FOHBC Regional News

Northeast Region [Fred DeCarlo, Director] I'm happy to announce that a lot is going on in the Northeast with clubs and shows. The Mid-Maine Antique Bottle Club held its first annual show and, from reports I have received, things went great. It's really nice hearing about a new show, especially after everything that has been going on. The Little Rhody Bottle Club reports that things are going well for their club. This year, three outdoor swap meets were well attended, and meetings have again started up in September with a Christmas party planned for December 4th. The Mohawk Valley Antique Bottle Club holds monthly meetings with 30-40 in attendance each month, which is great numbers. The North Jersey Antique Bottle Collectors Association held its 51st annual show, and reports say it had over 200 attendees. The Forks of the Delaware Bottle Collectors Association held its 47th annual show and reported that everything went well. Stay safe and stay in touch. We love to hear from the clubs.

Midwest Region [Steve Lang, Director] As you read this, the holidays have passed, and we are starting in 2022. I am writing this Midwest Region Report the weekend before Thanksgiving, and this time of year always makes me very thankful for all the people in this hobby that have touched my life. I would have never thought that business-style “networking” could be so personal. I genuinely hope the holiday season was great for all, and I hope we continue to move towards normalcy in 2022.

Midwest clubs are meeting monthly and hosting their shows this fall, unlike 2020 and part of 2021. I attended and set up at the 1st Chicago Bottle Club’s 52nd Annual Show on October 31st in Alsip, Illinois. This show had seventy-one tables, and some great treats were found on dealer tables because it was Halloween. I want to give a big kudos to Show Chairman Mario Bovino, Mario & Jennifer Pisterzi, and Club President John Panek for putting on a great show.

The Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club in Muncie, Indiana, elected a new President for 2022. Congratulations to Jerry Dixon and the club for hosting their upcoming milestone 50th Annual Show on January 15th, 2022.

The North Star Bottle Club in Bloomington, Minnesota, had an October meeting and a special guest in FOHBC’s very own 2nd Vice-President Mike Seeliger. Mike did a presentation on his passion, H.H. Warner bottles, for the club.

The Kalamazoo Bottle Club in Kalamazoo, Michigan, elected a new President and VicePresident for 2022. Congrats to newly elected President Rob Knolle and Vice-President Vincent Grossi.

Southern Region [Jake Smith, Director] I like to start by saying that I am sorry to my region as I came down with Covid-19 for three weeks in late September and the first part of October. I was out of work, without pay, and I got behind in all things in my life, so letters and calls to folks in the hobby have been on hold for the most part until I can catch up in my personal life. I have heard that the 8th annual Fayette, Alabama Bottle Show was a good event with about 50 tables with folks attending from a few surrounding states. Chairman Jeff Pendley is thinking of having another show in 2022. The 50th Annual Southeastern Antique Bottle and Pottery Show was at a new location as Jack Hewitt and Bill Johnson moved it to Jefferson, Georgia. I also heard that the show turned out great. I didn’t hear or see on Facebook many of the shows that the south had going on, so I hope that those shows were successful too. I hope to hear from more show chairs in the coming year, and I hope all Southern shows get better each year. Western Region [Eric McGuire, Director] Bottle happenings have picked up a little in the last few months due to a couple of bottle shows. The 3rd Annual Sacramento Valley Museum Bottle and Antique Show in Williams, California, on October 1 and 2, was by all accounts a success. The show's beginning was dominated by a seller who was not a regular bottle collector and was “liquidating” a collection purchased elsewhere. It contained a good selection of bottles that caused nearly the entire show attendees to crowd the sales table. We have all witnessed this type of action at shows; however, this time it was described as especially exciting.

The anticipated show of the year was that of the 49er Historic Bottle Assoc. "Best of the West" 2021 Antique Bottle, Insulator & Western Collectibles Show in Auburn, California, on November 13. It was hosted at the Auburn Fairgrounds, which had been the traditional site of the show for many years, and had that nostalgia going for it. The attendance was good despite a lingering Covid issue. Sales were brisk and many nice items went home with different owners.

One notable piece of excitement was the re-appearance of a pickle bottle that had been gone from the hands of collectors for many years and thought to be lost forever. An old-time collector, who has since passed, excavated the bottle near the old waterfront of Oakland, California, in the early 1970s, and no other intact examples have been found.

What is considered by many to be the holy grail of Western bottles, it is a crudely made "cathedral" pickle embossed with the names of BAKER & CUTTING, PICKLE AND GLASS MFRS, SAN FRANCISCO. By all existing records, these bottles were the first to be made west of St. Louis, Missouri, within the last few months of 1859. Many broken examples have been found over the years and in striking colors. It seems extraordinary that only one intact example exists. Both bottles are represented in the FOHBC Virtual Museum.

Happy holidays to all and may the coming year be kinder to all who have suffered in our exceptionally crazy world.