B&e novdec 2008r

Vol. 19 No. 6

www.FOHBC.com

November-December 2008

The official publication of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors

Bottles and Extras Vol. 19 No 6

November-December 2008

No. 180

Table of Contents FOHBC Officer Listing 2008 - 2010 ......... 2 The American National Bottle Exhibition 2008 (An Aussie’s Perspective) President’s Message .................................. 3 Rex and Joanna Barber .................. 27

2008 Honor Roll Inductees ..................... 57 Steve Ketcham Katie Foglesong

Recent Finds .............................................. 4 York Expo - A Big Success Steve Ketcham ................................ 30 At Auction ................................................. 5 The USA Expo 2008 Bottle Buzz ................................................ 6 Russ Smith ...................................... 32

Classified Ads & Ad Rate Information ... 62 Show Biz Show Calendar ............................... 66 Membership Additions and Changes....... 69

Paper Trail ................................................. 8 Celebrating 150 Years of Mason Jars Joe Merkel and Jim Sears ............... 36 Regional Reports ..................................... 10 The York 2008 - Some “Pristine” Choices Battleship Revenue Stamps ..................... 23 Dar Furda ....................................... 40

Membership Application ......................... 71 Membership Benefits .............................. 72

Board Meeting Minutes ........................... 24 2008 Hall of Fame Inductees................... 48 Betty Zumwalt Tom Caniff J. Carl Sturm Jim Hagenbuch

Don’t miss an issue - Please check your label for expiration information.

Fair use notice: Some material above 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 copyrighted owner(s).

WHO DO I CONTACT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE? CHANGE OF ADDRESS, MISSING ISSUES, etc., contact the Business Manager June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct., Raymore, MO 64083; Phone: (816) 318-0160 or email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com To ADVERTISE, SUBSCRIBE or RENEW a subscription, see pages 64-65 for details.

To SUBMIT A STORY, send a LETTER TO THE EDITOR, or have COMMENTS and concerns, Contact: June Lowry, Bottles and Extras, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083 Phone: (816) 318-0160 or email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com BOTTLES AND EXTRAS © (ISSN 1050-5598) is published bi-monthly (6 issues per year) by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. (a non-profit IRS C3 educational organization) at 401 Johnston Court, Raymore, MO 64083; Ph: (816) 318-0160; Website: http://www.fohbc.com. Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Raymore, MO 64083 and additional mailing office, Pub. #005062.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bottles and Extras, FOHBC, 401 Johnston Court, Raymore, MO 64083; ph: (816) 318-0160.

Annual subscription rate is $30 or $45 for First Class, $50 Canada and $65 other foreign in U.S. funds. The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. assumes no responsibility for products and services advertised in this publication.

The names: Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc., and Bottles and Extras©, are registered ® names of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc., and no use of either, other than as references, may be used 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 Modernlitho, Jefferson City, MO 65101

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors

Business & News The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors is a non-profit organization for collectors of historical bottles 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 2008-2010 President: Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, CA 95402; phone: (707) 542-6438; e-mail: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net First Vice-President: Bob Ferraro, 515 Northridge Dr, Boulder City, NV 89005; phone: (701) 293-3114; e-mail: mayorferraro@aol.com Second Vice-President: John Pastor, 5716 Versailles Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103; phone: (734) 827-2070; e-mail: jpastor2000@sbcglobal.net Secretary: Ed Herrold, 65 Laurel Loop, Maggie Valley, NC 28571; phone: (828) 926-2513; e-mail: drbitters@mindspring.com Treasurer: Alan DeMaison, 1605 Clipper Cove, Painesville, OH 44077; phone: (440) 358-1223; e-mail: a.demaison@sbcglobal.net Historian: Richard Watson, 10 S Wendover Rd, Medford, NJ 08055; phone: (856) 983-1364; e-mail: crwatsonnj@verizon.net Editor (acting): June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083; phone: (816) 318-0161; e-mail: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com Merchandising Director: Kent Williams, 1835 Oak Ter, Newcastle, CA 95658; phone: (916) 663-1265; e-mail: KentW@ppoa.org Membership Director: Gene Bradberry, PO Box 341062, Memphis, TN 38184; phone: (901) 372-8428; e-mail: Genebsa@comcast.net Convention Director: R Wayne Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083; phone: (816) 318-0161; e-mail: JarDoctor@aol.com

Business Manager: June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083; phone: (816) 318-0160; e-mail: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com Director-at-Large: Carl Sturm, 88 Sweetbriar Branch, Longwood, FL 32750; phone: (407) 332-7689; e-mail: glassmancarl@sprintmail.com Director-at-Large: Sheldon Baugh, 252 W Valley Dr, Russellville, KY 42276; phone: (270) 726-2712; e-mail: shel6943@bellsouth.net Director-at-Large: Cecil Munsey, 13541 Willow Run Rd, Poway, CA 92064; phone: (858) 487-7036; e-mail: cecilmunsey@cox.net Midwest Region Director: Jamie Houdeshell, PO Box 57, Haskins, OH 43525; phone: (419) 823-8452; e-mail: JHBottle@hotmail.com Northeast Region Director: James Bender, PO Box 162, Sprakers, NY 12166; phone: (518) 673-8833; e-mail: Jim1@frontiernet.net Southern Region Director: Ron Hands, 913 Parkside Dr, Wilson, NC 27896; phone: (252) 265-6644; e-mail: rshands225@yahoo.com Western Region Director: Bill Ham, 4237 Hendricks Rd, Lakeport, CA 95433; phone: (707) 263-6563; e-mail: Billham@sbcglobal.net Public Relations Director: James Berry, 200 Fort Plain Watershed Rd, St. Johnsville, NY 13452; phone: (518) 568-5683; e-mail: jhberry10@yahoo.com

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

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Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors

President: Richard Siri PO Box 3818 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 (707) 542-6438 rtsiri@sbcglobal.net

President’s Message Well, here we are again apologizing for the late mailing of the September-October issue of Bottles and Extras. Believe me everything was done that was humanly possible to get it out on time. Our editor due to illness was totally unresponsive to the needs of the FOHBC and that’s enough said about that. We can all thank June Lowry with the help of Martin Van Zant for getting the SeptemberOctober issue out as well as this issue: a job well done and way beyond her duty as business manager.

Now we have backups in place to get the magazine out in case the editor gets sick or incapacitated in some way unable to get the magazine out in time. We will established a backup program that insures a timely magazine. All stories, articles, ads etc. are to be sent to the business manager and then will be forwarded to the editor.

This will insure that at least two peo-

ple will have the information needed to put out the magazine.

I don’t know where our economy will be when this message gets out to you, but bottle values are holding their own. I’m glad to have invested in bottles rather than in the stock market and even if they do lose some value, they are a lot prettier than stock certificates. I do feel sorry for those who depend on interest earnings and are fixed incomes. I hope the next administration will lead us out of the mess we are in.

The collectible market, at the topend, keeps going up. I’m always amazed at the prices things bring, but then again, I’ve got a window or two of just nice old bottles of little value that put a smile on my face when the sun lights them up.

Members who have issues or comments that want them brought to the board meeting in March should

contact me by email or a phone call.

Numbers are in the FOHBC officers list. I will also be at the Auburn, CA, Andersen, CA, and the Las Vegas shows.

Know collectors out there that don’t belong to the FOHBC ?? Talk to them, get them to join - there are benefits to belonging to the FOHBC. The magazine alone is worth the price of membership. Find out what’s going on around the country. The magazine contains great research articles and a place to advertise your wares and wants. We need to grow the membership - there is strength in numbers.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday season.

Be safe and stay well.

Richard Siri – President FOHBC

Richard Siri’s Hostetter’s display at the York Expo

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

RECENT FINDS

Figure 1 Some people are born lucky. Like Tom Feltman of O'Fallon, Ill., for example. He was digging out an early privy in St. Louis when a 12-sided, pontiled soda emerged. It's embossed C. Abel & Co. / Soda Water / St. Louis, Mo. Tom said the aqua examples of the desirable bottle are known, but only two are in cobalt, and his became No. 2 (Fig. 1 & 2). The collector said Charles Abel started his soda water business in 1857 at 203 Franklin Avenue in St. Louis and the business lasted only two years. "This bottle is now the Figure 2 highlight of my collection of colored St. Louis sodas," Tom said.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY Unlisted embossed bottles dug in colonial New England.

“DR. WHITES EYE WATER” It was 1974 in Alexandria, Va., where Glenn, Doug, and Joe (with the permission of the owner) were scouting out digging sites on a property just two lots down from the Friendship Fire Company organized in 1774 by George Washington. The property proved very productive as they found several privy lines and three wells.

They struck gold when they found Well No. 1, the oldest of the wells. Glenn recalls its discovery was a surprise; it was disguised as a privy. When the privy debris layers ended and the general refuge dump began, they realized the outhouse was placed on top of the dried-up well Figure 3 pit. The well casing measured 7 feet x 7 feet by 40 feet deep and took over two months to excavate. The top surface layers dated from the 1920s, bottoming out in the late 1700s.

Figure 4

There were layers over layers of broken bitters, pontiled medicines, black glass, flasks, inks, utilities, pieces of geometric flasks, mocha ware chamber pot shards and a property address plaque that said “Alexandria DC.” Glenn told me that most of the items found in the well were broken with the well finally bottoming out with what Glenn felt to be colonial artifacts.

Alexandria County was part of the original 100-mile square created as the District of Columbia in 1791 pursuant to Article I, Section 8, paragraph 17, of the United States Constitution. The portion of the District created from territory ceded by Virginia in Fairfax County was termed Alexandria County of the District of Columbia.

The plaque was given to the property owner.

As usual the real prizes were at the bottom and this was no exception; low and behold, at the very deepest point emerged six whole examples of the same embossed pontiled medicine bottle! Three were sapphire blue and embossed in English (Fig. 3), and the other three were identical but green (Fig. 4) and embossed in Austrian.

How convenient could it be? Three wild and crazy digging buddies, with six perfect examples of two variants of the same bottle. Each got a matched set, one blue, and one green of these amazing examples of “Dr. White’s Eye Water.”

According to Glenn, Doug thinks he lost his set somewhere along the way, and Joe has not been heard of in 20 years. So as of today, these two bottles are the only remaining of the six known examples. The bottles and this digging story have been hiding in Glenn’s private collection for the past 35 years.

In our opinion these American-dug, historically important examples pre-date 1810, making them among the earliest embossed bottles known.

Randy Driskill 760-415-6549 BottleAuction.com randy@bottleauction.com

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

At Auction

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So

ld

Some of the Highlights of the 2008 York Expo Auction

Medium cobalt Standard wax seal fruit jar - reverse: W. McC & Co with manufacturing flaw seen as cold fold to the applied wax seal lip - $550

Rare Stoneware pitcher with clown/jester holding up a bottle! in cobalt stenciling - $2900

Emerald green, open pontil embossed “Skerrett’s Oil/B. Wheeler/W. Henrietta/Mon.Co NY” - $1500

One of two Palmer’s items. This is a red glass overlay sign made of super thin glass. The other was a Palmer bottle, the two were one lot - $300

D. Davis cobalt 10” tall, 12-sided New York flavored beer with smooth base. Attributed to Lockport Glassworks. Circa 1859 - 1866 - $1000

Aqua sheered lip locomotive ink embossed “Trademark/Pat. Oct. 1874” $850

7 1/2” tall, tombstone shaped American hair bottle in deep caret or puce amethyst embossed “Dodge Brothers//Melamine// Hair Tonic - $1000

All lots and results can be viewed at www.FOHBC.com

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

Bottle Buzz News, Notes, Letters, etc.

Send Buzz notes to : June Lowry 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083 Or e-mail: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com Dear June and Wayne Many thanks for the enormous job you did so well organizing the Bottle Extravaganza in York! We were very impressed with the show and the banquet. The displays were fantastic, each one deserved a vote. We hope you can rest now that it’s over and again, we thank you.

Pat and John Van Dyke ——————— Dear June and Wayne The York Expo was Great! The displays were fabulous, lots of fruit jars.

We are very happy with our FOHBC book - Norm says I’m not sure they are talking about me, however the proof is printed, We really appreciate what all you did for us. I guess maybe there are a few perks for old age - Oh! I mean “long timers”.

We were so pleased to see several of the “old timers” that we hadn’t seen for ages.

Yes, last weekend was full of memories, both old and the new ones we now have.

Thank you so much Barnetts (Norm and Junne) ——————— Dear Wayne & June A mere thank you cannot say enough! The nieces that traveled from CT were so impressed with the show itself.

A grand time was had by all. Sorry I was too choked and couldn’t give a speech. I felt so honored among all those that have done so much for the hobby.

Thank you for such a wonderful show!

Sincerely, Betty Zumwalt (FOHBC Hall of Fame inductee) ———————

Dear Editor, While we have enjoyed and learned from Tom Caniff's "Label Space" for many years, other forms of bottle paper have been long ignored. I am proposing that "Bottles and Extras" adopt a new column idea in which readers send in scans and photos of their bottle-related ephemera along with, if possible, a photo of the bottle to which the ephemera relates and a short paragraph or two of explanation. Trade cards, letterheads, almanacs, post cards, calendars, photos, blotters, book marks, labels - the list of bottle-related paper is nearly endless. Such paper is at least as ephemeral as the bottles it often represents, and is every bit as collectible. Too often we minimize the importance of the paper which can teach us so much about our bottles. This new column, if adopted, will serve as a sharingknowledge forum as we publish items from our collections which might otherwise not see the light of day. C ome to think of it, these are at least some of the "Extras" to which we allude in the title of our Federation publication.

One editor can receive and edit all contributions and then send them to the magazine editor, and I will volunteer to be the first editor if the Federation board so approves. The feature might be named, "Glass Paper" or "Paper Trail."

I have attached three items which I have gathered as examples of what this new feature might look like.

Thank you, Steve Ketcham Editor’s Note: With this issue, you will notice the new column “Paper Trail” edited by Steve Ketcham.

———————

The hobby has lost another pioneer.

Bernard Parks of Stewarts Point, California returned to his maker on October 3, 2008. Born in Healdsburg, California October 31, 1913, Bernard was a lifelong resident of California.

Bernard was a true pioneer in the bottle hobby. He was a member of the Northwestern Bottle Collectors Association from its beginning 42 plus years ago. Bill and Betty Wilson’s book Spirits Bottles of the Old West was dedicated as TO BERNARD W. PARKS – A TRUE COLLECTOR. An extremely knowledgeable person who could discuss just about anything you could think of.

Bernard (Barney to most of us) bought, sold, traded, and dug bottles. He displayed at many shows in the west and was always fun to be around. Nobody that knew him will ever forget his laugh.

Richard Siri ——————— It is with deepest regrets that I must inform you of the passing of Robert David Kesner III, age 45 of Blountville. Rob passed away at his residence Thursday Nov. 20. He is survived by his daughter, Willow and his parents. Oakley-Cook Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Friends and Family will be received Sunday Nov. 23, from 2 - 3 PM , with funeral services being held at 3.

Rob was serving as the Secretary of the Bristol Bottle Club at the time of his passing. Having known Rob for many years, I and many more will surely miss his presence at club meetings, shows and digs. I, especially will miss his visits to my home, where we would sit and talk for hours about bottles, Bristol history, shows , and digging.

Bottles and Extras

The last word I had received from Rob gave no indication he was ill, but did speak of medical problems which I inferred were concerning his father, who had been hospitalized several times in the past. Rob also had noted he was working a lot of long hours. Below is his last email , sent in response to my query about why he had been absent from meetings lately.....> Charlie, I'm still in the club ,but due to work and medical reasons I haven't been able to attend either of the clubs meetings for a few months. It would probably be better to get a new sec. and I'll attend meetings when possible. Hope this don't put you in a bind.

Rob As usual, Rob was concerned about others....which speaks volumes as to his character.

I hope some of you can attend his services and, if not - perhaps a moment of quiet remembrance about those good times you shared and enjoyed with him will be enough. I am glad to say I have lots of those memories to think about.

God Bless you Rob.........

Charlie ——————— September 13, 2008 Dear FOHBC Friends: I was quite surprised, to say the least, to learn that I had won two firstplace awards at the FOHBC York Expo for my articles, "The Steal" and "Proud to be An American!" It never occurred to me that awards are given for contributing articles to Bottles & Extras.

I enjoy writing and am very proud of the plaques I received in the mail. It was a tremendous honor to be recognized by my peers in the antique bottle collecting hobby, most of whom I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting.

This writing ability is only a recently discovered talent of mine. I collected antique bottles nearly 30 years before I wrote my first magazine article in 2004. That is also the year I met and was befriended by Mr. Bill Baab of Augusta, Georgia, and it was

November-December 2008

he who recognized that I had a knack for writing. Had it not been for Bill, most likely I would never nurtured my writing ability and no one would have ever hard of me again.

With Bill’s useful advice and tutorship, my magazine articles have improved greatly over the past three years and I owe him a big debt of gratitude for his encouragement.

When I reach a dead end on some research project, I know I can count on my good friend Ron Fowler of Seattle, Wash., to bail me out. His research abilities are legendary and he’s enhanced many of my magazine articles by assisting me in finding suitable photos, advertisements or illustrations I needed badly.

It is wonderful friends like Bill Baab, Ron Fowler, Kathy Sathe, Robert Wagner and others who enable me to contribute to the hobby by way of my magazine articles. I consider myself blessed to be able to share what I know about antique bottles with my fellow collectors. I thank each and every one of you for finding them interesting enough to read and to be worthy of an award.

Sincerely, Charles David Head ——————— I found your article about the Buck Glass Company online and thought I would contact you about my bottle. I am not a bottle collector, but I have a unique pint milk bottle from the Gwynnbrook Dairy, Owings Mills that I have been unable to learn much about. I wrote to a collector that I found online and he told me that he believes it is from The Buck Glass Company of Baltimore, MD. The reason I am interested is because Owings Mills is in Baltimore County, Maryland and that is where I grew up, but I have never heard of the Gwynnbrook Dairy. This collector asked me to provide him the markings on the bottom rim of the bottle, which are "138 B 33". He says that the "33" means it was made in 1933 and the "B" indicates The Buck Glass Company. He says the bottle was also made in quarts, but that there are no other styles or sizes from this dairy, so

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he thinks the dairy was only in business a short time, maybe 5 years. Is all this true? Do you know any way I can find out more about the Gwynnbrook Dairy?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Ron Robinson 3828 Ayres Court Baltimore, MD 21236 410-790-5006 (Cell) delawaresun@yahoo.com

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November-December 2008

Early Anheuser Busch Trade Card Holds Historic Surprise Since 1876, the Anheuser Busch breweries have produced some of America’s favorite beers. The year 2008 saw an end to the American ownership of the brewery and its many brands as InBev, a Belgium brewing giant, bought out the Budweiser family of brews. InBev employs 89,000 people world wide and is now the world’s largest brewer.

Its roots go back to 1366 when the Den Horen brewery was established in Leuven, Belgium, which is still the company’s home base.

Depicted here is a trade card which Anheuser Busch gave away at the 1890 Minnesota State Fair. With a touch of historic irony, the top of the card carries a short poem announcing that the great brewery was not for sale to any

Bottles and Extras

foreign interests: “No British Syndicate can buy This corporation out; This Beer remains American — ‘Twill ne’er be English Stout!”

One hundred eighteen years later Anheuser Busch beer still isn’t English stout, but it isn’t entirely American, either.

At the foot of the card are listed the addresses of both the St. Paul and Minneapolis branches of the brewery.

Also shown here is an interior photo of the St. Paul branch, identified on the reverse as being on Chestnut Street, just as the trade card address indicates.

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

Gene Autry, Patent Medicine Salesman?

Baby Boomers may recall the days when western heroes like Gene Autry saved the ranch and won the girl every Saturday morning. This photo was no doubt once a publicity image, signed by the three stars pictured. Pat Buttram was Gene Autry’s sidekick. Gail Davis played Annie Oakley in the TV series that ran from 1954 to 1956. The show was produced by Autry.

Buttram and Autry are all holding paper-labeled bottles which depict an Indian head and read “Indian Remedy.”

While the bottles feature threaded lips, the labels do appear to be older. Perhaps we can see in this photo a reminder that many a traveling medicine show was nothing if not a form of entertainment. We are further reminded that there were many Indian medicines on the market, and some lasted well into the Twentieth Century. The second image is of a selection of Indian medicines from the author’s collection.

