antique Bottle & Jar Show; Orlando Gardens, 4300 Hoffmeister Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63125. General Admission is $3 from 9 am to 2 pm; Set-up 7 am to 9 am. Children free. Contact: St Louis Antique Bottle Collectors Assn., Pat Jett (show chair), 71 Outlook Drive, Hillsboro, Missouri 63050, 314.570.6917, patsy_jett@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club
07 April 2024 – Hutchinson, Kansas The 17th Annual Kansas Territory Bottle & Post Card Show & Sale, General Admission: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Kansas State Fairgrounds, Pride of Kansas Building, 2000 N. Poplar Street, Hutchinson, Kansas, Info: Mike McJunkin, 620.728.8304, scarleits@cox.net or Mark Law, 785.224.4836, kansasbottles@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club
04 May 2024 – Gray, Tennessee State of Franklin Antique Bottles & Collectible Assoc. 26th Annual Show & Sale, Saturday, May 4th, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Appalachian Fairground, 100 Lakeview Street, Gray, Tenn. 37615, Exit 13 on I-216, No Early Admission. Contact Kenneth Depew, President, 4017 Rick Slaughter Ct., Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, 423.817.3298, kenshell@chartertn.net, sfabca.com, FOHBC Member Club
23 March 2024 – Daphne, Alabama The Mobile Bottle Collectors Club’s 51st Annual Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Daphne Civic Center, 2603 US Hwy 98, Daphne, Alabama 36526. Free Admission and Bottle Appraisals. Dealer Setup is Friday, March 22, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. For more information, contact Rod Vining at 251.957.6725, Email: vinewood@mchsi.com or Facebook: “Mobile Bottle Collector’s Club Show & Sale.” See Sales Table Application and Contract on website, FOHBC Member Club
14 April 2024 – Bloomington, Minnesota North Star Historical Bottle Association Presents its 52nd Annual Antique Bottle, Advertising, and Stoneware Show and Sale, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Knights of Columbus Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. West, Bloomington, Minnesota 55420. Info: 651.271-3423, AKonitzer1@gmail.com or 952.221.0915, steve@antiquebottledepot.com, FOHBC Member Club
04 May 2024 – New Hartford, New York New location! The Mohawk Valley Antique Bottle Club will host its 28th Annual Utica Bottle Show & Sale at the Hope Alliance Church, 4291 Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford, New York, 13413, 9 am to 2:30 pm. Admission $5. Info: Peter Bleiberg at 315.735.5430 or email pmbleiberg@aol.com, mohawkvalleybottleclub. com, FOHBC Member Club
14 April 2024 – Pickering, Ontario 28th Annual Toronto Bottle and Antique Show and Sale, Chestnut Hill Recreational Complex, 1867 Valley Farm Road, Pickering, Ontario L1V 6K7 (just east of Toronto), Sunday 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, Early admission not available. Set up: 7:00 am to 10 am same day. Cost of admission: $5, Four Seasons Bottle Club on Facebook, Contact: Jon Matheson, Vice President, 251 Rambler Court, Oakville, Ontario L6H 3A6, Tele: 905.875.7778, E-mail: jwmatheson1@gmail.com, Four Seasons Bottle Club
05 May 2024 – Morgantown, West Virginia 7th Annual Dunkard Valley Antiques and Collectibles Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; Early buyers 7:30 am, $20. Both inside and outside vendor spaces are available! At Milan Park. Monongalia Center, 270 Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown, WV 26501, Contact: Don Kelley, 724.998.2734, bonzeyekelley@gmail.com