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Mount Washington Glass Works Trade Card Deming Jarves, famed glassman of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, had a hand in other glass works as well. In “American Glass” George and Helen McKearin explain: “The Mount Washington Glass Works in south Boston was established in 1837 by Deming Jarves and his son, George D. Jarves, and made blown, cut, and pressed wares. In 1850 the firm of Jarves & Cormerais became owners of this plant. With this firm a young man named William L. Libbey received his training in the manufacturing of glass. Ten years later the plant was operated by Libbey and Timothy Howe, and in 1866 Mr. Libbey became sole owner. He moved the plant to New Bedford in 1869, and a year later sold the business. Eventually, the works became part of the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company.”

The McKearins continued: “… the company enjoyed a position of great distinction for the quality of its crystal glass and was noted for the beauty and variety of its cut and engraved wares. It had a notable display at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, and by its exhibit stimulated increased interest in the fine wares and created new markets in all parts of the country.”

We can place this card at the Centennial Exhibition by reading the reverse, which is stamped (NAVE may have been a misprint for N. AVE): “CENTENNIAL SPACES N. 51 NAVE CENTRE OF MAIN BUILDING ALSO, CRYSTAL FOUNTAIN, 45 SOUTH AVENUE, MAIN BUILDING” Hope you enjoy the new column and please submit items for this column to: Steve Ketcham PO Box 24114 Edina, MN 55424 ph: (952) 920-4205 email: S.Ketcham@unique-software.com

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November-December 2008

summer events.

September's meeting featured club member Doug Nicot, who spoke on the history of shaving mugs and bowls, with an impressive display. Newsletter articles included reports on the York Expo, and western bottle shows in Butte, Mont., and Reno, Nev.

Northeast Regional News Chris Davis 522 Woodhill Newark, NY 14513 (315) 331-4078 cdavis016@rochester.rr.com The Merrimack Valley Antique Bottle Club, headquartered in North Chelmsford, Mass., reported in their August newsletter, "The Whittle Mark", that the show & tell theme will be members' biggest and smallest bottles. The July meeting featured another strong turnout, with 19 members, bringing in over 50 bottles. The club is trying to promote electronic newsletters, to save on postage, printing, and labor.

Show & Sale will be Sept. 28th at the Elks Club in Lowell, MA. Members are encouraged to distribute posters and flyers, and to spread the word at antiques events.

An interesting article on "Skunk Oil" as a medicinal product, derived from the glands of skunks but without the odor, was featured. Native Americans used such a product as a healing balm and liniment.

The September meeting’s program will be "The Best of Show;" that is, something found at a recent show, or a "best summer find." The club was busy preparing for its 34th annual show in late September. The editor visited the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, N.Y., and wrote a wonderful article and took some great photos of some of the displays.

In Applied Seals, newsletter of the Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association of Rochester, N.Y., the annual membership roster was included and the usual contact information was complemented by a "Collecting Code" with 99 categories listed.

Preliminary planning for the club's 40th Annual Show & Sale on April 26th have begun. Show cards, always good advertising, were printed in time for the York Expo and other

The Richmond Area Bottle Collectors Association's The Digger reported on the 2006 theft of four rare historical flasks and the recent discovery of a suspect. The authorities are now hoping to recover the items that had been sold. Included was a cobalt blue Washington-Taylor flask, an emerald green half-pint Fell's Point flask and an olive green Jackson-Taylor.

Two wonderful articles on summer vacations were written by club president Bruce Wadford and Ed Faulkner. Bruce's was titled "Vacation to Niagara" and included visits to the Niagara Apothecary Museum in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and the Corning Museum of Glass. Ed's trip took him to the Sandwich Glass Museum, near Cape Cod, the state of Maine, and a visit with a fellow ink collector in Syracuse. The title was "Bottling Through the Northeast."

The club's picnic was held in June, with live music by member Jimmy Wooten. There was also a bottle raffle and an auction, both with decent profits for the club's treasury.

All this in 100-degree heat! September's meeting featured a program on "Local Blob Sodas & Beers" by Marvin Croker.

The club held its 37th annual Show and Sale on Oct. 4. Everyone was wondering how it would turn out with rising gas prices and sour economy, but it was great! Dealers representing New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Alabama and Florida, as well as Virginia, occupied about the same number of sales tables as in previous years. But only two displays were set up, with Dennis Smith of Buffalo, N.Y., winning the People's Choice Award for his Celery

Bottles and Extras

Cola Dave Tyree of Richmond won the Most Educational Award with his Tak-A-Cola exhibit.

This was their last year at this location for a number of reasons. Their show next year will be at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds on the south side of Richmond. They are looking forward to the new location and plan to do extensive advertising during the few months before the show. At this new location they hope to have a local Ruritan Club provide food for lunch and, the club, as usual, will have biscuits and donuts for breakfast with juice and coffee. There will be the popular “dealer only” drawing for door prizes. Children are welcome and will have a pick of some free bottles and other small toys. They hope all who set up or attended this year will be back in 2009.

The Mohawk Valley Antique Bottle Collectors, based in Utica, NY, reported on their summer picnic held at a member's home on O'Kara Lake. It was very well attended. What made this one kind of unique was the fact that two members put on scuba gear and dove for bottles following the picnic. Not much was found, but the divers did find a broken milk bottle and an antique minnow trap.

Several members participated in the Ink & Ink Bottle seminar at the York Expo. Three spoke at the hourlong meeting, including Frank Starzyck.

Plans were underway to hold the 2nd Annual "Huge Club Bottle Show" at the September meeting. Tables were rented at only $3 for 1/3 of 8 feet. Other antiques and collectibles were encouraged. Last year's "minishow" was very successful. It serves as a fundraiser for the club and will include a raffle for a scroll flask.

The August meeting program sounded very interesting, informative and educational. NE Region Director Jim Bender presented "Reproduction Bottles". Club members were encouraged to bring in examples for the show & tell tables. Not all reproductions were intended to deceive, but some were in later years by unscrupu-

Bottles and Extras

lous dealers.

An interesting article by newsletter editor Jon Landers on Matthews Gravitating Stopper bottles, patented in 1872, was included.

A memorial exhibit will be dedicated to the memory of club member Peter Zacek, who passed away one year ago as a result of a bicycling accident. The bottles were displayed at the Oneida County Historical Society.

Featured were many in Peter's favorite color, cobalt blue. What a nice tribute.

October's meeting theme was "Other Things We Collect," while past programs included a power point presentation on "Glass Insulators" by Ron Weir and Todd Zinkovich, and "Utica Breweries" by club president Fred Capozzella.

The Jersey Shore Shards, newsletter of the Jersey Shore Bottle Club, based in Toms River, featured a report on the York Expo, along with an article on "Old Perfumes and Scent Bottles" and more.

September's meeting program theme was "Summer Finds." The theme for the show & tell was Political Items. From all the wonderful items pictured from June's show & tell, it looks like it was very successful and interesting!

The Empire State Bottle Collector's Association of Syracuse, in its newsletter, Bits and Pieces, it was reported that plans were well underway for the club's 10th Annual Fall Show & Sale in October. September's meeting, in addition to show discussion, included an outstanding program on "Milk Bottles" given by milk bottle authority Roger Thomas of Cortland.

Club member Dave Tuxill wrote an extensive and well-written article entitled "Stoneware: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." It was also nicely illustrated with photos. Doug's article dealt with contemporary stoneware, reproductions (with intent to deceive), and repairs (that can often go unnoticed). The article was geared not only to the experts, but the novices. Hopefully, other clubs will reprint this arti-

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cle.

As usual, the newsletter reported on some good bottles sold on eBay, with accompanying photos. The club always has a membership form on the last page, which is probably a good way to gain new members.

The Greater Buffalo Bottle Collectors Association, in Traveler's Companion, noted that the club was busy preparing for its 10th Annual Show & Sale in late September. This will be its second year in a new facility, located in Depew and not far off the New York State Thruway and near the airport. The meeting was dedicated to show planning. There was a special push for raffle ticket sales, which prove to be a good source of income at the show. Advance sales were encouraged.

A show & tell was also planned, with the club's usual good participation. An article on the York Expo was written by show chair Dave Potter.

The July meeting featured a visit to the Bison Brewing Company, as well as a tasting session. It's the city's only brewery. Members were treated to an explanation of the brewing process, the business and types of beers produced. Recent Buffalo bottle auction results included $3,000 for a John Root's Bitters in a brilliant rich lime green.

The Potomac Bottle Club's newsletter, The Potomac Pontil, reported on the September meeting, which was a picnic at Hunt Park in Alexandria, Va. Guests were welcome, and a show & tell was held, in addition to good food and camaraderie.

An outstanding article with great photos was entitled "The Myrtle Avenue Soda Pits." Written by club president Andy Goldfrank, it described a successful dig in Brooklyn, yielding over 80 sodas and beers dating from the 1840s to the mid-1860s, among other items. Another article was on the famous Lightning bottle stopper, as well as the not-so-famous Irrgang Patent Bottle Washer.

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Another outstanding article by Jack Sullivan on the "Top Ten Baltimore Shot Glasses" was published in the June/July issue. Maryland was the third largest whiskey-producing state, with dozens of distilleries and hundreds of distributors and dealers. This resulted in some pretty amazing advertising shot glasses, each with acidetched designs. Some of the logos on the top ten list included the Statue of Liberty, a ram's head and a race horse.

The Hudson Valley Bottle Club sent an informational article on the club by President Art Church. The club was founded in 1973 by a group of collectors and diggers from Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties.

Today, the club has more than 60 members from five states. The club's goals include fostering the preservation of bottles and stoneware, and examining their history.

The club's 18th annual Show & Sale was held August 21st in Millford, N.Y. (between Albany & New York City), with dealers coming from as far away as Florida, Georgia and Maine.

The show drew over 200 interested collectors.

The club has also been involved in purchasing and placements of historical markers at the sites of old glass factories and potteries in their region.

The Apple Valley Bottle Collectors Club of Winchester, Va., held its annual picnic at a local park. The June and July meetings featured members' show & tell, including such items as White House Vinegar items, show polish bottles, milk & soda caps, and much more.

The club's 34th annual Show & Sale was held in September at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Winchester.

Support your local club!!

If you need assistance finding a local club, your local editor or FOHBC Regional Director can supply you with a list of clubs in your area.

See page two for a list of officers including your regional director.

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November-December 2008

Findlay Antique Bottle Club Tom Brown (newsletter editor) of the FABC submitted August and September newsletters (Whittle Marks).

Tom typically reprints several articles for club members in their newsletter. Recently this included “eBay and Sniping” by Cecil Munsey (Bottles & Extras, July 2008); “Deco Pops for Kids” by Brian Wade (Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, May 2008); “Whatever Happened to Rattled Bricks?” by Jan Bear (International Brick Collectors Association, Summer 2008); and “Cleaning Up the Picture on Glass” by Kenneth Chang (The Blade newspaper, Toledo, Ohio, August 22, 2008).

The FABC has a good website with pictures from annual shows. You should check it out: http:// fabclub.freeyellow.com/home.html.

Richard Elwood is the club president.

Monthly club meetings are held at the University of Findlay. To find out more about the monthly newsletter, send a note to: Findlay Antique Bottle Club, P.O. Box 1329, Findlay, OH 45839.

Midwest Regional News Joe Coulson 10515 Colingswood Lane Fishers, IN 46038 (317) 915-0665 jcoulson@leader.com The fall weather will be in full swing as you read these reports. Most of the clubs had a trip report on the National Bottle Expo held in August in York, Pa. Everybody had quite an adventure around this huge event.

Let’s jump in and see what the Midwest clubs had to say… (and please don’t forget to send in those newsletters and notes, because we LOVE to hear from you and would like to share your info with others).

Antique Bottle Club of Northern Illinois Dorothy Furman is the newsletter editor of the ABCNI, and Jeff Dahlberg is the President. The club has been holding its meetings at the Antioch Senior Center, 817 Holbeck, Antioch, IL. The program for the ABCNI July meeting was “Connections.” Jim Koutsoures presented the program for July. “He pointed out how one thing leads to another and one friendship can lead to other extended relationships. He pointed out that one diving friend led to others and how those new acquaintances led to new diving experiences. He showed some of the things found diving which included: a mineral water found while diving in Jacksonville, Ill.; a set of bowling pins h a p e d bottles in amber, green and blue; Charles Denning Whiskey bottles in graduating sizes; a Geo. Lomax faceted shoulder, and a 1915 O’Connor & Schermerhorn & Son WHH in blue.”

The next annual show will be April 26th, 2009 at the Antioch Senior Center. For information on joining the ABCNI, you may contact: Dorothy Furman, 26287 W. Marie Ave., Antioch, IL 60002.

Huron Valley Bottle & Insulator Club Michele and Shaun Kotlarsky are editors of The Embossing, the monthly newsletter of the Huron Valley Bottle & Insulator Club. Bob Powell is the club president. We don’t have any news updates from the HVBIC this time around, since the club does not meet during the summer months.

The HVBIC meetings are held the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the First National Bank, 8080 Challis Rd., Brighton, Mich. You can find out much more about the HVBIC online at their website: http:// hvbic.org. The monthly newsletter also can be viewed there.

Iowa Antique Bottleers Mark Wiseman (newsletter editor) does a wonderful job each month reporting the IAB happenings. Mark

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submitted the IAB newsletters for August and September.

In the August newsletter, it was reported by Mark that: Our 39th Annual Show and Sale is now history and was held July 26th, 2008 at the Walnut Center on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in association with the Mega Show ‘Beer, Soda & Bottle Collectibles’ with the Beer Can Collectors of America. The building was clean, brightly lit, and air conditioned which fitted our needs very well. We had a club table and our three display tables were provided with electricity along the wall. Tom Southard, our show chairman, said approximately 112 total tables set up and over 200 people came through the door. Tom reports that in talking to the other dealers, sales were very good, and some of the free beer provided by the BCCA was consumed. A good number of club members were seen both as dealers and coming through the door. Four new members were signed up and we also sold a good number of club bottles, including the 2008 commemorative Fort Dodge Mini jug club bottle which is now available.

Mark also had a nice trip report of the National Bottle Expo in York, Pa. At the beginning of his report he talks about the adventures driving to York; a mix up in the hotel accommodations; fun at the banquet (and food running out); and a delay in the announcement of Katie Folglesong’s induction into the Federation Honor Roll. Clyde Jones was asked to give a short speech about Katie, and Mark was able to take a picture of Clyde at the lectern. Mark has been honoring Katie in the IAB newsletters throughout the year by reprinting articles about her and by reprinting chapters from her book, “Trials and Trails of a Bottle Collector.” Here is Mark’s account of his remaining experience on the trip: The show opened and the crowd was big and we visited with the people we knew, and Jack La Baume and Clyde Jones were selling items, and Clyde had his eye on the purchases he was looking for. Dale Shatzberg and Dean (Jimmy Dean) Faust had a table,

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and we had called them on the way to see how their progress was going.

Richard Carr and his wife Tonya of Tulsa had the table next to us, and we enjoyed their company. Reid Palmer and his wife had a table also. Steve and Phyllis Showers had two tables of bottles, and it was great to see some of the bargains Steve was hunting down.

The display area was very large with some really well done and very rare items shown. I was buying a few things but had not really found that one bottle to be proud of. `Clyde let me use the car to go back to Gettysburg , and I visited the national battlefield visitors center which was very well done, but also very crowded with tourists (like me, I guess). I visited the Cemetery Ridge battlefield area and took more photos of cannons and statues. The place has a certain feel to it, and I can believe the battlefields may have ghosts as they say. Steve Ketcham had told me of The Drummer Boy Antique Shop in Gettysburg where there were USA Hospital Department bottles on display, and I went to see them, but they had none for sale at this time. I stopped at a garage sale and a flea market on the way back without buying anything significant and was back to the show after about three and a half hours. After the show closed for Saturday we went out to eat in a big group before going to the Federation auction for our evening entertainment.

The auction items brought in some high prices.

Sunday morning we were back to the show and things had slowed down quite a bit by the afternoon, although Clyde was now doing his major purchasing. Clyde bought a ‘Wishart's Pine Tree Cordial’ bottle among others. I bought a ‘Warners Safe Cure’ from Melbourne (Australia) in a red amber color from Wayne Humphries of New Zealand, who I had met in Collinsville last year. Wayne had also brought me a clear bottle embossed ‘Chamberlains Cough Remedy, Sydney, N.S.W., Chamberlain Med. Co.’ I really don’t know how to thank him for it. I think it was my best bottle for the trip. Jack LaBaume’s sales were

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very good for the show, and I think he was very happy about that.

After leaving the show at its 3 p.m. close, we drove back across Pennsylvania on the turnpike, avoiding some road construction blockages on the back roads, and staying the night in Ohio east of Columbus. Even earlier in the morning we were up and back on the road, across Ohio, we stopped at the big antique mall in Centerville, Indiana again and one in the next town to the west where we bought some more bottles and jars.

Before Indianapolis, there had been a tanker truck roll over, and they had closed the interstate, so we negotiated our way through some more back roads around to get to Indianapolis, crossed Illinois and into Iowa, finally back to Clyde’s house in Newton about 6 p.m. Monday evening. It had been quite a trip, and one I will always remember, thanks to Jack and especially Clyde for his great driving and all around efforts.

The IAB newsletters always contain wonderful digging stories by Mark. He has a regular column, “The Digger’s Scoop,” that tells of his local digging adventures with his dog (Elsie the Pup), the old truck, and various digging friends who join him. You can find out more about IAB membership ($15/yr.) from Tom Southard, 2815 Druid Hill, Des Moines, IA 50315.

Jelly Jammers The editor and publisher of the Jelly Jammers Journal is Margaret Shaw. Club president is Pat Van Dyke. Pat had the following to say in the summer 2008 newsletter president’s message: What fun we had at our July meeting! It was so good to be together again, all twenty-one of us. We celebrated the survival of Louise and Stan Gamble, whose home was destroyed by a February tornado in Arkansas – both our friends were injured, but thankfully nothing life-threatening.

The Jelly Jammers unanimously approved spending $50 to the charity of Meredith Robinson’s choice in memory of her husband, Phil, who died

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this spring after a long illness. We signed a card, which I took over to her that evening. She and I had a great visit, during which she decided that she wanted the check made out to the cancer society. The club officers decided to honor Margaret and Ed Shaw since they have given such lengthy and wonderful support to the club. Ed takes the pictures for the newsletter, which we all enjoy, and Margaret has done the newsletter for a long time. It seemed to be a small way to say thank you. As a way of expanding our knowledge, we have decided to have either Bob Pahlmann or Ed Shaw photograph our labeled jelly jars. All members are invited to make arrangements for their collections to be included. We were so pleased to have new member, Elaine DeMaison, with her husband, Allen, and daughter, Jessica, in attendance.

The newsletter is published four times a year. FOHBC Hall of Famer Tom Caniff is one of the regular contributors. You can find out more about Jelly Jammers membership ($15/yr.) from Phyllis Pahlmann, 219 Cedar Dr., Chapin, IL 62628.

Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club The MAFJBC has members nationwide and is heavily fruit jarfocused. Meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 1:30 p.m. in the Cantina at Minnetrista, which is located in Muncie, Ind. Dave Rittenhouse is the club president.

At the club’s July Fruit Jar GetTogether (the day before their July Show and Sale), Dave Rittenhouse announced that the “Parable of the Jars” DVD is now available for $15.

He said that we lost a hobby giant when Phil Robinson passed away earlier this year. Greg Spurgeon thinks it will take 2 to 3 years to sell the “better” jars from Phil’s Museum collection in his online auctions (eBay name is hoosierjar). Greg brought three quart-size Petal jars for show and tell. These were jaw-dropping colors that are not often seen: cobalt blue, dark olive green and dark olive amber. Wayne Lowry gave us an up-

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date on his research in new technology to repair damaged jars. He told us how he had purchased a $1,000 curing light that didn’t work out. He then found a $4,800 curing light that is working, and may also have found an adhesive that doesn’t turn color. After the repair, the polished epoxy (plastic) ends up shinier than the glass. If you look very closely, you can detect it.

Wayne expects to give us a big update at the January 2008 Muncie Show due to recent advances that he has made.

Mason Bright ended the show and tell by announcing that his Ball Jar collection is available to the public for viewing. Mason’s collection takes up the entire full basement underneath his house. The floor is nicely carpeted, and there are tables and chairs so you can sit down and study items. Of course, there are walls and walls of shelving containing almost one example of every Ball jar known. Mason loves to share and talk about his collecting experiences, so you should take him up on his offer. He can be contacted by telephone at: 734-2410113. Joe Coulson shared a rare photograph (figure 1) of John Landis Mason. John Mason is sitting next to the fruit jars and metal screw cap-making machine that he invented. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a time travel machine, and go back and visit with Mr. Mason at this moment! And maybe bring home some of those items in the photo!

Figure 1 [Picture provided by Joe Coulson] In the August issue of the Glass Chatter, long-time fruit jar collector Bruce Schank (of New Jersey) gave a

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trip report on his experience at the National Bottle Expo show in York, Pa. Here is what Bruce had to say: In the thirty years I have been collecting antique jars, I’ve never been to any National Expo. Mine was an experience of local shows around the tristate area of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. All are good in their own right, mind you, but they're the kinds of shows that have 100 tables or so at the most and usually the same dealers and people you see at all of the other local shows. Some possibly have a different mix depending on location.

So I was excited, to say the least, that I was finally going to my first National Expo and I didn’t know at the time or could I be sure what to expect. I felt like a young collector all over again - excited and full of anticipation for something beyond the pale.

I didn’t sleep hardly a wink either the night before the first day’s early opening just thinking about all the sights, sounds and possible goodies I was going to experience.

As a matter of fact, I pretty much was one of the first non-dealers to show up at the Toyota Center at the York fairgrounds, and actually the first non-dealer to walk through the doors on Friday. That was something I had a habit of doing back in the good old days when there actually was a York show, but at that time it was out in the open fields. Yep, I remember fondly how York was my favorite of all the shows I went to. I would arrive when it was still dark and walk around as people were just getting up or half asleep and scour whatever tables and boxes I was able to. I always came away with something decent from that show, so my expectations were high about this one and this time it was no different.

I can say this much: the York National Expo was, in my opinion, fantastic and "The Best Show" I have ever been to in my entire life. And that’s saying something because as I already mentioned, I’ve been to many local shows over

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the years. Besides, I had gone to the January 2008 Muncie Show and at the time I thought that show was the best after being there. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised by this Expo.

The York Expo had so many incredible displays of wonderful glass it was simply mind-boggling. Collectors such as Wayne and June Lowry, Phil Alvarez, Randy Hoffman, Jim Sears, Joe Merkel and others displayed the crème de le crème of Fruit Jars. And I was completely transfixed by the amount and quality of stuff that was all over the place for sale at over 400 tables. To say the place was huge is an understatement.

And if there is one thing I learned at York after digesting the wonderful displays of jars is that my collection was tantamount to that of a novice and I am not kidding. After seeing what the best actually have in their collections, all I can say is my collection is full of plain old ordinary, run of the mill jars. I guess I'll just have to survive bottom feeding but oh what a pleasure it was to see the Best of the Best up close and personal. Yet I did have some luck going for me while I was there because I didn’t walk away empty handed. Nope, not by a long shot. I managed to pick up some really good stuff and some good enough to impress even the Big Boys. What’s the saying, “being in the right place at the right time?”

On Friday afternoon just after walking through the doors as we were allowed to enter during early entry, I made a bee-line to the right and saw Don Burkett putting out jars. My buddy Michael Rutledge was right behind me as usual. Now, for those who didn't go or don't understand how it works, the first day when you are let in, the tables are not even populated with items yet. Dealers are frantically putting out stuff while you're walking or shall I say running around looking and trying to make the best judgment call as far as what and where relates to you.

Anyway, I asked Don as he was bent over pulling jars out of boxes if he had something that a Ball jar collector such as me would be interested

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in. Now mind you, Michael and others are already holding jars in their hands that I lost out on, and other collectors are all over the place too. So he took a quick look over at me and said, "Yes, Bruce, I believe I do, come back in ten minutes and we'll discuss it." So I went around looking for other items all the while my mind was running wild with Ball jar fever wondering what in the world he could possibly have. Those ten minutes seemed like an eternity but low and behold, when I saw what he did have, I was shocked to say the least. It was a beautiful solid pour 3L Ball MASON pint (figure 2), and a find of a life-time for me and any other Ball jar collector for that matter.

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with lots cash because the bottom line here is "money talks and nobody walks." We all love to find things at bargain prices but the truth is if you want something really good then most of the time you have to anti-up or walk away. I’d like to believe that somehow I had Ball Karma working for me while I was there at the Expo but the simple fact that there were so many tables from so many good dealers from all over the country with so much good stuff, it would have been hard for anyone to go away empty handed.

I won’t soon forget my short time there. The personal talk I had with Doug Leybourne over breakfast at the hotel, the long conversation I had with Greg Spurgeon, the many friends and longtime acquaintances I met and hung out with, the wonderful one-of a-kind jars that I had the privilege to see for the first time and photograph, and the very special items I managed

Figure 2 [picture provided by Bruce Schank] There were so many people crowding around looking over my shoulder it wasn’t funny. I held on to that solid piece of glass (which felt like 5 pounds) for dear life, because all of them were just waiting for me to put it down. It's amazing how people can sniff this stuff out, but if I had let go of it then it would now be in someone else’s collection for sure. I was told by many long-time serious collectors including Ron Ashby, Russ Crupe, Jon Vanderschouw and others that they would have bought it in a heartbeat. Why, pray tell? Because it is rare and I can't emphasize that word any stronger!

It's a good thing I went to York

Bruce Schank to bring home. To me, the York Expo was like the opening night of the summer Olympics. It was simply a grand time beyond my expectations and one experience I won’t soon forget.

The MAFJBC has a website: www.fruitjar.org. Meeting details as well as lots of pictures from their semi -annual shows can be found there.

Pictures from their July show and sale were just posted. Their next show and sale will be January 11th, 2009 at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie, Indiana.

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Minnesota’s First Antique Bottle Club Gwen Seeley has been forwarding us copies of the MFABC newsletter, The Bottle Digger’s Dope. Gwen reports that due to her health she finds it necessary to resign her role as editor.

She continues as co-editor, and Barb Robertus has assumed her editor duties.

The club does not print newsletters in June, July and August, so we don’t have a news update this time around. Membership in the MFABC is $10/yr. For more information, please contact Linda Sandell, 7735 Silver Lake Road #208, Moundsview, MN 55112.

North Star Historical Bottle Association Doug Shilson is newsletter editor for the North Star Historical Bottle News. Doug does a great job each month reporting the club’s latest happenings. He puts a lot of effort into recording all the details that take place. Steve Ketcham is club president.

The July and August newsletters contained wonderful bottle articles written by Boyd Beccue. The July article was titled “Bitters: The Matt Walsh Wine Co. and Curran’s Herb Bitters”, and here it is for you to enjoy: There are times when it really is better to be lucky than to be good. I had located a possible farm digging spot out our way and planned to get the rust off my seldom-used shovel and probe on the last Saturday in June.

The location held much promise, being out on the prairie near Sunburg, the town many locals claim to be the real Lake Wobegone, mainly due to the fact that many of the farmsteads were once held by actual Norwegian bachelor farmers and because Garrison Keillor has never been heard to deny that Sunburg was Lake Wobegone. But I digress.

As my usual luck would have it, the day dawned with steady rain and the promise of more of the same all day. Being of an age of increased discretion, I no longer enjoy digging in

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inclement weather, especially in this country where the heavy clay loam builds up on your boots several inches thick when wet and adds what seems to be 50 pounds to each step. Thoroughly depressed by having my digging fantasies dashed, I was settling into my recliner with a bottle magazine when Jane suggested we go antiquing. Since I was well aware that she was in the throes of redecorating the room abandoned by our son when he left the nest, I knew that this meant a foray into the “cute” shops which feature a few antiques and lots of decorator stuff, presented in a very artsy way and accompanied by the overwhelming smell of potpourri. But, being the sensible and battle-tested spouse that I am, I immediately said that it was a great idea.

After a short discussion we decided to try the town of Hutchinson which, while an hour away, has a couple of the above-mentioned cute and fragrant shops. Umbrellas in hand and four-dollar gas notwithstanding, we were soon on Highway 7 headed east. Now, I had visited the shops in Hutchinson many times and have seldom found anything worth buying, but I maintained a cheerful attitude thinking that, at the very least, I would build some good karma for the time spent. OK, I was going to rack up some marital Brownie points, but those of us blessed with long and successful marriages understand how the system works, so don’t scorn my lessthan-macho willingness to accommodate the demands of the interior designer.

Arriving in Hutch, we hit our first shop and Jane was soon happily carrying the first of several “this will look so cute in that room” finds. For my part, I maintained a cheerful demeanor and kept looking on the shelves and in the locked cases for anything that did not seem to have a “for women only” sign. After a few minutes I found a man’s display and was perusing the old shotgun shell boxes and fish decoys when I spotted a familiar looking green bottle on the top shelf. The bright green color, rectangular shape, beveled corners and indented front

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and back panels said “I am a Curran’s Herb Bitters – better give me a closer look,” which I immediately did, of course, finding that the name side said “Curran’s Herb Bitters” rather than the familiar “Curran’s Herb Bitters / Pepsinized.” This rather focused my attention, and I then tried to read the other side panel, which was largely blocked by another shotgun shell box.

After much contorting and straining I finally looked up from underneath the glass shelf and saw that the bottom line of embossing on the bottler side read “Minneapolis, Minn.”

Well, that was enough for me, thank you, and I quickly located the lady with the big ring of keys. The next several minutes were somewhat tense and after she had tried every key twice she announced that it must be a new lock or something and could I come back the next day. Rather than pick up a nearby bronze bookend to open the case I calmly suggested she try the keys yet again, and the last one on the ring did the trick. Relieved that I was not going to be forced to commit criminal damage to property to get my hands on the bottle, I gingerly took it from the shelf and read the rest of the bottler’s name. Rather than the expected “Napa Valley Wine Co.,” I found that it was a product of “The Matt Walsh Wine Co.” Doing my best to maintain a poker face I even remembered to haggle on the price, and after Jane had dredged several more “this will be perfect with the new wall color” items from the store, we were on our way in our overloaded van. Jane had found several items which stated the thirst of the decorating wife, I had banked some “good husband” points, and a day that had seemed to be a bottle collecting washout had turned out to be not so bad after all.

Soon after returning home I was on the phone to the god of all things bitters, the Honorable Douglas Shilson. I really didn’t call to brag, or at least not much, but I wanted to check with the expert to see if the bottle was as scarce as I thought it was. He confirmed that it was indeed something new. My copy of “Bitters Bottles” and

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the other bitters books also indicated that this was the case. By Monday, Doug had sent me an e-mail with information from some old Minneapolis city directories and I had an address and a rough date of manufacture.

While e-mail requests for research assistance have been largely unsuccessful in recent years, I decided to give that a try as well and by Tuesday afternoon I even had a reply from the Special Collections folks at the Minneapolis Public Library. I guess when you start a lucky string you should just go with it.

Putting the information from the Shilson and Minneapolis libraries together, Mr. Walsh was quite a fellow, and indeed a pillar of the city in the 19th Century. At various times he was a member of the city council, president of the city council, head miller at the Cataract Flour Mill, county treasurer, supervisor of the city water works and involved in the real estate business. It appears that the Matt Walsh Wine Co. was a short-lived business he operated from about 1893 to 1896. His brother Edward Walsh lived with him at 1828 ½ Street in Minneapolis during those years and also joined in the liquor business as secretary as well as being in the real estate business and selling fire insurance. D.D. Smith was listed as vice president of the company. The Matt Walsh Wine Co. was located at 247 3rd Ave. South, Minneapolis. As is usually the case with the histories of 19th Century bottlers, we are left with more unanswered questions than answers. How is it that the Matt Walsh Wine Company sold a product with an almost identical name, in an identical bottle, as Curran’s Herb Bitters / Pepsinized and was not sued by the Napa Valley Wine Company? If Walsh was sued, I have thus far not found any evidence of the case. And as yet there is no indication of any relationship between the two companies or their principals, despite being in operation at the same time and only a few blocks apart, Napa Valley being located at 308 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. And what of the rare “Curran’s Herb Bitters / Pepsinized //

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Hurley Bros. / St. Paul, Minn.”? Does this amber bottle, exactly the same size and shape as the other Curran’s bottles, represent another company which sold Curran’s Herb Bitters?

The Hurley Bros. company sold two products, “Hurley Bros. Bitters” and “Hurley Bros. / Pepsinized Bitters.”

Or, as some suspect, was the Hurley – Curran’s bottle just a mold error? As Doug Shilson’s research has shown, the Curran’s name may only refer to a California farm which reputedly grew superior grapes, leading to widespread use of the name. We may never know the answers, but the questions that accompany our old bottles make for much of the enjoyment many of us have in the hobby. Now I guess it is time to head out to Lake Wobegone (or is it Sunburg?) and the farmstead outhouse that has to be waiting somewhere in the abandoned farm grove.

If I run into Mr. Keillor I will be sure to let you know.

In the September issue of the NSHBA newsletter, Steve Ketcham (club president), gave his report on the National Bottle Expo in York, PA: The York Expo is now history, and I will have nothing but good memories of the event. Sales were strong. The Friday night banquet set an attendance record (250), and North Star and Minnesota’s First were honored with a first-place award in the show poster contest. I was very humbled and honored to be inducted into the FOHBC Honor Roll following the banquet. Iowa’s Katie Foglesong was also included posthumously in the Honor Roll. Four more honorees were inducted into the FOHBC Hall of Fame: Jim Hagenbuch, Tom Caniff, Carl Sturm and Betty Zumwalt.

The Saturday night auction saw Norm Heckler sell between 75 and 100 lots of great old bottles with several items breaking the $2,000 mark.

Minnesotans in attendance include Steve and Phyllis Showers and Boyd Beccue.

The hobby owes a big thanks to Wayne and June Lowry and their small crew of helpers. They put together an outstanding bottle show with over 400 dealer tables and over

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30 displays. It was a joy to walk around the large Toyota Arena and take in the mind-numbing array of great old glass, stoneware, and advertising. Better still was the chance to visit with so many old friends. In fact, the weekend was too short – we just couldn’t squeeze in as many chats and table viewings as we would have liked.

Chris and I had a great trip. We passed through many malls and shops as we traveled to and from York. A nice iron-pontiled St. Louis soda, and a milk glass Lightner’s perfume were among the finds we toted home. We spent nearly a whole day touring the Gettysburg battlefield and found the experience sobering. It is truly moving to stand at the Minnesota monument and read of how those 262 men of the First Minnesota charged a force of 1,000 Confederates and held them off until reinforcements arrived at Little Round Top. Nearly 80% of the First Minnesota men died or were wounded in the struggle, but their efforts saved the day. The Gettysburg Visitors Center, newly opened this spring, is an adventure as well. The museum portion is very informative, and the many displays were very well done. My one concern is that the hospital display had no USA Hospital Dept. bottles!

We arrived home on Wednesday night. Thursday morning, Ron and I headed for the Oronoco / Rochester Gold Rush. The dealer count was down a bit this year, but between the two locations there were still enough booths to give even the die-hard collector blurred vision and shaky legs.

Our finds were numerous, and we agreed that this was a good year for picking despite the lower number of vendors. Some say the hobby is losing ground, but I believe the lull is only a hiccup. When I think of the yield we experienced at York and Gold Rush, I believe the future holds many more years of collecting fun.

For more information on joining or contacting the NSHBA, please contact Doug Shilson: 3308 32 Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 554062015.

Ohio Bottle Club

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Phyllis Koch (editor) and Donna Gray (secretary) always do a very nice job with The Ohio Swirl, the OBC’s newsletter. John Fifer is the club president.

The July issue of The Ohio Swirl contained an article titled “When Mr. Libbey Went to the Fair” by Jack Sullivan. The Libbey Glass Company produced several souvenir glass items for various fairs and exhibitions. In the August issue Jack submitted a Part 1 of 2 article on “Cambridge and Glass: Like Bacon and Eggs”. This article was about the Cambridge Glass Co. of Cambridge, Ohio.

Bill McKim gave a report on the 1st Upper Ohio Valley Bottle Show which was held July 13th, 2008 at the Paris Sportsman Club. Here is what Bill had to say: Everyone began the morning quite early, putting up signs for directions and setting up tables with dealers’ names on them. Both Craig and Zane Campbell helped me. The dealers started coming in around 7:45 a.m., unpacking and setting up their items.

Coffee and donuts were served for everyone to enjoy.

Adam Koch and Bill Koster from the Ohio Bottle Club, Akron area, came down early spending most of the morning, browsing and talking with the dealers. They brought down some information on the Ohio Swirl newsletters for the visitors. Another dealer who traveled a distance to set up was Charlie Perry.

Alan DeMaison submitted his account of the York, Pa., Expo in the August newsletter: I left Painesville with high hopes that I would have a great time and add another flask to my collection. As I drove to York, visions of the past reminded me of an era long gone and friendships lost forever. The great York show was originally nothing more than bottles set up in cattle stalls. You slept at the fairgrounds in tents, in your car or van, or on the ground. You hunted for bottles using a flashlight. The huge Toyota Arena replaced all the stalls and a part of the bottle collecting heritage was gone.

The Shupp's Grove show in July has much the same charm as the earlier

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York shows.

I had originally toyed with the idea of camping, but the better part of me opted to share a room at the Yorktown with Ron Hands. Thursday morning was the FOHBC directors meeting and Thursday afternoon was antiquing and a visit to Gettysburg. I had always wanted to visit the battlefield and was not disappointed. Friday morning had seminars on the agenda and Friday afternoon was dealer setup and early admissions. A sold-out show of 415 tables awaited eager buyers and sellers. About 30 displays helped fill the arena. My hunt for a flask was on at 1 p.m., but unfortunately, I didn't add one to my collection. I did have the pleasure of holding an $11,500 cobalt Washington-Bragg flask and saw my first $48,000 bottle (it wasn't a flask, so I really wasn't interested in what it was!)

Friday evening was the banquet and the meal was a buffet prepared by a Pennsylvania "Iron Chef." Georg R. Sheets, a York historian, was the featured speaker and it as very humbling to learn from him that we were walking on ground that once was the meeting place of our founding fathers.

As I drove home, I remember thinking of the changes in the physical structure of the two York shows. It was different, but the reasons to go to

a show were still there: Great time, great friends and great bottles.

I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get a flask, but I didn't buy something that I would later regret. Then my cell phone rang and it was Ron Hands. "Hey, did you see this Meadville Rye Whiskey box on the floor?"

My reply: "No, how much, buy it and send it home with Adam and Phyllis (Koch)." Did I mention that I had a great show?

Wabash Valley Antique Bottle & Pottery Club Martin VanZant is newsletter editor for The Wabash Cannonball, the club's monthly newsletter. Peggy Zimmer is club president.

Martin gave his report on the National Bottle Expo in York, Pa.: It was the first day back to school after my wonderful summer break. About 11 a.m., I needed to meet Bill Granger and Ned Pennington. Well, I was late (surprised?). I tried to get out, but people talk too much. I finally found Ned and Bill waiting at my house. We arrived in York some 10 hours later.

The show was wonderful and there was everything, and I mean just about everything, except for the first time, I did not see a T.H. Brewing bottle. All types of glass were there, ranging in price from $1 to $48,000. displays and fully enjoy the experience," said Clements, who dashed up and down the aisles of the 10,000square-foot display area, taking more than 200 pictures with his digital camera. Many of those images are among the newsletter’s 22 pages.

Last year, Clements visited the "World of Coca-Cola" in Atlanta. "I was impressed with the collection of memorabilia and really enjoyed the animated movie about searching for the Coca-Cola formula," he wrote. He said he’d choose the Schmidt museum every time if he had to choose between the two, but if a family with small children had to make the decision, he’d recommend the Atlanta mu-

Southern Regional News Bill Baab 2352 Devere Street Augusta, GA 30904 (706) 736-8097 riverswamper@comcast.net "Things Go Better With Coke," including bottle club newsletters.

Raleigh Bottle Club’s Marshall Clements, who edits the club newsletter Bottle Talk, featured the Schmidt Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia of Elizabethtown, Ky., in the August issue. He visited the place last June.

"I was just sorry I didn’t have the time to slowly browse through the

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We went to dinner and enjoyed it.

Ours was the first table and we were the first to get in line. Thank goodness, because they ran out of food before everyone could get some. Maybe I shouldn't have taken two meats!

Whoops!