24 March 2024 – Somers, Connecticut 53rd Annual Somers Antique Bottle Club’s Antique Bottle Show and Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm., Admission $5, Early buyers: 8:00 am – $15. Joanna’s Restaurant, 145 Main St., Rte 190, Somers, Connecticut. Contact: Don Desjardins, 22 Anderson Road, Ware, Massachusetts 01082, 413.967.4431 or 413.687,4808, dondes@comcast.net, FOHBC Member Club 24 March 2024 – Cicero, New York The Empire State Bottle Collectors Association is having their 52nd Antiques & Bottle Show. This is the oldest continuously active club in the United States. 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Cicero American Legion, 5575 Legionnaire Drive, Cicero, New York 13039, Set-up: 7:30 to 9:00am, All Dealers Contact: Dave Tuxill, dtuxill1@ twcny.rr.com, 315.469.0629. Cost of admission: $3. esbca.weebly.com, FOHBC Member Club 24 March 2024 – Flint, Michigan The 54th Flint Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show; Dom Polski Hall, 3415 N. Linden Road, Flint, Michigan 48504. No early admission. General Admission $3, 9 am to 2:30 pm. Set up: 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Contact: Tim Buda, 11353 Cook Road, Gaines, Michigan 48436, 989.271.9193 or tbuda@shianet.org; or visit Flint Antique Bottle & Collectibles Club Facebook Page, FOHBC Member Club
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19 & 20 April 2024 – Antioch, California The Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society’s 56th Annual Bottles, Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale, Early Buyers: Friday 12 pm to 5 pm, $10 Admission; General Admission: Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free. Contra Costa Event Park (Fairgrounds), Sunset Hall, 1201 West 10th Street, Antioch, California 94509. Info: Gary and Darla Antone, 925.373.6758, packrat49er@netscape.net, FOHBC Member Club 20 April 2024 – Columbia, South Carolina The South Carolina Bottle Club’s 51st Annual Show & Sale, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, 172 tables last year with room to grow! Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Donation at the door suggested, Dealer Only Set-Up 7:00 am to 9:00 am, Jamil Shrine Temple, Contact: Marty Vollmer 803.629.8553, martyvollmer@aol.com or Art Gose 803.840.1539, scbottlehunters@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club
11 May 2024 – Gardendale, Alabama 4th Annual Alabama Bottle & Antique Show, Saturday, May 11, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm; Free Admission and Appraisals. Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main Street, Gardendale, Alabama 35071 (10 minutes north of Birmingham). Info: Keith Quinn: 205.365.1983, klq1812@gmail.com or Steve Holland, 205.492.6864. Visit our Facebook page Alabama Bottle Collectors’ Society. FOHBC Member Club 17 & 18 May 2024 – Bellville, Ohio The National Association of Milk Bottle Collectors (NAMBC) will hold its annual convention for milk bottle enthusiasts from throughout the United States who will gather to buy, sell, and trade bottles and other dairy memorabilia while socializing with fellow collectors. The 2-day event includes exhibits, an auction, an awards banquet, an ice cream social, and several educational seminars. The event has a 40-year history which is testimony to its continuing popularity. This year’s convention will take place on May 17 & 18, 2024 at the Quality Inn & Suites in Bellville, Ohio.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Sho-Biz Calendar of Shows FOHBC Member Clubs: Please request event insurance coverage at least two months before your event. Email fohbcmembers@gmail.com. Put “Show Insurance” in subject line.