The displays were outta sight, if you know what I'm saying. There were fruit jars, colored bottles, a pickle collection that made you want to start collecting pickles, flasks and a digger's collection. The bottle displays were awesome. I split a table with Ned and Bill. There was so much to look at that there really as no point at which we were there at one time.

We helped with Saturday night's auction. Norman Heckler was the auctioneer and did a nice job.

Sunday was more of the same and I didn't see either Ned or Bill for much of the day. I don't remember much about the ride home because I must have fallen asleep about 15 minutes into it. I really appreciated Ned and Bill letting me ride with them.

The WVAB & PC holds its monthly meeting at Shadows Auction Barn, 1517 Maple Ave., Terre Haute, IN. Club dues are $10/yr. For more information, contact Gary Zimmer, the club treasurer, 10655 Atherton Road, Rosedale, IN 47874. seum, "strictly because of the animated movie."

The cover of Clements’ July issue featured applied color label bottles with patriotic themes, all issued during the nation’s bicentennial in 1976.

Club member Skinny Medlin’s mini jug collection, many relating to the O.L. Gregory Vinegar Co., of St. Louis, was shown in color photos. He even displayed a rare gallon size, Medlin calling it his "mini jug on steroids."

Coca-Cola artifacts from the Schmidt museum were featured on the cover of the June issue. Club member David Tingen displayed some of his sparkling picture beers. His collection consists of 500 to 600 bottles. Donnie Medlin showed four rare and unusual Pepsi throw-away bottles, including a

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prototype with a weird, "hat-like" top.

You can check out the newsletters and their contents by clicking on the c l u b w e b s i t e a t www.raleighbottleclub.org. Robert Creech, the club vice president, maintains this outstanding site.

Access to the internet has proven to be invaluable for many newsletter editors, including Melissa Milner of The State of Franklin (Tenn.) Antique Bottle & Collectors Association.

Historically, newsletter editors rarely get help from their fellow club members, so being able to "raid" a website for material of interest to readers quickly helps fill up otherwise hard-to-fill pages. It’s OK to use others’ material, but be sure to give the originator(s) credit, just like Mrs. Milner always does in The Groundhog Gazette.

Pre-Prohibition shot glasses were featured in her June issue, the material gleaned from pre-pro.com. During the June club meeting, members Sam and Missi Crowder showed the latest Mountain Dew collectibles book. Geff Moore showed a 30-ounce green "The Champ" ACL, Mrs. Milner displayed several letterheads from late 19th and early 20th century Tennessee businesses, while Gerry Brown’s contribution to show and tell included a rare picture record with recording artists Lula Belle and Scotty.

Picture records on the "Vogue" label were featured in the July issue, the facts coming from voguepicturerecords.org.

The August Gazette was the 48th issue edited by Mrs. Milner, now in her fourth year as editor. "I have enjoyed it," she said, "but at times it has been nerve-wracking trying to come up with a new topic." While en route to the York Expo, the Milners browsed in antique stores along the way and she became enthralled by sad irons. Her husband said she bought so many of the inexpensive collectibles, the car tilted!

She featured sad irons in her August issue.

Show and tell from the previous

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month’s gathering included to halfgallon root beer glass jugs, a straightsided Coca-Cola from Whitesburg, Ky., and an ACL Five Points soda bottle from the Dr. Pepper Bottling Works in Johnson City, Tenn.

Applied Color Label bottles dominated her September newsletter, with much of the text from John "Digger" Odell.

The Clinton Bottling Works, Augusta, Ga., mini jug noted in the last issue of Bottles & Extras turned out to be a fake. As editor of Probe & Plunder, newsletter of the Horse Creek Bottle Club, I thought it could be real, but as more information became available, it revealed itself as "new."

My longtime friend, Bill Wrenn of Watkinsville, Ga., an authority on mini jugs, revealed it for what it was.

It was too light and didn’t have the "feel" of the real deal. What was happening was traced to a master Kentucky potter who was astute enough to determine businesses such as the Clinton Bottling Works had existed during the mini jug time frame (roughly 1890 -1910). That soda water bottler had gone out of business in the early 1900s.

Happily, buyer Tony Riley appealed to the eBay seller and got his money back.

Club member Mike Newman, driving up I-81 on his way to the York Expo, stopped at a southern Virginia antiques store where he was shown a pair of mini jugs by the owner. "One was real, but had a missing handle. He handed me the other and asked, ‘What do you think?’ It had the same weight and base color as did that Clinton and I told him I thought it was a fake.

"How did you know?’ he asked, and I told him about the Clinton Bottling Works piece. He agreed that it was bogus and that somebody was making a lot of them."

‘Nuff said?

The club’s July meeting was held at the Aiken (S.C.) Historical Museum where member Bob Riddick of Lexington, S.C., and I placed a number of Aiken and South Carolina bottles on exhibit. Bob’s included rare sodas

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from Charleston, even rarer early crown tops, drug store and medicine bottles from Aiken, and a nice display of South Carolina Dispensaries. My offering included a rare Edgefield, S.C., liver medicine bottle, one of perhaps three known.

Geneva Greene, our club’s president and a member of the museum’s board of directors, displayed a rare Star Bottling Works from Graniteville and a straight-sided Coca-Cola from Salley, both Aiken County communities. The Salley bottle was not on anyone’s straight-sided Coke list, while I contributed a Coca-Cola-owned flavor bottle from the same era and small town.

Plans for our club’s inaugural show next year continue to evolve. It will be held on Saturday, April 25, in the massive (12,240 square feet) gymnasium of the H. Odell Weeks Center in Aiken, S.C. Eighty six-foot-long tables will be available. Other details are to be announced.

Johnnie Fletcher, longtime editor of Oklahoma Territory News, the newsletter of the Oklahoma Territory Bottle & Relic Club, applauded member David Baumann for his expose’ of a suspect churn with Tulsa Oklahoma scrawled upon its surface.

He talked the eBay seller into scrubbing the lettering with alcohol.

After watching the lettering disappear, the seller re-listed the churn. Magic Marker isn’t resistant to alcohol.

Mark Wiseman, who edits the Iowa Antique Bottleers’ newsletter, is a prolific writer and that asset is aptly demonstrated in Fletcher’s September issue. Wiseman (with Elsie the Pup) filled 11-1/2 pages of the 20-paged newsletter with his "Digging Iowa" piece. Ed Stewart took care of 4-1/2 pages with his "Third Time is a Charm" digging story.

Highlights of Wiseman’s last dig of 2007 included the story of more than 1,000 bottles coming from one pit, including 45 Hostetters Bitters (one light amber beauty).

Fletcher featured a drawing of a rare Oklahoma drug store bottle – C.C. Jenkins / The Druggist / Blue-

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jacket, Okla. – on the August issue’s cover. He also showed photos (courtesy of Gary Bracken) of the Muskogee Dairy, Muskogee, Indian Territory, and another milk from Fort Reno. The Muskogee is the only known territorial milk bottle, he said.

It was Wiseman again with digging stories taking up more than 11 of the newsletter’s 16 pages. One of the best bottles found was a six-inch-tall,

teal-colored Harlan Bros. / Kirkwood House Drug Store / Des Moines, Iowa bottle.

As is the norm, Fletcher downloaded many color photos in each of those issues.

By the way, when the October issue comes out, Fletcher will have edited his 250th consecutive club newsletter spanning the 20 years of the club’s existence. I don’t know of

another newsletter editor in the country (or the world) who has served for that length of time.

Congratulations, Johnnie, from all of us who appreciate what you have done, are doing and will be doing for the bottle-collecting hobby.

ting the most out of our digs will do well to “always sift the dirt from a dig.” It was also pointed out in Steve’s report that “photographs of saloons, which do or do not have tokens from them, are also very collectible.”

This club’s annual picnic was a great hit. Charles Holt managed to turn the clock back to give the club a feeling that they were enjoying a picnic from the 1800s.

Charles and his Gun Fighters Inc. men were dressed in “gun-slinging” attire and brought to life good guys shooting the bad guys that most of us have seen in the old Western movies. Charles has been spotted at several shows wearing his 1800s outfit. First credit must be given to Ron and Pam Bledsoe’s promise of a great spot for the picnic. Mike McKillop had assured club members that this year’s picnic was going to be great. It is written that “the area was level, covered by tall pines and perfect for a picnic.”

Here is the background setting: “The town had a blacksmith shop, a mine with tracks and an ore car, a log bridge across a stream, a stamp mill, and a head frame. In the barn there was a full old-time bar with gambling tables and gambling devices. The bar was stocked with back bar bottles and old bar pictures.” Picnic attendees also feasted their eyes on a multitude of historical items. It would seem that the bar could be described as museum -like. A most significant fact reported is that “Mike McKillop is responsible for building and putting together the town.”

Club members have been keeping

some good raffle bottles circulating such as an amber Gogins Wild Cherry Tonic, Santa Barbara Natural Medicinal Water (Gilka Shape) and a green Billings soda (to name a few).

Here’s an example of an evening’s show and tell: “Herb Yue showed a book of tokens he had collected when he owned the Shanghai Saloon and Restaurant.” Tom Lehr took a hike and found a spoon and a pick. The spoon had Western Hotel stamped on it. Club members agreed that Tom’s find of a pick with Mountain Gate (name of a mine) embossed on it was a rare find.

Western Regional News Ken Lawler & “Dar” 6677 Oak Forest Drive Oak Park, CA 91377 (818) 889-5451 kenlawler@roadrunner.com It’s time to look forward to another year of Western Region club activities. We have found that one of the most important ingredients for club success is club members working together to make things happen. We always enjoy being informed of club activities through your newsletters. In addition, if some news item pops up or if you have a question or a comment, get in touch with us.

Forty-Niner Historical Bottle Association - Bottle Bug Briefs Show chairman Steve Abbott reported on a program presented by Ron Lerch who Steve says is recognized as an expert in saloon tokens. Here is some of what Steve said. “Ron gave a history of the origin of trade tokens, their use in the post-Gold Rush West, the varieties of token forms and metals and warnings about reproductions.

The main thrust of his talk was ‘saloon’ tokens, which we learned must say ‘saloon.’ A token from a saloon is not considered a ‘saloon’ token unless it is stamped so. There are approximately 800 saloon tokens from California, including about 80 from Sacramento.” The program was of interest to club members since “many bottle diggers have dug tokens.” Those of us interested in get-

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Oregon Bottle Collectors Association - The Stumptown Report The first item of importance is the acknowledgement of three new members who have joined the ranks of Oregon collectors. Welcome Guy, Joe and Paul! Guy Chaffee from Blaine, Washington collects Oregon and Washington flasks. Joe Imholt from West Linn, Oregon collects flasks and whiskey cylinders and Paul Puttkammer from Vancouver, Washington, who used to be an insulator collector, is very enthusiastic about colored Eastern and Western blob top sodas.

Secondly Bill Bogynska mentioned in one of his Editor’s reports that he had cataract surgery on both eyes during the past summer. He said that he now has 20/20 vision in his right eye. His left eye vision is distorted. He’s getting along without glasses except for when he reads and mentioned that his doctor said that he was one of the most amazing cases that he has ever seen.

It sounds like there might be some

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“coin flippin” going on in the club as far as how to figure out the best way to handle future shows. Comments were made under the title of “Show Discussion” in one of the club’s recent newsletters. Here is some of the thinking: “Show attendance and dealer participation has been lower than in prior years, due to gas prices, the Internet, etc. Our club has held a show in February in Centralia, Washington since the early 1990s, except for a couple of flood years. We have also held a June show every year, with the last two being in Aurora. The Washington club has held Centralia shows every May and November. They are considering moving their shows closer to Seattle, or possibly even Bellingham.

So, a number of issues have been raised. Should we continue our February Centralia show? Should its location be moved to Oregon?

Where? Should the Aurora show be moved, and to where? Should we try to join with another collector show, as we have done in the past? We need to decide in order to rent the facilities we want.”

Some tough decisions have to be made by your club members. We wish you the best in whatever you decide.

Garth Ziegenhagen shared his story in this club’s newsletter about “An Unlisted Oregon Flask.” The story unfolds with him finding “this flask embossed 409/W.H.BARD/ PORTLAND, ORE” on Pete Hendrick’s table at an earlier Chico Bottle Show. He further said that Pete let it go at a very reasonable price. A further description is that “the flask is a ½-pint dandy and is 6 inches tall. It is clean, amethyst and has lots of bubbles and crudity.” Garth was unable to find this flask listed in any known resource. “Therefore, it was up to me to find out who this person was, when he was in Portland, and where the saloon was located.” He went on in his writeup to explain the trail he took to find some revealing history on his find. He feels that he has found some of the history. He also mentioned that history is the reason he collects bottles.

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We agree with Garth in his thinking that “we as bottle collectors have contributed to history more than some non-collectors have ever realized.”

gals at the desk into a math-frenzy. He purchased $300 worth of tickets which also helped contribute to the success of the auction.

Reno Antique Bottle Club - Digger’s Dirt President Marty Hall had run into one of the worst-case scenarios during a digging experience. He had an encounter with a rattlesnake earlier this year. It struck the top of his boot and latched onto his pants. Marty said that the snake was 42 inches long and had eleven rattles! We agree with members of his club that they couldn’t believe his luck at escaping with only a “latching” onto his pants!

A quote from this club’s newsletter describes the latest and “not so lucky” experience for Marty: “We always like to hear about Marty Hall’s digging experiences but his latest endeavor wasn’t so great. While trying to budge a stuck rolling gate at work, it came back and crushed the thumb on his right hand. After reconstructive surgery by a plastic surgeon and fifty-five stitches later, the thumb is on the mend. It will be a rather long recovery though and digging for awhile will be curtailed.”

Marty, the old saying goes that bad luck comes in a set of three incidents. Let’s hope that two is your quota and that no more will follow.

Good luck on your recovery.

Don and Bonnie McLane had tshirts made for the club’s bottle show.

The shirts came in about eight different shades ranging from burgundy to black. We realize from our own personal wearing of our LAHBC shirts that club shirts are a big hit and do help advertise a club.

We are happy to write that the Reno Club’s show went well “considering the economy and rising gas prices.” Some of the club members will still be working the numbers to arrive at a final figure. However, they did report that their raffle brought in $1,643. They give credit to a rare color of brilliant green Hostetter’s Bitters “donated by Jeff Wichmann (American Bottle Auctions).” We understand that Fred Holabird threw the

Washington Bottle Collectors Association - Ghost Town Echo Editor Red: “Hang in There.” A second major surgery will hang you up for another given period of time, as you state in your editor’s message.

Take your time and get to things awaiting your attention when you can, but don’t rush the healing process. Let others assist you in your club duties.

By the time you read this we hope that things are working out for you. Good luck!

This month’s “Bottle of the Month" is the clear pint beer bottle embossed on the front in a slug plate "Joe Garcia/Spokane/Washington." It is also embossed on the front neck "Registered" and on the reverse base "This Bottle/Not To Be Sold." The bottle is by no means common; there are a few of them around. The bottle dates to about the time Joe Garcia founded the Western Bottling Company at 212 Main Ave. in Spokane in 1909.” Following that statement is an abbreviated timeline for the Garcia family & Joseph’s company. We feel that if anyone is interested in the fulllisted timeline that they could contact someone from the Washington club to get the particulars. We are going to suggest perhaps the secretary, Niel Smith, at princeweesl@comcast.net and refer to the September 2008 issue of this club’s newsletter.

Jeff Hooper has an article in the September 2008 newsletter entitled, “Digging with the Midwest Diggers.”

This is one quality privy-digging article. It is filled with general locations and quantities of finds. It includes attendance at the Mansfield, Ohio show and three weeks of adventure that ends in a 6,900 plus miles on the road.

These guys seem to get good leads with results that end up being very rewarding. One hole turned out approximately 60 bottles. Another pit yielded over 200 bottles. The highlight of the three-week venture was a mint pontiled A. Stone pint fruit jar.

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Jeff said the jar cleaned up nicely and sold at a recent Muncie, Indiana bottle show “for a tidy sum that we split four ways.” Hospitality was extended to them along the way. The guys enjoyed barbeques and bottle digging. One kicker in this article was a bit of advice for the hot, sweaty, digger.

“When digging on a hot, sweaty, summer day and eating peppered jerky, try not to rub your eyes.”

Among some of the treasured finds were “a graphite-pontiled utility cylinder, an aqua open-pontiled Ginseng Panacea, an X-Bazin open pontil, a rare Hooterville milk bottle, a yellow-green quart Lightning jar, a teal green Grand Rapids, Michigan pharmacy bottle, a very rare igloo ink with an embossed hand on the dome with the letters P and H embossed on a shield, a teal green P & D Co. cylinder and on and on.

Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club The Whittlemark President Pam wrote in her message that “the San Diego Show was great. I was able to get two nice member’s only bottles. The LAHBC was well represented by both sellers and buyers. We met at Mike Bryant’s home for a delicious barbeque. Mike and his wife were gracious hosts and we thank them very much for inviting us. Mike allowed us to tour his home and see his great collection of San Diego treasures.” Ken Lawler wrote in his article on the show that it was the first one in eight years. He stated that this event took place mainly through the efforts of Mike Bryant and Jim Walker. We noticed some other hardworking folks there, as well. It seemed an excellent opportunity to meet, mix and discuss interests in bottle collecting.

President Pam explains her take on the York Expo: “I want to start by saying that the York show was incredible. We had an overwhelming 11 members show up at the show. Good job!!! My first impression as I walked into the room was mind-boggling.

Everywhere you looked there were quality bottles. Of course, about every bottle I picked up had 4 digits behind

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it, but was well worth the money.

Randy, Dar, Ken and I attended the Federation board meeting.”

Ken Lawler wrote an account of the Montana 2008 Show which included a couple of side interests such as a mining museum and scratching around on the side of a hill or two.

From the way Ken covered the show I think he really enjoyed meeting up with some folks that he has gotten acquainted with at a previous Montana show and especially liked being able to check out some digging aspects.

San Diego Antique Bottle and Collectibles Club - The Bottleneck Frank Pekarek wrote in a monthly “Prez Sez” statement that “I personally wasn’t finding much until Larry Westfall called in late July. Thanks, Larry, it took me two weeks to sneak all those bottles in the house undetected.”

It seems that John Lawson and Jim Walker were going to be “putting their heads together” to discuss program topics for future meetings. We hope they come up with some ideas as programs seem to add interest in getting folks out to meetings.

The club’s first bottle show in eight years was reported to have been a great success. Club secretary Jim Livingston said in his notes that Jim Walker announced feedback that he got from the sellers. Jim said that the feedback was “overwhelmingly” positive. It sounds like there were some good suggestions by sellers and some club members for improvement such as “better regulation of the air conditioning, higher admission fees, banning the sale of irradiated bottles and providing white butcher paper to cover the tables.” Also in Jim’s notes was the fact that the club was entertained at the meeting, watching a DVD of the show’s highlights. He said this was possible through the efforts of Jeff Spangler, who was able to transfer Clair Cunningham’s photos to a DVD. Mike Bryant brought another entertaining tale to the club’s newsletter.

He is so descriptive that the reader can

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vividly picture the scenario. Mike’s wife has to be a brave one to follow Mike on some of his pursuits. His interest in ACL bottles took him and his wife on a drive that ended with them sitting in Mike’s vehicle in a collector’s driveway. They sat terrorized by the collector’s two barking and growling dogs that were intensely focused on his vehicle. Mike bit the bullet and got out of his vehicle and got the collector to answer his door (without incident). Mike struck a deal. Then he and Dixie wrapped his new acquisitions and split for home. For those of you who would like to actually read the story, I bet Mike wouldn’t mind sharing. It really keeps your attention.

Montana Bottle Collectors Association Club president Bill Henness wrote a “Farewell to the Presidency” message in which he included some past successes, current plans and a thought -provoking statement. He mentioned that the Wild West Fest event brought in seven club members and one nonmember who set up twelve dealer tables. He called this trade show a success!

Bill also said that after the trade show and before the dance held on Saturday night, that club members managed to hold their fourth regular meeting of the year. One event that he reported as “firmed up” is the club’s show for 2009. The show will be held on June 5-6 at the Civic Center in Butte. Bill announced the officers’ names who will be serving two-year terms and thanked those outgoing members who held the club reins for their designated terms. He also brought to light the difference in membership from a couple of years ago, which he said was “zero” to 55 paid members in 2008. “One can just about double that figure by including spouses and significant others,” he said. He also stated that originally the club budget registered “zero” Today the club is solvent even after having paid all costs for the Butte Bottle Show. What you members have achieved does not come easily. It is a case of pure hard work and the perse-

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November-December 2008

verance of some strong-minded, focused members. We congratulate you for keeping afloat and not giving up.

Here are some of Bill’s thoughts regarding the future of the club: “To grow our organization, we must continue to bring in new members, because it’s the members that make up the club. It’s important to keep having bottle shows, trade shows, bottle digs, meetings, perhaps a picnic. We can do more to promote our hobby through presentations, displays and perhaps a human interest story in a local newspaper or two.”

Sherrie Bruch had some intriguing information in her “A Note from the Editor.” She started out apologizing for her “malfunctioning” computer causing the newsletter to be late, but then went on to share some digging news. This is how she covered it: “I know this summer has been the best digging Shawn and I have ever had.

Over the past two months (summer months) almost every weekend was devoted to finding bottle treasure and treasure we found!” She mentioned that one of their spots they found “was the best dig we’ve ever had, not just in the amount of bottles we were able to add to our collection but we were able to make some new friends.” Here’s the best part: “I can’t think of a better time than digging an outhouse 10 feet down and 5 feet across.” Sherrie added that she hasn’t heard from many members about digging, but she

said the ones that she did hear from told her that they had success.

You folks meet four times a year and have as many newsletters, so this will be it for awhile. As usual we look forward to receiving your newsletters so that we can read them and report your news.

Las Vegas Antique Bottles and Collectibles - The Punkin Seed From what we read in one of this club’s newsletters, “Dealer Table Sales” are moving right along. Their newsletter reported that 73 had been sold at that time. By the time readers read this writeup the count will undoubtedly be well over 100 and growing. It sounds like club members are feverishly involved in following up on details to make their February show at the Palace Station a real success.

The “News Break” section revealed that president Hank Hawkins has resigned and that Vice President Norma Lee would temporarily be taking over presidential duties. We feel that a club member will volunteer to take over and that the new president will probably be out there shaking hands at the club’s February show.

Club member Louise Colucci was the “Bus Trip” coordinator for a fall trip to the Ventura Flea Market and all the antique stores in downtown Buena Ventura. An example of the description of what folks could see from their private hotel balconies went like this:

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“These balconies open onto views of the ocean!” The description ended like this: “For us desert dwellers, this is the perfect change of pace.”

A club newsletter is a “means of communication” among club members. This “means of communication” is kept alive by those editors who dedicate themselves to getting newsletters typed, printed and in the mail to the membership. Your editors D&D (Dottie and Dick) are once again asking for your help. They state that they have a 10-page monthly newsletter to publish. We have learned that your club has 112 members who receive The Punkin Seed. Your editors are asking for member assistance to help fill the pages of your newsletter. Even if typing sentences or paragraphs is out of the question for some of you, Dottie and Dick will accept handwritten information. As an idea, maybe you could try writing up a few sentences to let your fellow members know how you got hooked on collecting and what you collect. As you are aware, not all 112 members attend meetings. They read the newsletter to find out what is going on with the club. D&D point out that 10 pages need to be filled every three weeks so any little contribution you members could make would be greatly appreciated by your editors. We look forward to attending your meeting in February.

Battleship Revenue Stamps The Revenue Act of 1862-1883 created the Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Printers, Butler & Carpenter of Philadelphia issued the first federal adhesive revenue stamps of the U.S. in 1862.

The stamps indicated prepaid taxes on Civil War-era documents, and several proprietary articles including patent medicines.

The second series of revenue stamps were issued to help pay for the Spanish American War (1892-1902).

The series of low values of the regular issue bore the picture of a battleship.

Among the many companies that used the battleship stamps was the Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company of Lynn, Massachusetts.

The two examples framed here are a 5/8¢ stamp cancelled “L.E.P. Med. Co. Aug. 9, 1899” and 2-1/2¢ stamp cancelled “L.E.P. Med. Co. Mar. 23, 1901”

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November-December 2008

FEDERATION OF HISTORICAL BOTTLE COLLECTORS Minutes of Board Meeting August 7, 2008 Yorktowne Hotel, York, PA The meeting was called to order by President Carl Sturm at 9 a.m. Board members in attendance were: Mr. Sturm, Bob Ferraro, Richard Siri, James Berry, Richard Watson, Ed Herrold, Sheldon Baugh, June Lowry, R. Wayne Lowry, Ron Hands, Ed Provine, Kent Williams, Alan DeMaison, John Pastor, and Kathy HobsonSathe. Non-board members in attendance included Randy and Pam Selenak, Jamie Houdeshell, Ken Lawler, and Dar Furda. By agreement, Ed Herrold was designated to take be the recording secretary for the meeting.

R. Wayne Lowry, Convention Director, reporting on the upcoming Expo show this week at the Toyota Center at the York Fairgrounds, stated 415 sales tables had been sold and there would be 32 displays. In addition, 246 banquet reservations had been received and that number would probably increase. He reported that he expects the show to be profitable.

June Lowry, Business Manager, reported that we are currently printing 1200 copies of Bottles and Extras and sending out 1140 magazines to subscribers bi-monthly.

They will soon raise the printing number to 1300 copies. She reports that “Life Members” as a group are now contributing about half of the amount they would be paying if they were general members.

Alan DeMaison, Treasurer, distributed two reports to the Board – one for the fiscal year July 1, 2007

thru June 30, 2008 and another for the period commencing July 1, 2008. Final balance in the checking account was $7,777.79. The organization’s investment accounts total $146,224.63 as of June 30, 2008, down slightly from the year earlier of $154,075.21. However, this represents a $27,908.46 gain over the five-years’ earlier valuation of $117,316.17. Discussions were tenured concerning bonding requirements for the checking accounts and new account requirements and authorized signatures with the following resolution: Signers on the “Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors” main checking account at Huntington Bank are the FOHBC Treasurer, Alan DeMaison, and the FOHBC President, Richard Siri. Signers on the soon to be created “FOHBC National Show” checking account will be the FOHBC Treasurer, Alan DeMaison, and the Convention Director, R. Wayne Lowry.

Plans are to open the “FOHBC National Show” checking account at a USBank.

Kathy Hopson-Sathe, Editor of Bottles and Extras, told the board that recent issues of the magazine were late going to press because personal health issues prevented her from getting the material put together on time. She reported that she has heart problems, and recently has just been “sick a lot”.

She said that she had intended to deliver a portable hard drive which had been sent to her to back-up files, but, she inadvertently left it at home in North Carolina. She said that perhaps her husband would bring it when he came to the Expo.

(Note: The drive never made it to York.)

Mrs. Hopson-Sathe related she has difficulty using a newer computer program which does not seem compatible with what she is

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used to. June Lowry said that “Pagemaker”, the older program Mrs. Hopson-Sathe has been using, is no longer being updated by its manufacturer, Adobe, and, thus is becoming obsolete. Mrs. Lowry said that advanced replacement software from Adobe had been provided last year to Mrs. HopsonSathe, and she would need to download and use this new software, Creative Suite III which includes “InDesign” for magazine publishing.

Richard Siri expressed concern over delays and pointed out that the late printing of the most recent magazine caused a show ad by the Reno club to appear after the show was over. Mr. Siri furnished Mrs. Hopson-Sathe with a job description to guide her in her duties as Editor. Director Sheldon Baugh suggested that the administrative personnel associated with the magazine work out the problems and the board move on to other agenda items.

Among “special items” on the agenda discussed by the board was one weighing the advisability of continuing to promote annual national shows. Director Baugh said that he feared that doing shows only in alternate years would cause the FOHBC to lose membership, and he was opposed to any change in the existing format. Most board members seemed to generally agree and no action for change was taken. There was a brief discussion regarding the possibility of raising Club Membership dues.

John Pastor moved that only one magazine be provided with each Club Membership, instead of the two as is currently done to allow the Club Membership to stay at its present level. Mrs. Lowry seconded the motion and it was passed without dissent.

Other agenda items included

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consideration of having an Advertising Manager, a Layout Manager, a paid Business Manager, finding a way to compensate the Convention Director. June Lowry stated she might be able to use Cary Adelman for the Advertising Manger – to solicit advertising.

June moved that this be pursued and the motion was seconded by Kent Williams. It passed unanimously.

Compensation for Business Manager and Convention Director was discussed. As these persons are also voting members of the organization, they may be prohibited by the present bylaws from accepting compensation. Richard Siri also pointed out that there should be written job descriptions established for these offices. John Pastor moved that a committee be appointed to study these situations. June Lowry seconded the motion which passed. President Sturm appointed Mr. Siri, Mr. DeMaison, Mr. Baugh, and Mr. Herrold to the committee to study compensation structure.

James Barry volunteered to be the custodian of the award ribbons which were formerly watched over by Ed Provine. Mr. Provine is departing as a member of the Board.

Mrs. Lowry submitted the election results for the 2008-2010 directors and officers to Mr. Sturm. Mr. Sturm announced the results as follows: President First Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Historian Editor (appointed position) Merchandising Director

Richard Siri Bob Ferraro Ed Herrold Alan DeMaison Dick Watson Kathy Hopson-Sathe Kent Williams

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Convention Director R. Wayne Lowry Business Manager June Lowry Director-at-Large Carl Sturm (automatic position as Past President) Director-at-Large Sheldon Baugh Director-at-Large Cecil Munsey Midwest Region Director John Pastor Northeast Region Director James Bender Southern Region Director Ron Hands Western Region Director Bill Ham Public Relations Director James Berry Following the announcement of the election results, John Pastor tendered his resignation as Midwest Region Director. Mr. Pastor said he regretted this decision, however, his present situation in changing careers and relocation, prevented his participation to the extent this position requires. He stated he would like to remain on the Board, if possible. President Sturm accepted his resignation and subsequently offered him the position of Second Vice-President which Mr. Pastor accepted and was unanimously approved by the Board. Mr. Herrold recommended Jamie Houdeshell for the now vacant position of Midwest Region Director. Mr. Houdeshell said he would welcome the responsibility and Mr. Sturm appointed Mr. Houdeshell as Midwest Region Director. The appointment was approved by the Board without dissent.

President Sturm announced that President-elect Richard Siri would preside over the General Membership Meeting at the hotel commencing at 1 p.m.

Being no further business, the Board Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted, Ed Herrold, Secretary

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

The American National Bottle Exhibition 2008 (An Aussie’s Perspective)

By Rex and Joanna Barber This year, Joanna and I were able to attend and, as members of FOHBC, were able to exhibit at the American National Bottle show which was held in York , (Yorktown) Pennsylvania. It was our very first trip to the USA and from the very beginning of our holiday we were amazed at how big everything was, in highways, train systems, bridges and buildings and even food portions at restaurants, so we should not have been surprised by the

massive size of the chosen exhibition hall.

The Australian Nationals of 1975 held in the Perth Showgrounds is the closest that I personally could even compare it with. There were millions of dollars of bottles for sale as

can be seen in the photographs with one bottle alone priced at $56,000.

The stall that I am standing at looking awestruck had bitters bottles ranging from $2,000 to $12,000, and the one I am carefully inspecting was a figural Indian Bitters at $3,800.

The people at this exhibition had travelled from all across America to attend with some from as far away as San Francisco which, West to East, is farther than Perth to Sydney. Warren Roberts was there from New Zealand, Graham Lancastor was there from Queensland and James and Sandra Bell from Sydney had a stall, as did Iain and Hilary Gosling from Scotland.

However, Joanna and I were the only "aliens" who set up an exhibition

of our quack cure pot lids. They had taken up all the space in one of our suitcases. Instead of the well established one-metre of display space, we were confronted with exhibits that ran out to twelve feet or plus in the case of one exhibit that included a full-size backyard privy, or dunny in our language. We both agreed from day one that although we had seen the majority of American bottles in magazines before, in reality we knew very little about them.

Their exhibits did not contain our section A of twenty items, or section B of 10 items, but upwards of a hundred items for each display. Some exhibitors had actually hired large glassfronted, locked-up display cabinets from York businesses. They had either filled their display tables, or filled

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these cabinets with the most wonderful displays we had ever seen.

One four-metre-long display table from Terry Gillis was covered with cathedral bottles dating from the mid 1840s and of the type that some of the older collectors might have recovered from the mud at Port Augusta in South Australia in the early 1970s. A great practice which perhaps could be adopted at our shows, Terry also had a platform stand in front of his display, with a front and back, one-page handout for the general public or other collectors to take away that I hope will be published in the next issue of the Little Bottler.

We all are familiar with one bottle and its written history; well, the following bottle certainly would be a blue ribbon winner at any show. Fouryear-old Charles Brewster Ross was the first recorded kidnap victim in the U.S. way back in 1870 and over the next twenty years his father tried every available method to locate his son, even producing a glass bottle with his son’s image cast on it.

Bill and Rae Herbolsheimer had a wonderful display on the above and amongst all the actual prints of the time were three of these poignant bottles. The terrible story is well worth a read on Wikipedia.

In the main hall, there were 400

dealers from all over America, and in the display area there were 28 exhibitors. Security was provided by a professional service that guarded the total area all weekend and this left both dealers and exhibitors free to enjoy the weekend.

By far the greatest amount of bottle types for sale was the American (historical) flask, followed by a multitude of bitters. One dealer's table was

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roughly valued at $300,000. Sadly for both of us, we saw only a total of nine English lids for sale, including only one American lid, and only seven American lids in the display area from Philadelphia.

One highlight of the weekend was meeting and talking to Ben Swanson, the internationally famous pot lid collector. Ben told Joanna and me that there was not the same volume of pot lids in the USA as there was in both England and Australia, and that there certainly was never the amount of quack cure lids that we have in Australia.

The American show is not only understandably huge by our standards but radically different in the setting up of displays and the judging of the same. There is no charge for display space, or no limit in what length of trestle you can apply for. One young man in his mid-twenties and an enthusiastic bottle collector spent the whole weekend in front of his twenty-fourfoot- long display talking to the general public and fellow collectors about his wonderful privy-dug collection.

Another fantastic privy-dug display ranged in date from the late 18th

to the mid 19th centuries and included the internationally famous egg soda bottle which was of such historical importance that the digger was able to publish a book on this gem. Most of our outdoor dunnies without pans in Australia consisted of a long handle shovel-dug hole under the small outhouse. However in the case of the big display in the photograph they dug a huge hole and then planked it over so that they moved the building along the planks after a good dose of lime.

November-December 2008

Some privies contained four seats.

Many years ago, Joanna’s uncle in Ballan, Victoria showed us a fourseat, convict-built dunny that was still in use when he was a small boy, which supports what we were told in the U.S.A. Also in the display area was the most fantastic display of 168 T-Kettle inks of every imaginable colour of which I have enclosed two photographs to show how beautiful the collection of Lynn and Don Carroll really is.

Please do not cringe when I say

the following, Telegraph insulators. I did when I was told about them, but after seeing these massive collections on display, the Wild West history associated with them and the vast range of colours and shapes they came in, we are now converts. One display was complete with the very first poles ever used after the Pony Express finished, and poles that survived from the Civil War. This was amazing research and history that we could again both relate to as Joanna’s great grandfather Edmund Stirling was responsible for the construction of the telegraph line linking Perth to Fremantle.

Just as an aside, we had also gone to the Nationals in York because it is

Bottles and Extras

where Harley-Davison motor bikes are manufactured and we both went on a plant tour. Also it was only 30 miles from Gettysburg Battlefield

which we also visited while in York.

Back to the insulators, of which there was a fantastic display shown in the photo, and several dealers had full trestles stacked high with beautiful colours and patents.

In the dealer area was a huge display of applied colour label soda bottles, like our “Fanta” bottles of a few years ago. These came from all over America and went back to the 1930s.

The display was supported not by one seminar, but two and both were addressing a packed and enthusiastic audience. Personally, I prefer the Colonial period of bottle production and lids.

The judging of all the displays came down to two votes from the collectors/dealers, the other people participating in the display area, and the general public. One award was for best display and the other was for the most informative display, hence the pamphlet podiums. This pitched bottle collectors against insulator collectors, etc, etc. There were no categories, no limit on displayed items, no limit on length of display or height.

The best display deservedly went

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November-December 2008

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Full Colour

BBR to Rusty and Cindy Mills (first-time exhibitors) for their mind-blowing display of The Californian Perfume Company, 1886 to 1939, when it became the Avon Company. Not only did these guys have all the bottles from this period, all the bottles were complete with original labels. The bottles in turn had the original coloured cardboard advertising, plus all the advertising paraphernalia associated with the product.

The most informative display went to the wonderful display of cathedral bottles, as the type of bottle most associated with the great wagon migrations across America.

1 year Air Mail subscription $60

There were many displays of this type from Mason's preservative jars, Established 1979 Pennsylvania canning jars, pickle bottles and early American fruit jars.

The world’s first full color bottle magazine They ranged in age from the earliest simply got Better and Bigger. migration to the Mississippi River in Packed Full of the information you need on th the 18 Century, to the main migrathe UK & world wide bottle scene. tion of the early 19th Century, pre- Well-researched articles & all the latest finds.

Californian gold rush, including the Upcoming sales and full show calendar. infamous Donner party who did not Personal check, Mastercard/Visa, even cash! take enough food jars!

Rex & Joanna Barber PO Box 77 Cape, Western Australia 6271 61 8 9727 1984 Barbers_2@bigpond.com

BBR, Elsecar Heritage Center, Barnsley, 2, Yorkshire, S74 8HJ, England Ph: 011-44-1226-745156 Fax: 011-44-1226-321561

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

promoted his new American Glass Gallery auction service at the Expo, commented,” I enjoyed the seminars very much. David Beadle did a wonderful job on his seminar, the Lancaster, NY Glass Works.”

Another asset to the Expos is the Friday evening banquet and awards program. The York event boasted the largest number of Expo banquet attendees ever. Following the banquet, four new members were inducted into the Federation Hall of Fame. The new members are Tom Caniff, Jim Hagenbuch, Carl Sturm, and Betty Zumwalt. Also honored were Katie Foglesong and Steve Ketcham, who were placed on the Federation Honor Roll.

From the time set up began Friday afternoon, it was evident that the collectors who came to York were not cowed by the summer’s negative economic news. Nor did high gas prices keep them away. Sales were strong for most dealers. Panek reported, “My sales were excellent and varied including milks, hutchinsons, marbles, a beer tray, postcards, medicines, stoneware, trade cards, bottle related ephemera, and sodas.” This writer’s sales were also good, with strong sales in label-under-glass perfumes, flasks, bitters, barber bottles, and patent medicines.

Of course, not everyone sells at an Expo. Some collectors come only to buy. Beccue stated, “I didn’t sell and never have sold at an Expo. An Expo has so much to see on the sales tables and in the displays that I couldn’t let myself be tied to a table. I need to visit every table and exhibit at least 2 or 3 times over the 3 days just to insure that I am seeing everything. I spent every dime of my bottle budget (and maybe a bit more), so I hope the dealers were happy with my buying! I am very grateful that so many collectors from around the country and as far away as Britain, Germany, and Australia are willing to go to all the work necessary to set up and sell at an Expo. I was even able to practice my waning language skills on a very patient dealer from Germany. It was a good thing he spoke perfect English!”

York Expo - A Big Success

By Steve Ketcham The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors York Expo held August 7-10, 2008, was the ninth such event sponsored by the organization. A devoted few have attended all nine, planning years ahead to fit the event into their busy schedules. Just how important is the Expo to some bottle collectors that they attend the event every four years? Ask Minnesota’s Boyd Beccue. “I have attended every Expo. In fact, that is the only condition in my pre nup: I must be allowed to attend every Expo!” Or check with Illinois collector John Panek. He will tell you, “I have attended all the Expos. I have only missed two national (Federation) shows since 1976.”

How do Federation Expos and national shows command such loyalty? Perhaps it is the quality and quantity of antique glass found on the tables at such events, particularly the Expos. One Wisconsin collector, also a regular at Federation events, said that York was “reminiscent of old expos, where the quality was very good. It’s apparent that many sellers had ‘saved’ their better items for this show.“ A look back at the York Expo will reveal a long list of reasons why collectors from across the country made the trip to Pennsylvania in August. Consider the Friday morning activities. There were specialty meetings for collectors of Hutchinson sodas, jelly jars, painted label sodas, and poisons. Educational seminars were offered on topics such as root beers and ginger beers, Saratoga bottles, the California Perfume Company, black glass, inks, the Kola Wars, internal stoppled mineral water bottles, and the Lancaster

Black Glass seminar presented by Carl Sturm Glass Works. One frustration, echoed by several collectors, was the difficulty of attending more than a couple of the seminars. Panek commented, “I attended two seminars and wish there was a way to clone myself to attend more of the others being presented that morning.” John Pastor, who

Cathedral Pickle display by Terry Gillis Reviews of the displays were equally positive. “Jane and I both thought the Cathedral Pickle display was very

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November-December 2008

ing. The display of pickle bottles was exceptional, but there were many others. The California Perfume Co. display was tremendous as were the displays of Mason jars, inks, and the early items dug in Philadelphia.”