18 May 2024 – Mandeville, Louisiana The Greater New Orleans Second Annual Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale at the Mandeville Lions Club, 720 Lafitte Street, Mandeville, Louisiana 70448, Dealer Set Up, Friday, May 17, 12 noon to 5:00 pm and on Saturday, May 18, 8:00 to 10:00 am. Early Bird $25 during dealer setup. Free admission is Saturday, May 20, from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm; contact Peter Taggard, 645 Village Lane South, Mandeville, Louisiana 70471. See Contract. Call or text: 985.373.6487, Email: petertaggard@yahoo.com 19 May 2024 – Washington, Pennsylvania Washington County Antique Bottle Club 50th Annual Show and Sale, Alpine Star Lodge, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington, Pennsylvania 15301, Admission $3, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Early admission $25 at 7:30 am. Info: Ed Kuskie, 412.405.9061, 352 Pineview Drive, Elizabeth, Pennsylvania 15037, bottlewizard@comcast. net, FOHBC Member Club 19 May 2023 – Hammonton, New Jersey 2024 Spring Bottle Show at Batsto Village by the Batsto Citizens Committee, Inc., 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, rain or shine! Free admission! Historic Batsto Village, Wharton State Forest, Rt. 542 Pleasant Mills Road, Hammonton, New Jersey. Contact Info: Jim Hammell, 856.217.4945, hammelljm@gmail.com 24 & 25 May 2024 – Boulder City, Nevada 58th Annual 2024 Antiques, Vintage, & Collectibles Show & Sale. Proudly presented by the Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectibles Club. 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday. 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday. Boulder City Parks & Recreational Bldg., 900 Arizona St. Boulder City, Nevada 89005. Partnered with The Best Dam BBQ Challenge. For tables, contact Rob at 702.830.3898, FOHBC Member Club 01 June 2024 – Pickens, South Carolina The Carolinas–Georgia Bottle Show & Sale at The Market at the Mill, 225 Pumpkinville Hwy, Pickens, S.C. 29671, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Set-up 7:00 to 9:00 am. Show and dealer information Samuel Rhodes, 864.508-6518, samuelrhodes99@gmail.com 02 June 2024 – Ballston Spa New York The 44th Annual Saratoga Antique Bottle Show And Sale at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds, 162 Prospect Street, Ballston Spa, New York 12020. General Admission Sunday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, $5; Early Admission Sunday, 8:00 to 9:00 am, $2. Show set up Saturday, June 1st, 7:00 to 9:00 pm and Sunday, 6:30 to 8:00 am. Host Club: National Bottle Museum, nationalbottlemuseum.org, 518.885.7589, info@nationalbottlemuseum.org, Show chair: Roy Topka, 518.779.1243, rmt556@yahoo.com; FOHBC Member Club 08 June 2024 – Cambridge City, Indiana 10th Annual Cambridge City Jar & Antique Show, Creitz Park, 150 North Foote Street, Cambridge City, Indiana, Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Set up at 7:00 am. Contact Marty Troxell, 765.478.3800, doublehead@myfrontiermail.com. Also, contact Marty on Facebook Ball Jar Collectors if you prefer. FOHBC Member Club 08 June 2024 Dayton, Nevada Northern Nevada Insulator Show & Sale, June 8, 2024, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, Free admission – Open to public, Dayton Community
March – April 2024
Center, 170 Pike Street, Dayton, Nevada, Set-up Friday, June 7th, 3:00 to 7:00 pm, Indoor Venue, Tables and chairs provided. Contact: Glenn Hasbrouck, ghasbrouck42@yahoo.com 08 June 2024 – Weyers Cave, Virginia The Historical Bottle Diggers of Virginia 52nd Antique Bottle and Collectibles Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Weyers Cave Community Center, 682 Weyers Cave Road, (Rt. 256), Weyers Cave, Virginia 24486, Info: Sonny Smiley, Show Chairman, 540.434.1129, lithiaman1@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 08 June 2024 – East Windsor, New Jersey New Jersey Antique Bottle Club (NJABC) is hosting their 4th Annual Outdoor Antique Bottle Show & Sale, (Rain date Sunday, 09 June 2024) 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Admission is $5; no early buyers. Kyle Family Farms. 831 Windsor Perrineville Rd. East Windsor, N.J. 08520, Contact Kevin Kyle, 230 Cedarville Road, East Windsor, New Jersey 08520, 609.209.4034, bottlediggerkev@aol.com, FOHBC Member Club 22 June 2024 – Johnston, Iowa The Iowa Antique Bottleers 54th Annual Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show and Sale at the Johnston Lions Club, 64th Place and Merle Hay Road, Johnston, Iowa; Admission $1, Children Free, For info contact Mark Wiseman, 3505 Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50301, 515.344.8333 or Joyce Jessen, 515.979.5216, See Contract on website listing, FOHBC Member Club 6 & 7 July 2024 – Barnsley, S. Yorks, UK Britain’s Biggest Show 32nd Summer National, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Rd, Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8HJ, United Kingdom, Contact BBR Auctions, Tele: 01226 745156, sales@onlinebbr.com, onlinebbr.com, See FOHBC website for show flyer. 