While everyone enjoyed the great exhibits, Panek did say, “I'd like to express my long standing belief that there should be no competitive awards presented at National Shows or Expos. It’s just not fair to the displayers who work just as hard to pack, transport and set up their displays to not receive the same public acknowledgement as the ‘winners’ receive. It should be all about education and showcasing our hobby, and not competition.”

Connecticut’s Norm Heckler was once again the auctioneer for Saturday night’s Expo auction. Some 75 lots Great American Preserve Jars display were sold, with six offerings bringing

by Phil Alvarez bids of $2000 or am not a jar collector, but a couple of better. An early, green the jar displays were great, especially o l i v e the one with all the different closures “Wryghte’s Bit(talk about educational). I especially ters London” was top lot with a final liked the Hostetter’s Bitters display.”

John Pastor of Michigan ob- bid of $3900. An unlisted, served, “The displays were terrific. It aqua, is a special treat to have folks display pontiled “Capen and share their wonderful collections & Thurston Imwith others. I personally think that the proved Mineral displays and seminars often times Water Troy N. Y.” have a way of inspiring people to get went to a new interested in and collect other areas home for $2600. that they may not of had an interest or A mint, open ponemerald exposure to before. It is hard to single tiled, out a particular display as they were green “Sweets Blk Rochester Sweet’s Blk Oil all well put together and interest- Oil N Y ” commanded a sweet $2000, and an open pontiled, yellow green “True Daffy’s Elixer” delivered a strong $3600.

What did collectors like best about the York Expo? One Wisconsin collector pointed out, “A not-previouslyrevealed ‘draw’ to this location is the warm, nostalgic feeling many long-time collectors and dealers have for this facility relative to the California Perfume Company original summer York fairby Rusty Mills beautiful and educational and both voted it number 1,” said Beccue. “I

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grounds show being there. Reports of ghosts with flashlights have been heard!”

Panek reflected, “The best memories include the truly outstanding displays, especially Terry Gillis's pickles, foods and cathedrals display; Wayne & June Lowry's fruit jar display; and Joe Merkel and Jim Sears’ fruit jar display. The camaraderie with dealers and collectors that I only see once or twice a year was also heartwarming.”

Beccue observed, “Overall impression was: a great Expo, which is to say a very great show! I rank it with the best we have had, including my prior favorites, St. Louis and Las Vegas. Even the concessions and rest area were first rate, which is not always the case at a large show. It was also nice to have a hall big enough to accommodate the huge number of tables and still have comfortable wide aisles. Wayne and June did a wonderful job with the show, and we all owe them a lot for giving the time necessary to head up such an enterprise. I had hoped to see an Expo held in the East for many years, and York was a splendid choice. Proximity to Gettysburg and the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg were big plusses for any history buff.”

Beccue’s sentiments about Wayne and June Lowry’s hard work and dedication were echoed by many. Panek summed it up by saying, “Wayne and June Lowry really did a tremendous job on behalf of the FOHBC in running this event.”

In the end, no bottle show is ever just about bottles. Perhaps John Pastor said it best when he exclaimed, “The Expo was also wonderful in terms of seeing many old friends and making new ones from across the country and even around the World (Australia, the UK, Germany) and other corners of the globe! We're already looking forward to the next

one!”

Steve Ketcham PO Box 24114 Edina, MN 55424 ph: (952) 920-4205 email: S.Ketcham@uniquesoftware.com

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November-December 2008

The USA Expo 2008

Bottles and Extras

by Russ Smith Editor of ABC UK

The idea of attending one of the US Expos had always been nothing but a remote possibility for me but that all changed when Wayne “Jar Doctor” Lowry invited me to the 2008 Expo to give a seminar on Codds and other internal stoppered bottles Unlike Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, the USA is not exactly a Codd collector’s paradise but it’s a poor Coddie who can’t get interested in other related specialisations so a 30-year ambition was finally realised. Luckily, the 2008 Expo was held in York (Pa) which I was told was the closest to the East Coast that the Expo had ever been held and, equally luckily for a West Country hayseed, there was a daily Continental Airways flight from Bristol to Newark (NJ), a day’s drive from York.

The city itself has a fascinating history and has a very reasonBusy People! able claim to being the first capital of the USA. With the British W a y n e forces hard on their heels, Congress had vacated first Philadelphia L o w r y and then Lancaster, finally setting up their meetings in York from (Convention September 1777 to June 1778. It was during this period that the Director, Articles of Confederation were approved and it was agreed that the Show Chairtitle of the confederation of provinces was to be “The United States man and in of America”. charge of The Expo was organised by a Show Committee drawn from Contracts & members of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Table Reser(FOHBC), chaired by Wayne Lowry and was held in the Toyota vations) with Arena at York Fairground. Some idea of the size of this hall can be his wife June seen from the photograph below: there were 400 stalls and a large (Auction area containing just under 30 displays. It is quite impossible to conCatalogue, vey the atmosphere and buzz of this show in a few pages but I hope Souvenir Proyou enjoy the few features presented here. gram Advertising, Flyer Artwork and Show T-Shirts). Also, they somehow found the time to look after their “Jar Doctor” stall. (See ABC Issue 28 page 24 for a review of some of their cleaning equipment).

Toyota Arena Main Hall of the York Fairgrounds, containing approximately 400 stalls and 30 displays.

Please believe me when I tell you that Horst Klusmeier was vey pleased with his purchase of this bottle. He described it to me as a shaft and globe, ca1680, magnum size, 19cm tall, 17cm wide on the shoulder and was absolutely mint. The unusual and interesting point is that the glassmaker worked the string ring to a point were it could collect the drops. It was not a give-away but considering the condition and size it was very reasonably priced compared to the UK.

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November-December 2008

Another happy chappie was USA Poison collector Dwight Fryer, who had just snapped up a rarely seen aqua poison which cost him neither an arm nor a leg.

Left to right: your assistant editor, Aussie auctioneer Graham Lancaster, Kiwi auctioneer Warren Roberts and two Antipodian mates, Kiwi Neil Davis and Aussie Peter Heaphy. This rather suspicious looking crew had just got back after a trip to Adamstown, which is only an hour’s drive from York and which claims to be the “Antiques Capital of the USA”. It sports 24 antiques halls, each containing dealers in their hundreds, on a stretch of Route 272 just 7 miles long. Having spent two days at the Expo we decided to take a break and spend the Sunday morning prowling these 24 halls! No chance, as we were totally exhausted after just two. Anyone intending to follow in our footsteps would be well advised to allow at least a week.

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Personally, I had not expected to find stall after stall groaning with the weight of Codds and internal stoppered bottles (and indeed I didn’t) but was delighted to bring home the two very recently dug “rattlers” shown here. The bottle on the right is embossed on the front “J. L. JACOBS / CAIRO N.Y. “ and right around it near t h e b a s e “PATENTED FEB 20 1883 JUNE 23 85 & AUG 4 85”. It uses the Codd principle and is closed by a brown, very bouyant spherical stopper. The bottle on the left is embossed on the front “J. H. HADKINS / TOTTENVILLE / S.I.”, and on the back with a logo comprising the initials JHH but the really exciting part is on the base: outer circle “GRAVITATING STOPPER / MADE BY”, inner circle “JOHN MATTHEWS / NEW YORK” and in the centre “PATD / OCT 11TH / 1864”. The stopper is embossed “PATENTED / 1864”. I can’t remember when $100 left my pocket quite as quickly!

THE DISPLAYS These were very impressive indeed and I found it very difficult to decide which to include. I attempted ( and probably failed) to cover a wide range of interests and provide something for everybody.

19th Century Ceramic Quack Cure Pot Lids. This impressive display was provided by very keen ABC subscriber Rex (my parents really wanted a dog) Barber and his wife Joanna from Capel, Western Australia and was the only non-USA display at the show. Rex was one of the few displayers who spent long periods on duty, explaining his enthusiasm for the hobby to the many visitors who showed interest.

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

Asthma Medicines & Go-Withs.

Jeff & Mary Waterhouse from Whitehall, Pennsylvania displayed this very wide range of asthma cures/ remedies.

A Picture of Central Pennsylvania Past.

Things you can find in an outhouse (That’s “dunny” to you Aussies). I must have toured the show at least 20 times and not once did I find Robert E Lee III absent from his display. He was forever explaining to all within earshot his enthusiasm for examining old disused outhouses for whatever had been dumped in them (note the hand emerging from the depths in his mock -up). His display table provided ample evidence of success over the years.

Early Threadless Insulators. Large numbers of collectors in Australia and the USA collect early threaded and threadless insulators which come in a huge variety of sizes and colours. This display by Allen Klapaska from Spring Grove, Pennsylvania goes a long way to explain their attraction.

Great American Preserve Jars. This display from Phil Alvarez of Blairstown, New Jersey was just one of several which featured preserve and fruit jars. Also, I was surprised at the very large numbers of such jars for sale on the stalls. No doubt this goes back to the recent past when the West was opening up and settlers were forced to make the most of summer abundance in order to survive when food was scarce. There were many makes and patents on view, each one claiming to be more fool-proof than their competitors. A very sobering thought: if the seal failed, mate, then you would go hungry and may not even survive a bad winter!

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Five Reasons to collect Cathedral and other Pickle Bottles.

Terry & Katie Gillis from Fort Payne, Alabama listed their reasons for their choice of collectables - Size Range, Ornate Details, Styles, Designs and Colour. Having seen similar items for sale on the stalls, I would not even attempt to put a value on this lot. Each one seems to have the desirability in the USA that a blue Codd would have in the UK. Charley Ross Bottles & Books. For me, this display and accompanying story by Bill & Rae Herbolsheimer from Doylestown, Pennsylvania was one of the show’s highlights.

On 1 July 1874, Charley Brewster Ross, aged 4, and his brother Walter, aged 6, were abducted in front of the family mansion by two men in a buggy. A few days later Walter was found wandering a few miles away but Charley was never seen by his parents again. Although a crude ransom note was received later and Charley’s father, Christian, tried to pay, all attempts at recovering the boy failed. By the time he died, in 1897, Christian Ross had spent $60,000 in his futile search.

Part of his effort was to persuade a cosmetics company to manufacture a series of hand-blown bottles to keep Charley Brewster in the public eye: six of these bottles are shown here.

The display included a request by the displayers for information on any other bottles of any shape, size or colour depicting Charley but to date these are the only examples recorded.

Hyacinth Vases. Part of a very colourful display of vases of various designs and ages laid on by Mike Jordan from Ocala, Florida.

Teakettle Inks. Strikingly impressive display of teakettle inks

by Lynn Mitchell & Don Carroll from Brandon, Florida.

Russ Parkin 13 Burnsview Denham, Crafthole Torpoint, Carnwall England Pl11 32BW 011 44 01 503 230 323 rushing@onetel.com

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November-December 2008

Celebrating 150 Years of Mason Jars 1858-2008

By Jim Sears and Joseph Merkel

Figure 1 - Four sizes of early “Crowleytown” jars

Bottles and Extras

“Crowleytown” jars by collectors, having straight sides, flat bases and sharp base corners (Figure 1). It is commonly believed that they were made in the small village of Crowleytown, New Jersey.

The strongest evidence associating Crowleytown with Mason is the existence of a chipped Mason jar that was dug at the Crowleytown factory site by J. E. Pfeiffer, however, some early writers, including Van Rensselaer and Knittle, asserted that the first Mason jars were blown at Tansboro, New Jersey in an area where the 1869 business directories list John L. Mason among glass manufacturers. (Figure 3) shows John L Mason promoting jars in the early 1870s. Most likely, the Crowleytown style jars were produced at several different factories. Crowleytown jars were marketed in four sizes: pint, quart, three-pint, and halfgallon. Collectors have not yet reported a jar that holds a full three pints and refer to the second largest size as forty ounces. Mason himself was a metalworker rather than a glass man, therefore, he would have contracted the production of his jars to one or more of the available factories. The

Figure 3 - John L Mason This year, 2008, marks the sesquicentennial of the Mason jar. Fifty years ago the Glass Container Manufacturers Institute estimated that over 100 billion Mason jars had been produced, and jars bearing the famous Nov. 30th 1858 date continue to be made today. Early 1858-dated Mason jars offer a wide array of colors and embossings. Examples, ranging in price from a few to sever hundred dollars are readily available, making it possible for all collectors to enjoy these truly fascinating historic glass vessels.

John L. Mason was a tinsmith in New York City when he invented a method of mass-producing metal screw caps. In 1857, he patented the combination of a lathe and a metal chuck, which turned sheets of metal into threaded caps. While Mason did

Figure 2 - Mason’s patent drawing

Figure 4 - Variations in “Crowleytown” molds

produce some of these caps for use on hand-made tin cans, he soon turned to glass vessels which would accommodate his patent for lids. On October 23, 1858, Mason patented a mold for blowing glass jars with a screw thread (Figure 2). The more famous patent, that he received a week later, was only for the screw threads that terminate prior to the shoulder or mouth of the jar. The earliest Mason jars look like what they were: glass versions of tin cans - commonly referred to as

Crowleytown style jars exist in several variations (Figure 4). This strongly suggests their manufacture was over a period of time and that they were not blown at one particular glasshouse location.

Mason’s tin can shape or style of jar soon proved to be a rather weak design for glass vessels and improvements needed to be made. The first improvement was a slight kick-up to the base, which gave the jars added strength. The late Dick Roller coined

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Figure 7 - Examples of jar bases

Figure 5 - Semi-Crowleytown jars the term semi-Crowleytown for these jars having straight sides, but, without flat bases.

Semi-Crowleytown jars are found in pint, quart, and half-gallon sizes bearing mold numbers below Mason’s (Figure 5). All Crowleytown and semi-Crowleytown jars are considered both scarce and highly prized among collectors.

By the mid-1860s, the semiCrowleytown jars gave way to the slope-shouldered Mason jars. Patents issued before the Civil War could be extended a total of 21 years, therefore, Mason’s famous Nov. 30th 1858 patent did not expire until 1879. Many different manufacturers were engaged in producing Mason jars while the patent remained in effect.

Suppliers were typically prohibited from adding their own embossings to the sides of the jars, therefore, the Wheeler & Bayless jar, as well as

ported in business prior to the Chicago fire of 1871.

These transitional jars have slightly different shapes - varying from the earlier beehive style and the later, sloped-shoulder style jars. Suppliers who honored Mason’s patents typically marked their jars on the bases. This may help collectors understand why there are numerous manufacturers initials or symbols on jar bases from this period. Some examples include BT&Co., BP&Co., E.H.E., FHL&Co., H&Co., HC&T, L&W, SR&Co., TW&Co., WCD, et al. (Figure 7).

In the late 1870s, John L Mason’s patents fell under the control of the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company, which began adding its own CFJCo. Monogram to Mason embossed jars as a trademark. With the expiration of Mason’s patent in 1879, other competitors quickly joined in, adding their own logos and marks.

By this point-in-time, the 1858 date was so strongly associated with Mason jars that most manufacturers continued to cite Mason’s expired patent date on their own jars.

After 1879, glass manufacturers

Figure 6 - Unauthorized 1858 jars the Sun jar (Figure 6), likely represent unauthorized uses of Mason jar molds.

These jars were almost surely made prior to the expiration of Mason’s patents. Wheeler & Bayless is only re-

Figure 8 - Various embossings on jars

were free to produce Mason jars in a wide variety of colors and embossings, but production continued to be limited by patents on another invention - the milk glass or “porcelain” lined cap.

The earliest Mason jars featured unlined caps made of brass, zinc, or tin, but these would corrode and contaminate the food. Louis Boyd came up with a solution to the problem, and, on March 30, 1869, patented the lined zinc cap. This patent soon became a major asset of the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company. Due to a patent office error, a similar patent was also granted to Salmon Rowley of the Hero Glassworks in 1872.

Today, the earliest unlined Mason caps are highly sought by collectors since most were replaced by Boyd’s or Rowley’s lined lids.

During the early 1880s, only Consolidated and Hero were allowed to manufacture lined lids, protected by their respective patents. Other companies, including Ball Brothers Mfg. Co., of Buffalo, New York, waited until the Boyd patent expired in 1886.

Zinc lids are another fascinating study unto themselves.

The greatest variety of Mason jars

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were produced during a brief period in history, beginning in 1886, when manufacture was no longer restricted by any patents and ending in 1896 with the advent of machine-made Mason jars. During the late 1880s and early 1890s, embossed jars in an array of colors featured various added designs, such as rosettes, crosses, and keystones (Figure 8). These designs were often added to the zinc caps also so suppliers could sell lids matching their respective jars.

Consolidated Fruit Jar Co. monogram (jar on left, Figure 9), was soon mimicked by other companies including Hero Glassworks (center jar, Figure 9) and Hemingray Glass Co. (jar on right, Figure 9).

This amazing era was short-lived

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market powdered paint in handmade ground-mouth Mason jars as late as World War I (Figure 10).

Fruit jar collecting emerged as a distinct hobby in the 1960s, and by the early 1970s, reproduction jars began to appear bearing the Nov 30th 1858 patent date. While collectors in all areas are learning to be wary of reproductions, oddly colored reproduction Mason Figure 11 jars continue to tempt beginning collectors, Reproductions, such as this half-gallon jar (Figure 11), have fooled collectors for a generation.

While not all of the jars bearing Mason’s 1858 patent date are as early as collectors may wish to believe, these jars continue to offer endless collecting

Bottles and Extras

possibilities. The amazing array of colors (Figure 12), embossings and prices should keep collectors of Mason embossed jars busy for centuries to come. Uncatalogued examples continue to show up from time-to-time, and, there appears to be no foreseeable end in sight.

Merkel & Sears continue to work on their Mason Jar Book project, focusing on ground-lip finished jars bearing the Mason('s) embossing. If you have a jar you think should be reported, please contact them.

Joseph Merkel PO Box 459 Chelsea, MI 48118 phone: 734-433-9904 email: Joseph.Merkel@gmail.com Jim Sears PO Box 370 Garrett Park, MD 20896 phone: 301-588-2174 email: searsjim@usa.net

Figure 9 - CFJ mimicked embossings and came to an abrupt halt in 1896 when the new Atlas Glass Company captured one-third of the U.S. fruit jar market. The new automatic bottle machine produced jars that were less expensive, quicker to produce and eliminated the need for hand grinding the finish of the mouth. Small manufacturers who lacked access to the patented jar-blowing machines continued to fill small orders with handmade jars for many years.

Likewise, this new, automated process forced many small manufacturers to cease production as it became nearly impossible to compete with the modernized process.

Dupont continued to pack and Figure 10 - Dupont

Figure 12 - Rare AUTHENTIC Colored Mason jars Editor’s note: Joe and Jim had a wonderful display on this subject at the 2008 York Expo Shown here are some pictures of their display with more on the following page.

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

The York 2008 - Some “Pristine” Choices

By Darlene Furda Ken Lawler and I shared our sense of history as we drove into the York area on Wednesday night. It turns out that during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), York served as the temporary capital of the Continental Congress. There is also the possibility that George Wash-

Yorktowne Hotel - host hotel and site of banquet

show chairman, business manager and treasurer were presented and in addition, some special items were discussed.

The “Changing of the Guard” took place with the new officers starting their term in office. A General Membership Meeting was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The newly-elected president conducts this meeting and reports on items of interest that were discussed at the board meeting. While there in the hotel we also picked up our early admission packet containing our badges and program. As I opened the program my eyes stopped on Page 2. There was Pepper Lowry, a smiling Pomeranian saying in part, “Hello, my name is Pepper and I am the unofficial EXPO mascot.”

We’ve been greeted by some great show hosts, in the past, but this had to be the best greeting ever!

Seminars were scheduled for Friday from 9:00 a.m. to

ington stayed at the Yorktowne Hotel during the revolution.

We also learned that the fairgrounds where the show was being held dates back to the mid 1700’s. While we were taken with some facts about the area, we have to admit that our excitement was building regarding our upcoming attendance at the show.

With show thoughts set aside we drove over to the Yorktowne Hotel, on Thursday morning, to attend the FOHBC Board Meeting. Our Los Angeles club President

Black Glass - Identification and Dating Seminar

By Carl Sturm

Board meeting and Vice President Pam and Randy Selenak were invited to attend the meeting and were already seated at the conference table. The usual agenda items such as reports from the

12:00 noon. There were at least nine seminars and four specialty meetings. The seminars covered such subjects as, The Early History of Root and Ginger Beers, Saratoga Springs Bottles, The California Perfume Company, Black Glass, Inks, The Lancaster Glass Works, Kola Wars, Collecting Applied Color Label Soda Bottles and Internal Stoppled Mineral Water Bottles. The specialty meetings covered Hutchinson’s Patent Spring Stopper, and the Jelly Jammers in search of finding unlisted variations. The Painted Soda Bottle Collectors Association supports and encourages the soda bottle and “go-with” collecting hobby on a national level. The Poisons specialty meeting was be-

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

Ink Symposium - Don Carroll (top) Lynn Mitchell (bottom) ing held on Saturday night from 5:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and advertised that attendees could see some of the “Rarest Poisons in the World.” This meeting was being held by the Antique Poison Bottle Collector’s Association. The pro-

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grabbed something to eat in the lobby area and waited for early admission to the show. Ken managed to elbow his way toward the door and shoot a picture of the huge room full of sales tables. The time finally rolled around to where the crowd of anxious folks could burst into the show and burst they did.

If you want quantity and variety, attend an FOHBC EXPO (this was the 9th one over a 32 year period). There were 414 dealer tables. It was reported that 258 dealers and their dedicated helpers managed their tables. Once inside the show room Ken and I started running our eyes over the tables. At one point I snapped a picture of Mabel Hicks holding up a Petal Fruit Jar valued at $4,000.

There were many high-end bottles and a wide range of other types. If you were looking for flasks, figurals, poisons, inks, hutches, whiskeys, pharmacies, bitters and Mabel Hicks with on and on, you were in the right petal jar place! Old glass with color and crudity seemed abundant. You might say that the show provided a “quality purchase waiting to happen.”

Ken and I conserved some energy so that we could attend the Friday night Awards Banquet in the Yorktowne Hotel Ballroom. I believe there were 246 attendees. This was the second highest attendance for an Awards Banquet.

In keeping with a tradition established in 1980 four members of the FOHBC were inducted into the Hall of Fame for major contributions to the bottle collecting hobby.

The honorees are: Tom Caniff for outstanding writing in the field of fruit jar collecting; Jim Hagenbuch who is internationally recognized as he is in the United States. He is the publisher of the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector and

Room before show gram write-up said that the Poison Association has something like 111 active members from five countries.

After Ken and I attended a couple of seminars we

R Wayne Lowry - President’s Award from Carl Sturm

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November-December 2008

Glassworks auction catalogs; Carl Sturm who is a retiring third-term FOHBC president who has also dedicated many years of service to the Federation and Betty Zumwalt who has celebrated many outstanding achievements among which are her co-authoring three books. She also published a book on Pickles and Sauces and is widely recognized for her dedicated research.

The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Presidents Award 2008 was presented to Wayne Lowry for his outstanding contribution as FOHBC Conventions Director.

Two Honor Roll Certificates were awarded as follows: Katie Foglesong, one of the recipients of the Honor Roll Certificates has been interested in bottle collecting since the 1960’s. Katie joined the Antique Bottle Collector’s Association in 1965. She also was one of the founding members of the Iowa Antique Bottleers in 1967 and became their editor in 1968. Her generosity led to her writing a booklet entitled, “Trials and Trails of a Bottle Collector.” Her booklet was a freebee for those who wanted a copy. A winning characteristic of hers was that she was not pretentious.

Katie must have also been creative as it is reported that she once traded a Colt 45 for a historical flask. It is said of Steve Ketcham that “Many believe in the FOHBC, but none so dedicated and determined as Steve. Introduced to bottle collecting in the early 1970’s, and then the FOHBC he was eager to represent the bottle clubs of Minnesota and subsequently volunteering for an office on the FOHBC board and became National Chairman from 1982-1984. Always positive in his thinking and promotion of the FOHBC, he has been involved with 98% of the National Bottle shows and many, many meetings in between.”

As many of you know the FOHBC holds annual con-

Pam Selenak accepting 1st place Newsletter contest tests. The winners are announced at the Awards Banquet.

Here are the First Place Contest Winners for 2008. Newsletter: The Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club: Blaine Greenman, Editor and Randy Selenak, Contributing Editor

Bottles and Extras

for, “The Whittlemark.” Show Flyer: The North Star Historical Bottle Association and Minnesota First Antique Bottle Club: Steve Ketcham, Designer. Author: Charles David Head, for his research article, “Proud to Be an American” that was published in the FOHBC Bottles and Extras Magazine. Charles also won for his true story article, “The Steal” also published in Bottles and Extras.

Here are the Second Place Contest Winners for 2008.

Newsletter: The Midwest Antique Fruit Jar and Bottle Club Editor, Joe Coulson for, “Glass Chatter.” Show Flyer: The Antique Bottle & Collectibles Club of San Diego: Mike Bryant, Designer. Author: Mike Bryant, for his research article, “Always Read the Fine Print” that was published in his club’s newsletter, “The Bottleneck.”

Mike also won for his original fiction article, “Ask Aunt Blabby” also published in, “The Bottleneck.”

The 2008 Awards Banquet speaker was Georg R. Sheets recognized author of numerous books on historic Pennsylvania.

His speech added to the historical background already set by the Georg Sheets Yorktowne Hotel and other architecture in the area. A brief biography and his article entitled, “Is York, Pennsylvania

California Perfume Company by Russ Mills the First Capital of the USA?” appeared in the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors 2008 National Bottle Expo

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November-December 2008

Program.

The displays were phenomenal. Hours of personal commitment brought forth 32 displays for viewing and educational enjoyment. There was almost no end to the num-

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E. Lee, III also stood ready to explain his collection. He tells folks that his intention is to dig, retain and educate. He has a fast-forwarding approach to the days when the older generations of bottle folks will be gone and the young will

Cathedral Pickles by Terry Gillis be coming to the foreground. Robert wants to create an interest in these younger folks so that hopefully the bottle collecting hobby will be able to continue successfully for many years. Some people were making complimentary remarks as they admired the Cathedral Pickle bottles by Terry and Katie Gillis. Jaws went slack as people looked at

Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters by Richard Siri

Picture of Central Pennsylvania Past

by Robert E Lee III ber of items and information that was available on the California Perfume Company display tables. The fact that Russell and Cynthia Mills were able to bring the massive collection from their home to the show was outstanding. Russell stood ready and willing to explain to onlookers all the fine details in the display. Pottery maker and digger Robert

the unending tables of displays in amazement. People seem to walk thoughtfully along taking in all details of each display.

Our new FOHBC President Richard Siri and wife B e v e r l e y hauled his collection of Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters all the way from Northern, California. One person was reported to have said that he had never seen an iron-pontiled Hostetter’s BitTeakettle Inks by Don Carroll ters before.

And Lynn Mitchell Another eye-

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

catcher was the backlit teakettle ink display by Don Carroll

and Lynn Mitchell. Rare Pint Fruit Jars were displayed by Wayne Lowry. There were rare examples of pre 1840

certain aspects of such a collection. There were plenty of fruit jars, colored Demi-Johns, a 150 Year of Mason’s 1858

Early American bottles by Philo Gideon. Australia’s Rex Jelly Glass by Phyllis Pahlmann Patents, John Roots Bitters Bottles, and Early Threadless

Colored Demi-Johns by Michael Lehman Barber flew his 19th Century Ceramic Quack Cure Pot Lids collection to York and was available to proudly point out

Celery Soda by Dennis Smith

Glass House Whimsey Turtles by Berny Baldwin

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Insulators. Writing about them doesn’t give the displays the justice that seeing them in person or in a picture does.

There were so many more quality treasurers to enjoy than I have been able to describe.

Randy Driskill, Norm Heckler, Dave Maryo An auction was held Saturday night. American Bottle Club Auctions, Randy Driskill and Dave Maryo were re-

sponsible for the consignments portion. Auctioneer Norm Heckler took charge of the floor action and kept the auction moving with his fast-paced humor and expertise. A few of the bottles auctioned were, a Cobalt painted German 18th century spirits flask, Wryghte’s Bit-

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ters, Standard wax sealer quart fruit jar in blue, Capen & Thurston / Improved Mineral Water / Troy N.Y., and a Locomotive ink. Trademark / Pat. Oct. 1874. I think I heard that there were 80 lots. The room was packed with bidding folks.

I understand that there were attendees from countries such as, England, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Canada.

I listened to Rex Barber from Australia talk about his pot lid collection. Ken met up with Judith Klusmeier from Dusseldorf, Germany who may be Ken’s distant cousin. I took a picture of Iain and Hilary Gosling from Scotland.

I also bought four of Iain’s inks when he had his 50% off sale on Sunday. He requested Iain and Hilary Gosling my payment be in from Scotland U.S. dollars. I gladly took advantage of his sale. He added that his sale was because he didn’t want to have to pack a lot of “stuff” to take back home.

Ralph Van Brocklin from Johnson City, TN I’ve seen many FOHBC members’ names in print, either as authors of articles in Bottles and Extras, or listed in the “Dealers Section” of the Program, but Ken and I have not yet become acquainted with many of you. We will have to work on this in the future. I realize that you folks have had a lot of experience in this hobby. Ken and I

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

would love to hear the stories of your adventures throughout the years.

However, I did become acquainted with Life Member, Tom Lines. Tom

Jennifer Heatley dealer from Pepperell, MA had a puce-colored barrel ink on his table. I made so many trips to his table to examine it that he told me, “I’m going to start charging you admission.” I finally acquired his puce barrel.

Uncle Clem Blobtop

Enthusiastic Collectors It was my observation that people stayed focused on buying and selling, but much of the Expo experience seemed to be about visiting with common-minded folks from the U.S. and other countries. While this hobby is “all about collecting” it is also “all about people.” Camaraderie is an important part of a show experience.

Thanks Wayne and June Lowry for your tireless efforts in making this show possible for all of us. Thanks also to all of you who participated in some way to make this a very special collecting event.

Dar Furda 6677 Oak Forest Drive Oak Park, CA 91377 (818) 889-5451 DFurda@roadrunner.com

Decorate your tree, hang up your wreaths of red berry holly, buy gifts for your family and friends, adorn yourself colorfully; then sit down, relax and reflect on the real reason we are celebrating Christmas.

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

2008 Hall of Fame Inductees

Betty Zumwalt Betty was elected to the Hall of Fame and was presented with a plaque and a book on her contributions to the bottle hobby at the York show in August, 2008.

Betty’s introduction to old bottles began when she and husband Bill moved into a new subdivision in Santa Rosa, CA. While unloading their belongings into the new home a worker working on a new house next door

noticed their antiques. He told them to take a look in the creek behind their house as there was a big dump on the creek bank with lots of old stuff. They took a look and started finding old bottles. One bottle that took their interest was a broken pumpkinseed.

Determined to dig a whole pumpkinseed bottle, they moved lots of dump, finally unearthing a mint example. This was in 1963 and the begin-

ning of her collecting adventure.

The first book Spirits Bottles of the Old West was a success. It was one of the first books that combined glass works history as well as research on brands of whiskey and their agents. Unlike other books of this time, this was much more than just a listing of bottles.

While researching for the whiskey book they noticed that most, if not all, whiskey firms also advertised and sold medicinal bitters. Hence the next book, Western Bitters, the most complete work on the subject. In this book most of the bottles are pictured, the companies researched, and the bottles dated. The next book was 19th Century Medicine in Glass, copyright 1971.

Betty was a member of the ABCA Club of Sacramento and also the Northwestern Bottle Collectors Association. In 1968 Betty, along with Bill and Richard (Dick) Hansen, laid out the first draft of bylaws for the forming of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. In 1978 she was the programs chairperson for the federation. Betty has also been President, Secretary, and Editor of the Northwest Bottle Collectors Association. She has been a speaker at various shows and historical societies and has displayed at many shows including St. Louis Expo in 1976.

After parting with Bill, Betty published Ketchup-Pickles-Sauces 19th Food in Glass a book that took many hours over several years to research. This book will surely be the bible for this field of antique bottles. Check out the food products in your own house, many have roots to the companies and bottles documented in Betty’s book.

All in all Betty has contributed a vast resource of knowledge to the world of antique bottles, not only about the glass itself, but the companies and people behind them. For without the history, the glass itself is just another decorated item.

Bottles and Extras

Thomas W. (Tom) Caniff If knowledge is power, recent Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) Hall of Fame inductee Tom Caniff is arguably the current reigning daimio of the fruit and product jar field.

Starting in 1975 and for at least two decades from this point forward, he was deeply involved throughout the Midwest at the “grass roots” level by attending bottle shows and either setting up a sales table to support the sponsoring club’s event and/or organizing a display at these festivities for the knowledge benefit of all attendees.

At the local level, Tom Caniff served a term as the president of the

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Jefferson County Antique Bottle Club of Steubenville, Ohio on at least two occasions. In addition, he was the coeditor of its newsletter - Jefferson County Digger – and either chaired or co-chaired that organization’s annual show and sale at least four times.

At a higher level of participation, he served a two year term as co-editor of the FOHBC’s newsletter (19781980), as the Northeast Region’s newsletter editor from 1981 to 1983, editor of the Federation’s annual newsletter contest in 1995 and as the vice president and then president of the nationwide Jelly Jammers club between 1990 and 1993.

It was during these formative

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years that he developed a thrust for more details about fruit and product jars. In addition to helping others to populate the nascent fruit jar databases with facts, this need propelled him to begin his own process of researching and documenting information about glass firms throughout the Wheeling District. As a result, he became the recognized authority on the various Flaccus family companies and their food packing competitors along the Ohio River. In essence, he transcended the simple fruit jar perspective and elevated the world of packers’ containers and the firms that used them into prominence for the cadre that followed his work.

In 1991, Tom Caniff retired as the chief of the City of Steubenville’s Fire Department. Having more time, it was from this point forward that his involvement in recording the historical background of fruit, jelly and product jars began in earnest; one that has been nearly Herculean in scope and most noteworthy in significance.

While having written and published several articles before this juncture, the breadth of his documentary and original work was yet to be realized.

Since 1995, Antique Bottle & Glass Collector has carried an average of six columns per year under Tom’s The Label Space byline. From March 1999 onward in the same magazine, Tom’s Fruit Jar Rambles column has appeared every month. On top of this already heavy workload, he authored the four-page Fruit Jar News every month from August 1998 until December 2007, averaged over two columns per year in the Fruit Jar Annual from 1996 through 2007 and has edited the yearly fall edition of the Jelly Jammers Journal, the quarterly publication of the national club - Jelly Jammers - since 1993.

One of the objectives of the FOHBC is sharing knowledge. Tom Caniff met this standard. In fact, over the past decade, he has far surpassed it in the total breadth of his work and involvement within the hobby. Right now, he is the only one in the fruit, jelly or product jar worlds doing this kind of prolonged work.

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J. Carl Sturm When asked whether or not he had the credentials for inclusion in the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Hall of Fame, the unassuming J. Carl Sturm paused, thought, and succinctly responded “I don’t know.” A follow-up query of whether he’d like to be nominated for the honor resulted in another pause and then a response of “yes.” These replies were from an extraordinary, yet down-to-earth man who was completing his 19th consecutive year as a member of the FOHBC

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Board of Directors and his third term as President of the organization. For 45 years he had freely and generously given of himself for the betterment of the hobby and his fellow collectors on both a local and the national level. A sought-after expert in many areas of glass collecting, he’s widely considered the “go-to guy” because if he doesn’t have the answer r, he knows where to find it, either in print or in the person of another longtime collector. Carl sees himself as a real “bottle guy” who just happened to find friendship and enjoyment through

Bottles and Extras

his collecting and time s p e n t w i t h o t h e r collectors of ant i q u e glass.

There were a number of folks, however, who felt strongly that Carl is the epitome of why there is a Hall of Fame – to recognize individuals who have m a d e significant contributions to the hobby at the national level. Of course he should be in the Hall of Fame!

So the nominators went to work and, as they say, the rest is history.

Carl’s early collections were of “medicines,” but the vast number of them “would have driven us out of house and home.” Carl narrowed his focus to medicines bottles that included the word “doctor,” but there were still too many for a reasonable collection. When Carl came across Bill Agee’s Collecting the Cures, he already had sev eral hundred “medicine” or “doctor” bottles, but he found his new calling in “cures.”

Bottles and Extras

His first “cure” was a Clem’s Summer Cure for $3 at a flea market in Maine. At that time “cures” were “easy to find at flea markets and garage sales” but the most memorable location was a table of bottles at the edge of a field – the farmer had plowed them up and put them on a table with a sign: “For Sale: Leave $$ for what you think the bottle is worth.”

In approximately 1969, Carl obtained what he considers to be his “best, early-on cure” – a Jos G. Michener & Co’s Occidental Diphtheria Cure (8½”, square, amber) for $18 from Mahlon Thomas who had acquired a pair of them for the same p r i c e .

T h e s e t w o examples of this bottle are still the only ones known to exist and at this time the location of the one that Mahlon kept is not known.

By the time Carl moved to Orlando in 1973 with his wife, Joy, and sons, David and Tim, his collection numbered approximately 150 “cures.”

He soon met collector Bob Pyne (who had about the same number of “cures”) who sold Carl his collection and Carl’s collection grew to 250 unique “cures” overnight. Carl has done a little digging but never dug a “cure.” His current collection of 800 exceptional “cure” bottles is the result of purchases at innumerable bottle shows, offerings from friends he’s made in the hobby, countless flea markets and antique stores, and other collections he has purchased or been asked to sell. Just this year he acquired the rare Dr. Frank’s Turkey Febrifuge Cures Fever & Ague having been asked to sell the Larry Hicks collection of “cures.”

When Gene Bradberry became FOHBC President at the 1988 Exposition in Las Vegas, he needed help with the Federation newsletter and Carl became the Editor. The Federation Glass Works was at that time a half-sized pamphlet, but under Carl’s guidance became a full-sized booklet – more like a magazine. A number of years later Bottles & Extras was born when Carl played a role in the acquisition of Scott Grandstaff’s privately

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published Bottles and Extras magazine – a gift to the Federation. Skipping a number of years into the future, Bottles and Extras became the premier antique glass magazine with Kathy Hopson-Sathe as Editor and during Carl’s third term as President, the magazine began to be produced bimonthly rather than quarterly – a welcome change to those of us who crave news, history, information, and stories about antique glass.

The first of Carl’s terms as FOHBC President started with The 25th Anniversary National Bottle & Advertising Show & National Convention in Cherry Hill, NJ, in 1994.

His leadership continued through national shows in Chicago, Nashville, and Jacksonville, and he became PastPresident and Director At Large in 1998 at the first of two consecutive shows in Cincinnati, OH. His third term as FOHBC President began with the National Antique Bottle Show in Reno, NV, in 2006, and concluded at the highly successful and recent National Antique Bottle Exposition in York, PA, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In 1997 Carl was dubbed a “super -collector” on a national television program Personal fx, The Collectibles Show – and that is, indeed, a fitting term. Besides his “cures,” he has exceptional collections of flasks (primarily half-pint pictorial flasks), miniature jugs, utility jars, and black glass. He also has numerous books and collectibles from the SpanishAmerican War of 1898, 500 or more books and magazines on antique glass and bottle collecting (and he’s read them all), and, of course, hundreds of “go-withs” that are meaningful and attractive additions to his collections and his years invested in the hobby.

Approximately ten years ago Carl started collecting tobacco tags – small, tin tags that were affixed to plugs of tobacco that were for sale at the local mercantile or general store from 1870 to 1935. His collection now numbers 3000 tags along with tobacciana such as advertising, unopened tobacco packs, tin tobacco cans, and plug cutters.

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And within the past two years, Carl has begun to collect German antique figural perfume bottles with crown stoppers from the period 1890 to 1920. Initially buying a collection for resale purposes, he grew attracted to the little treasures and he continues to buy for resale, for a friend/collector who doesn’t wish to bid on eBay, and for his own collection of exceptional and attractive pieces.