19-21 July 2024 – Tonopah, Nevada Second Tonopah Nevada Rock & Bottle Show. 301 Brougher Ave., Tonopah, Nevada 89049. Cost of admission: $1. Early admission: $20. This event is Hosted by the Town of Tonopah. We are in search of vendors. If interested, please contact Chrissy Pope. Tourism & Events Coordinator, Town of Tonopah at 775.277.0804, Chrissy.townoftonopah@gmail.com 31 July 2024 – Brookshire, Texas Houston 24 Peachridge Glass “Glass in the Grass” Sell antique bottles, glass, advertising and related antiques from the back of your vehicle or from under a self-provided tent at “Glass in the Grass.” $25 for “Sellers” with vehicles. Open to all antique bottle dealers even if you are not setting up at Hotel ZaZa. $25 gate fee for “Dealer”vehicles only. All guests free. Relax, mingle and wander under the many large pecan trees surrounding the hay field. First come-first choice in dealer location. The temperature on the lower Brazos River plains is typically pleasant during summer hours of the event. Breakfast catered. Please contact Ferdinand Meyer V, fmeyer@fmgdesign.com for information. FOHBC National Event 01 August to 04 August 2024 – Houston, Texas FOHBC 2024 Houston National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition hosted by the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. Brought to you by Peachridge Collections LLC. Host Hotel: Hotel Zaza Museum District.
Featuring American Antique Glass Masterpieces and the David P. Wilber and Anthony Gugliotti Collections. Antique Bottle and Glass Show & Sale at Hotel ZaZa. Visit FOHBC.org or contact Ferdinand Meyer V, fmeyer@fmgdesign.com for information. FOHBC National Event 10 August 2024 – Lincoln, Alabama 9th Annual Lincoln Bottle, Antique & Collectible Show, Lincoln Civic Center, 120 Jones Street, Lincoln, Ala. 35096, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Contact chairman Jake Smith, 256.267.0446, syl_bottleguy@yahoo.com. Free public admission, $20 early admission Saturday 8:00 am till 9:00 am, Free appraisals. Info on Facebook. 08 September 2024 – Pekin, Illinois Pekin Bottle Collectors Assoc. 54th Antique Bottle Collectors Annual Show & Sale, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Admission $2, Free Appraisals, Moose Lodge, 2605 Broadway Street, Pekin, Illinois, Contact Info: Daryl Weseloh, 309.264.9268, darylweseloh@gmail. com, FOHBC Member Club 14 September 2024 –Castle Rock, Colorado The 58th Anniversary Antique Bottle Collectors of Colorado Show, Douglas County Fairgrounds at Kirk Hall, 500 Fairgrounds Dr., Castle Rock, Colorado 80104. Early Bird Admission Sept. 13th at 8:00 am $10. General Admission: Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free. More information: Fred Bjork, 719.310.8388, manfredbjork@yahoo. com, antiquebottlecollectorsofcolorado.com, FOHBC Member Club 21 September 2024 – Santa Ana, California The Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club’s Annual Antique Bottles, Fruit Jars, Insulators, Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Free, Early Bird $15 at 8:00 am, Club Members All Day Entry, at the Santa Ana California Elks Lodge, 1751 South Lyon St., Santa Ana, California 92705. Free Admission, Info: Don Wippert, Tele: 818.610.9332; Email: donwippert1@gmail.com or Chuck Gildea, tele: 949.351.7620. FOHBC Member Club 21 September 2024 – Santa Rosa, California Northwestern Bottle Collectors’ Association’s 57th Annual Antique, Bottle & Collectible Show at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa, California 95404. General Admission: Saturday Noon to 4:00 pm, FREE, Saturday early admission 10:00 am to Noon, $10. For dealer and show information contact Jon Mathieu, 707.327.7286, ohfrenchy@att.net or John Burton, 707.523.1611, johncburton@msn.com, FOHBC Member Club 25 & 26 October 2024 – Nashville, Tennessee Area Tennessee Bottle Collectors Presents their Nashville Area Antique Bottle & Advertising Show, Wilson County Fairgrounds, 945 E. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087, Behind Expo Center, I-40 Exit 239B, Friday 1:30 to 6:00 pm Early Buyer $15 Admission, Saturday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Free Admission. Dealer Set-up: Friday: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday: 7:00 am. For Show Info or Vendor Contract, Contact Show Chairmen Greg Eaton: at 865.548.3176 or Stanley Word at 615.708.6634, FOHBC Member Club
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THE AUSTRALIAN
BOTTLE & COLLECTABLES REVIEW
For all the latest THE AUSTRALIAN BOTTLE & Australian news! COLLECTABLES REVIEW
Quarterly publication of 36 pages. Many of the consumable goods in 19th century Australia were supplied by both England and the United States, resulting in some nice bottles of U. S. origin having been found in Australia.
January-March, 2023
$65 per year.
PayPal: abcr@bigpond.com
Email: travisdunn@bigpond.com
ABCR Auctions often offers items of U. S. interest, such as these upcoming items to the left. Also operated by Travis Dunn, this auction can be found at: Untitled-1 1
9/01/2023 9:28:54 PM
www.abcrauctions.com
Auctions run every three months. Email: info@abcrauctions.com Free to register. Low commissions. Reliable condition assessments.
70
FOHBC Advert.indd 1
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
23/03/2023 4:49:55 PM
Membership Benefits & Display Advertising Rates The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) is a non-profit organization supporting antique bottle and glass collecting. The goal of the FOHBC is to promote the collection, study, preservation and display of historical bottles and related artifacts and to share this information with other collectors and individuals. Membership is open to any individual, club or institution interested in the enjoyment and study of antique bottles and glass. Membership benefits include: –Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (AB&GC), the official publication of FOHBC and the leading publication for those interested in antique bottle and glass collecting and all associated ephemera. Annual subscription includes 6 issues (bi-monthly) of this all-color, 72-page plus covers publication. (Digital memberships also available.) –Free classified advertising in AB&GC. Ads may be up to 100 words for items of $25 or greater value; and one free ad of 60 words each year For Sale, Wanted, or For Trade. (Restrictions apply and free ads are limited to the first received for available space.) Ads appear on the FOHBC website also. See page 72. –FOHBC.org, a comprehensive website dedicated to the organization and hobby, providing access through the Members Portal to the latest news in the collecting world, Membership Directory, archived magazine issues, indexed articles, Federation meeting minutes and announcements, and a vast assortment of research material. –Virtual Museum of Historical Bottles and Glass, the most comprehensive antique bottle and glass experience on the Internet. Spinning images of museum-quality examples of antique bottles and glass, including well-researched history of the manufacture, distribution, and use of each item. –Auction Price Report, an online resource which includes the sale price and description of anything auctioned by the top antique bottle and glass auction houses in the past decade. Easy to use. Updated annually. (Password protected.) –National Shows and Conventions, featuring displays, educational seminars, membership meetings, social events, and banquet with interesting speakers, all centered around a first-class sale event. Members are eligible for discounts on “Early Admission” or table rental. –Newsletter, digital presentation of periodic postings to keep FOHBC members up to date on current issues affecting the hobby. Affiliated Bottle Club Membership brings these additional benefits to your group: –Federation-sponsored Insurance Program for your show and any other club-sponsored activities. (Application required for each event.) Value of this is many times more than the cost of club membership. –Club Display Ad in AB&GC at discount of 50%. –Free Club Show Ad on the Federation website to increase your show’s exposure. –Free Links to Club Website; Social Media (Facebook) exposure. –Free Federation Ribbons for Best in Show and Most Educational display at your show. For more information, questions, or to join the FOHBC, please contact: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; phone: 713.504.0628 or email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com. Visit us at FOHBC.org March – April 2024
Where there’s a will there’s a way to leave Donations to the FOHBC
Did you know the FOHBC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization? How does that affect you? It allows tax deductions for any and all donations to the FOHBC. You might also consider a bequest in your will to the FOHBC. This could be a certain amount of money or part or all of your bottle collection. The appraised value of your collection would be able to be deducted from your taxes. (This is not legal advice, please consult an attorney.) The same-type wording could be used for bequeathing your collection or part of it; however, before donating your collection (or part of it), you would need the collection appraised by a professional appraiser with knowledge of bottles and their market values. This is the amount that would be tax deductible. Thank you for considering the FOHBC in your donation plans. 71
Membership Application, Classified Advertising & Article Submission
FOHBC Individual Membership Application For Membership, complete the following application or sign up at FOHBC.org (Please Print)
Name_________________________________ Address________________________________ City __________ State___________________ Zip ___________ Country _________________ Telephone_______________________________ Email Address_____________________________ Collecting Interests ________________________ ____________________________________
Do you wish to be listed in the online membership directory?(name, address, phone number, email address and what you collect) { } Yes { } No Would you be interested in serving as an officer? { } Yes { } No
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector Free Ads Category: “WANTED” Maximum - 60 words Limit - One free ad per current membership year. OR Category: “FOR SALE” Maximum - 100 words Limit - 1 ad per issue. (Use extra paper if necessary.)
Would you be interested in contributing your bottle knowledge by writing articles for our magazine? { } Yes { } No Would you be interested in volunteering
Additional Comments _______________________ to help on any FOHBC projects? { } Yes ____________________________________ { } No Membership/Subscription rates for one year (6 issues) (Circle One) (All First Class sent in a protected mailer)
United States
- Standard Mail - Standard Mail w/Associate* - Standard Mail 3 years - Standard Mail 3 years w/Associate* Digital Membership (electronic files only)
$40 $45 $110 $125 $25
1st Class $55 1st Class w/Associate $60 1st Class 3 years $125 1st Class 3 yrs w/Assoc. $140
Canada – First Class $60 Other countries – First Class $80
- Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, includes all benefits of a Standard 1st
Class membership. No promise of a printed magazine for life. - Level 2: $500, includes all benefits of a regular membership but you will not receive a printed magazine, but rather a digital subscription.
Add an Associate Membership* to any of the above at $5 for each Associate for each year.
Associate Member Name(s) __________________________________
*Associate Membership is available to members of the immediate family of any adult holding an Individual Membership. Children age 21 or older must have their own individual membership. Associate Members enjoy all of the rights and privileges of an Individual Membership.
Signature ______________________________ Date _______________ Please make checks or money orders payable to FOHBC and mail to: FOHBC Membership, Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, Phone: 713.504.0628 Email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
Affiliated Club Membership for only $75 with liability insurance for all club-sponsored events, 50% discount on advertising in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, plus so much more, Contact: FOHBC Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, PO Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, 713.504.0628, fohbcmembers@ gmail.com 72
Clearly Print or Type Your Ad Send to: FOHBC Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; phone: 713.504.0628; or better yet, email Elizabeth at: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
Magazine Submission Requirements: We welcome the submission of articles and related pictures pertaining to antique bottle and early glass collecting, our hobby, digging, diving, and finding, as well as other interesting stories.
SUBMISSION POLICY—Articles: All Antique Bottle & Glass Collector articles or material needs to be submitted via an FTP site, email or hard copy. Electronic text files should be in Microsoft Word. Electronic photo files should be in JPEG, TIFF or EPS format. Resolution of 300 dpi at actual publication size is preferred but as low as 150 dpi (at double publication size) is acceptable.
SUBMISSION POLICY—Classified ads: All ad copy should be typewritten, clearly & legibly printed, or sent via e-mail. The FOHBC will not be responsible for errors in an ad due to poor quality, illegible copy. The FOHBC reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Please send articles/images to fmeyer@fmgdesign.com or mail to business manager noted on bottom of previous column.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Space City PRE MIERS THIS SUMMER!
01 Aug – 04 Aug 2024
HOUSTO
NATIONAL AN
TIQUE BOTT
2024
N
LE & GL AS S EXPO
Houston received its official nickname of "Space City" in 1967 because it is home to NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center.
INFO FOHBC.org
FOHBC c/o Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager P.O. Box 1825 Brookshire, Texas 77423
FOHBC Member. Please check your mailing address and subscription status above and notify us of any corrections.
Don’t miss one issue of AB&GC. Keep your FOHBC membership up to date!
Visit us at FOHBC.org