Because of his storied and lengthy involvement in the hobby of glass collecting and the Federation, J. Carl Sturm is a dear friend to many fellow collectors. Budding antique bottle collectors found him to be a teacher and a mentor – a fount of “bottle knowledge.” Fellow members of the Board of Directors found him to be a hard working and strong leader during both good and trying times. Other long-time collectors see him as a “master-collector” and an “all-around ambassador for our hobby.” Everyone knows him as a dedicated collector and a “Long Timer” (having been to every Expo and national show since the inaugural 1976 National Antique Bottle & Jar Exposition in St. Louis, MO) but realize that they benefit most because of his willingness to share his collections and his knowledge – through displays, seminars, personal consultations, and friendship.

One Hall of Fame nominator shared that “when he stops at your sales table with a big grin on his face you can be sure he has a new joke – always funny, sometimes a bit naughty, but that’s Carl.” He is the consummate joker, so whether you’re on guard or not, you’re likely to get your leg pulled by one of the best!

Congratulations, J. Carl Sturm, on your election to the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Hall of Fame.

It is our pleasure to see you included in such an elite group.

Bob & Shari Jochums Joan T. Goree Bill Baab Norm & Junne Barnett Dick Watson Ed Herrold John Wolf

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Jim Hagenbuch Bad things happen to good people. Or so it first appears. Sometimes, bad things turn out to be absolutely wonderful. Take Jim Hagenbuch of East Greenville, Pa., back in 1980 - a high school graduate, he’s been working on the tire assembly line or in the warehouse at Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. for 14 years, has a wife and a nine -year-old child, and the plant up and closes!

“I had few options. Jobs were hard to get at that time, but I had about a year of unemployment and supplemental benefits to draw from before I had to make a final decision as to what I was going to do.”

He wasn’t without any other

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skills. After all, he had been a cook in the Army in Korea, but ... making a living preparing powdered eggs and S.O.S. held little appeal. (He remembers that GIs liked his food, as it was better than what was offered in the nearby village, which was “a little kimchi, plenty of rice, usually with a little dog mixed in.”)

How did you end up being a cook in the Army? Flunk out of truckdriving school? “I was drafted in the spring of 1964 and came out in 1966.

After about the seventh week of basic training they posted a listing of everyone’s name in the company and the job they were assigned to. Since almost the entire company were draftees we had no say in the matter. Me and

Bottles and Extras

about 20 others were sent to cook school. Another equally large group were to be MPs. And, how did you know I flunked the truck driver’s test?”

OK, so Jim is laid off from Firestone, and doesn’t want to be a shortorder cook. What’s ahead? Fortunately, Jim had one other ... “skill” to fall back on: He had rocks in his head.

Rocks and insects.

See, he had been a collector of rocks and little crawly things back in grade school, so the collecting bug — literally — had bitten him early.

“In my insect collecting days,” explains Jim, who was born Dec. 5, 1942, “my mother would give me an empty glass jar with holes punched in the lid. Our backyard was full of flowers, and I would spend hours catching bees. One day, a different bee flew in; I tried hard to get him but he always flew away. I even hid in the flowers, hoping to catch him passing by, but never did. Years later, I found out it was a humming bird.”

OK, so not the smartest collector on the block, but the die had been cast. (Actually, Jim has never gotten all the bugs out of his collecting, but we will get to that later.)

In Upper Perkiomen High School, he expanded his collecting education and turned to stamps.

When he wed Janice Krause, in June of 1970, he began collecting National Geographic magazines. And Jim claims it wasn’t for the pictures of naked tribeswomen.

“After Janice and I got married, we moved into an apartment. In the attic was an old stack of National Geographics. I always liked the magazine, even subscribing to it for a couple of years. I thought it would be neat to see how many I could find. About the same time, my mother was getting rid of some of my grandparents’ stuff; included were a few marbles,” which also caught Jim’s collecting attention.

“It was looking for more of these two things that led me to discover places like Shupps Grove, Perkiomenville and other early flea markets.”

But, there he was in 1980, jobless and with plenty of time to read his

Bottles and Extras

National Geographics. But when he tallied up his real job skills, he found that he had ...

“None, except those I was born with.”

He toyed for a moment with the idea of being a professional chess player, but found that there was no money in that.

“It’s not at all known in the bottle world, but I was a great chess player.

When I was in high school, I joined the chess club in my senior year. I never lost a game. At the end of the year, all the club members played a round-robin series of games to see who the winner would be, and that was me. The winner would play the teacher. It was quite a challenge.

“The teacher, Mr. Prichert, and I played that game, with the entire club watching. At 16 years of age I was way too immature and intimidated by him. I lost. Several year later, when I played in Korea, older and more mature, had Mr. Prichert been there I would have crushed him. Interestingly, that game is the only game I think I ever lost, except to the computer, which I sometimes now play at the highest level on long flights.”

But, let’s get back to the 197080s.

Getting married and, in time, having daughter Jessica — and getting laid off — were momentous changes in Jim’s life, but perhaps the key factor, the major influence — his “Rosebud,” if you will — was way more subtle, yet seemed almost insignificant.

It was the marbles.

A handful of marbles led to more marbles and more experiences, and his life — and to one degree or another, the lives of thousands — would never be the same.

Let’s continue to see where the marbles will roll ...

“At work,” Jim says, “a fellow employee who attended a lot of local auctions would buy marbles for me.

One day, I went to his home in Pottstown (Pa.) to look at a few he had found.”

The guy collected local bottles, mostly from Pottstown, but he had a

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Green Lane Brewery bottle, and this would form another milestone in Jim’s life.

See, Green Lane is a small town about four miles from East Greenville.

Both towns and six others form what is called the Upper Perkiomen Valley, and the Perkiomen Creek cuts right through the valley. (Now you know how his school got its name.) “I also have a good-size collection of local photographic postcards, and have one of the brewery,” Jim says.

“I was fascinated by this bottle,” he admits, thinking back, “and decided to collect them.”

Soon, he was going to most of the local flea markets looking for bottles.

“I ran across a bottle digger who also collected local bottles. I went to his home to see his collection of local bottles. He had about 10 different Green Lane Brewery bottles. By the time I was done collecting them, I had around 40 different ones, the largest group ever assembled. While at his home he showed me a copy of the Old Bottle Magazine. I subscribed to it the following day.”

Younger readers should know that the Old Bottle Magazine — referred to by everyone back then as the “OBX,” and printed in Bend, Ore. — was about the only game in town for the fledgling bottle hobby.

“After receiving my first issue, I became aware of bottle events in the magazine’s show listings,” and a few months later Jim and Janice attended their first bottle show at the convention center in Rohobeth Beach, Del., in 1971, and run by the DelMarVa Bottle Club.

By that time, “I was collecting other bottles, mostly bitters and medicines.

“At the DelMarVa show, I looked at a display of sarsaparilla bottle presented by Joe Wilson,” and that formed part of another milestone.

Years later — in the early 1980s, “I bought that collection,” Jim adds.

After having his eyes opened and his horizons lifted at the Rohobeth Beach show, Jim “decided to seriously concentrate on pontiled sarsaparillas.

After local sodas and local memora-

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bilia, that was to become my second collection.”

Being in an area rich in old bottles, he was soon knee-deep in them.

“As a dealer, I always had a lot of bottles around. Some soaking in the sink, others sitting in whisky boxes, etc.

“When I sold my first collection in 1980, I probably had around 40 or so bottles in the collection. It wasn’t large in size, but it was extensive in quality.

“Every Saturday, if I wasn’t working, I’d be driving from one farm auction to another looking for old bottles.

In those days, a number of them would turn up,” and soon he began to deal in bottles and stoneware.

“I remember in 1972 paying $135 for a green H.P. Herb at an auction 15 miles from home on a Saturday. On Sunday I went to the Pennsylvania Bottle Collectors show at the Guernsey Barn in Lancaster, and sold it to Barry Hogan for $900! You could do that in those days,” Jim says. And a habit was beginning to take form.

(FYI: Today, that bottle would be worth around $6,000.)

“I punched my last time card at Firestone, June 8, 1980.”

Now, Jim is out of work, yet finding that old bottles are taking all his time ... and starting to pay the mounting bills.

Had he not been successful with bottles, what else was he considering as a backup?

“Nothing. I had always told Janice that I thought I could make a living out of buying and selling bottles. But, while at Firestone I never thought I would have to prove that.”

So, he is out of a “real job,” has a young child, and ... what did Janice think of having a husband who collects old bottles for a living?

“It is hard to imagine anyone being more supportive than Janice. She never complains, even when I spend tens of thousands of dollars on bottles.

You must remember, Janice has never worked a day outside the house, with the exception of with me in the business, the entire time we’ve been married.”

While Janice is a housewife and a

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staff helper; she marginally collects several things: keys and kitchen memorabilia, “but nothing seriously.

“When I was a general dealer, I handled a number of things: stoneware, advertising, and for a short period of time in the 1970s I was one of the biggest dealers in Etruscan majolica in the northeast. I still recognize the pieces, but have totally lost touch with the values.”

Tell me about the bottle show you put on. “It was held just outside of Philadelphia in King of Prussia, in 1998. I rented part of the convention center in the Valley Forge Sheridan.

The location was great and the facility was first class. In order not to conflict with other shows I chose Labor Day weekend to hold it. This was a mistake, and I’m sure it held down the number of dealers we would have had.

That said, I believe we had around 120 dealers attending.”

Will you ever sponsor another? “I really don’t know. I still get people who attended the first one asking for me to do another. But it requires a lot of time, something that is in critically short supply around here.

“Still, you never know.”

A highlight of Jim’s bottle career has been his attendance — and support — of all of the Federation’s big shows.

“I’ve been to every Expo since the first in St. Louis in 1976, and it’s really hard to say which I liked best. I threw a big party at Toledo in ’92, that was cool, but I guess Las Vegas in 1988 was my favorite.

“I put a lot of good material together before the show and ran a twopage ad in the magazine showing some of what I would be offering in Vegas. I think I had five or six tables.

Besides myself and Janice, Frank and Judy Brockman helped out and I flew Will Fluman and his girlfriend Shelly in to also help. It was a mob scene!

You took some pictures of it, and one was taken before anything was put out on the tables showing the buyers lined up at least two rows deep! We sold $130,000 at that show, which probably still stands as a record for sales at a bottle show.”

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When you were a general dealer, what was the oddest thing you ever bought or sold? “Probably a couple of English black-glass shaft and globes that I bought on one of my earlier trips to England. They dated to around 1650.”

No, not the OLDest, the ODDest: “Oh! That’s a piece of signed 1890s stoneware at a Garth’s auction in Ohio, probably about 1980; it was on the front cover of the catalog. It’s a stoneware harvest jug, probably an Ohio piece, with a handle that has a lizard eating a frog; the pour spout has a conch shell, on one side is a man drinking out of a jug, on the other there’s an American eagle with ‘Ne Plus Ultra’ in a banner, and a snake or two around the shoulders; this is all raised on the jug. I still have it.”

And I replied: “You have one of those too?”

Since it is clear you weren’t the spelling bee champ back at Lower Pokemon High, what made you think about publishing a bottle magazine?

“That’s Upper Perkiomen,” Jim corrects me. Whatever.

“After Firestone closed in 1980, I became a full-time dealer, but I wanted to do more for the hobby,” Jim continues. “In the summer of 1983 I started thinking about starting a magazine. At that time, both Old Bottle Magazine and Antique Bottle World were struggling to survive. I had heard that Old Bottle Magazine was for sale, but at a price I wasn’t prepared to pay.

As a full-time dealer, four to five times a year I was mailing out my for sale lists to around 600 customers. I figured, if I could get a good percentage of them to subscribe to a new magazine it would be a great start.

“In the fall of 1983, I bought my first computer. It was an early model Apple with the keyboard, hard drive and monitor all in one unit. By today’s standard it was a dinosaur. Since it had no flash memory, you had to load the programs in every day from what was the original floppy disks, that you could bend in half.

“The first magazine issue was in May of 1984.

“Since I had no staff or colum-

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nists, a lot of the stuff in the first few issues was done by me. After the word got around that I was working on a new magazine, I received a call from Tom Caniff of Ohio, telling me that if I was looking for a fruit jar columnist Vivian Kath was available. For a number of years, Vivian did a column for a magazine out of Texas that had

folded. I contacted her and she agreed to be my fruit jar columnist.

“Vivian passed away in 1999, and Tom Caniff has been my fruit jar columnist ever since.

“Less than a year into publishing I received a call from Dr. Richard Cannon in Texas, asking if he could submit from time to time a column on medicine bottles. And so the Medicine Chest column was born. Dr. Cannon is retired now, but still produces a column every month. We have about 50 of them available to the public on our website,” Jim adds.

“Within a year, I received calls from people wanting to do articles or become a columnist. Several still do things for me from time to time.”

How many subscribers did you have with the first issue of AB&GC, and what is the circulation now?

“Probably no more than around four or five hundred. Today we have 2,800.”

Aside from his many museumquality collections, Hagenbuch is perhaps best known for being the No. 1 auction house for antique glass and

Bottles and Extras

related items.

Jim estimates that he has held “89 auctions, if you include the seven I did for the Federation. I have no idea how many items we’ve sold, but it’s a lot, I think we had at least three auctions that had over 1,000 lots in them.”

Tell me about the first Glass Works auction, and why you were crazy enough to attempt it: “You can blame it on David Arman (then of Woodstock, Conn.). In 1985, he sold a collection of early American glass using an absentee auction method.

“At that time, I was doing around 25-26 shows a year and was looking for another outlet for selling. In those days, Skinner’s (in Bolton, Mass.) was the only auction house that sold bottles on a regular basis. Garth’s would on occasion get a collection of Mid-

western pattern molded glass but sold little in the way of other bottles. Other auction houses, like Pennypacker’s in Reading, Pa. would on occasion sell some.

“Arman’s auction did very well, and I thought, here’s a guy who just sold a collection of something he knew little about,” Hagenbuch continues. “I can do this!

“My first auction was January of 1986. I used Arman’s system but changed some things, mostly regarding the callbacks. To this day, with the exception of adding e-mail and online bidding, which didn’t exist in

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1986, I have changed the system very little.”

How many lots were in that first auction? “154.”

How many lots in your largest auction? “There were 1,304 lots in Auction 53,” says Jim. “That was on June 21, 1999.”

What was the most expensive item in the first sale? “Lot 99,” answers Jim, “a ‘G.D. Goggeshall New York Soda Water’ bottle; it brought $2,900, and the auction had no buyer’s premium.”

The most expensive thing you have ever auctioned? “Lot 24, in the Bob Mebane auction. It brought $52,000 plus 10 percent.”

And while Jim has found business success, it hasn’t gone to his head: He still lives in the family home that was built in 1905 by his grandfather’s father-in-law.

OK, Jim, some of your glass interests are very serious, but some are for fun, like the infamous Bug Bottle Shootout.

“The two Bug Bottle Shootouts held in Las Vegas, in 1985 and ’86, were really different. I came up with the idea after a conversation with Lou Pellegrini the year before. I was getting many of mine from Mike Hoffman and from other northeast bottle diggers. Most of Lou’s came from the digs in old Sacramento and San Francisco. He claimed they dug more of them in California than back east. I had a pretty good collection and so did he, but we’d never seen each other’s. Mike Dolcini also had a grouping, so the three of us sat down and had a shootout to see who had the best.

“Mike Hoffman and Frank Brockman were judges. The whole thing was based on a point system, with each bottle judged for rarity, color and condition. I beat Lou the first year by only two or three points.

Before the second shootout, Lou secretly bought Rick Pisano’s collection. I added a few, but Lou still won the second shootout. We never held a third. Lou still has all of his and I have all of mine.

“Just before we started the second

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shootout — both were held outdoors, off the side of the convention center — a big guy yells, ‘Hold up there.’ He was wearing a type of pull-over sky mask hiding most of his face. He sat down and competed in the shootout.

He didn’t have much and left, still with mask on, somewhat annoyed, claiming the judges cheated him. I had no idea who it was until 10 minutes later, when Rudy Kuhn walked up without the mask. Lou had loaned him a few of his lesser bottles so he could play. I’m surprised security didn’t arrest him when he came across the parking lot with the mask on.”

I don’t want to bug you, but ... what do these bug bottles look like?

“They are cylindrical in form and resemble a miniature artillery shell.

They can range in height from around 4 inches to about 6 inches. Most are embossed on the shoulder, but some are embossed in vertical wording on the side. They contained a type of poison powder that after taking out the cork you shook onto the area where you saw the bugs.”

How many bottle shows a year do you attend: “Only about a dozen, but at my peak as a bottle dealer I was doing 30 shows a year.”

In what bottle categories do you feel you have reasonable knowledge: “Whiskies, Saratogas, Midwesterns, pattern molds, black glass, poisons, medicines, bitters, shaving mugs, fruit jars, target balls, colognes, pot lids, pottery pigs — just about every category of bottles, since I have handled so much of it over the years.”

And your collections? “I have a general collection of about 350 pieces: bitters, flasks, black glass, whiskies, colored pontiled medicines, inks, Midwestern pattern-molded glass, mineral waters and a few others. And, 52 pottery pigs.

“Also, some other stoneware and advertising, just to fill up space.”

You have had a pretty close-up view of the hobby for almost 40 years; what do you see for the next 40?

“The hobby has survived and flourished greatly in the past 40 years.

We have seen the advent of numerous clubs, publications, shows and spe-

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November-December 2008

cialty auctions, and all have increased the awareness of bottle collecting.

“Years ago, most auction houses wouldn’t take bottles; they considered them too cheap, or, in many cases, they knew nothing about them. That has changed; today, you can look through the pages of any of the numerous trade papers for the antique and collectibles community and see many auction company advertisements showing bottles and flasks in the ad. This helps to create an even greater awareness of the hobby.

“Often times, I’m asked if the values of bottles will

Bottles and Extras

“I have heard it said many times in the past, ‘always buy the best you can. It’s better to have a $1,000 bottle as opposed to having 10 $100 bottles.’ This will probably remain true in the next 40 years, but only if we have enough new collectors entering the hobby to offset those who are, for whatever reason, leaving it.”

Ralph Finch 34007 Hillside Ct Farmington Hills, MI 48335 (248) 476-4893 RFinch@twmi.rr.com

Any volunteers to dig this one?

continue to climb. I usually answer this by saying that, like most all other areas of antiques and collectibles collecting, you will see highs and lows. This depends on how many collectors have X amount of dollars to spend on their interests on a particular day. During the ’90s, when the high tech sector of the NASDAQ was rocking and rolling, a lot of money was made; some of it by hobbyists who invested it in their collections. In that decade, most bottles moved up in value, some categories considerably. But that rise is over. Today, many bottles that sold at a high price in the ’90s sell for considerably less today. Usually these are bottles in the middle and lower price range, but occasionally even in the higher values.

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2008 Honor Roll Inductees

Steve Ketcham Steve began collecting antique bottles, advertising, and stoneware in 1967 while still in high school. He can still recall buying his first bottle at a long-defunct antiques shop known as Pete’s Emporium on County Road F outside of Dresser, Wisconsin.

While attending the University of Minnesota, Steve began digging for bottles. His first digs were on the banks of the Mississippi River near the U of M campus. About the same time, freeways were being built in the inner city of Minneapolis, and Steve frequented these construction sites as the older neighborhoods were being demolished.

When the North Star Historical Bottle Association was established in 1970, Steve was charter member number 11. He joined Minnesota’s First Antique Bottle Club a couple of years later and began attending regional meetings of the Federation of Histori-

cal Bottle Clubs in 1973. He later served as assistant chairman and then chairman of the Midwest Region of the FOHBC. During that time Steve established the Federation Writers’ Contest and served as its chairman for several years. Steve sat on the board of the Federation from 1982-1998, and was Federation president from 19821984. As a Federation officer, Steve was also on the National Bottle Museum Board of Governors until the sale of the museum in 1992.

From 1990-2003 Steve was a bottle price consultant to Schroeder’s Antique Price Guide. He has spoken about bottles to numerous antiques collecting clubs in Minnesota. He has twice given bottle presentations for the Minnesota Historical Society.

As a member of the Red Wing Collectors Society and a regular participant at the group’s annual convention, Steve has presented educational seminars for the convention four times. In

1999, after speaking to its local chapter on several occasions, Steve was invited to speak at the national convention of the National American Glass Club when it met in St. Paul. In 2008, Steve spoke on bottles and advertising for the Minnesota Antiques Dealers Association.

In 1995 Steve began writing a monthly column, often promoting one aspect of bottle collecting or another, for the “Old Times” newspaper.

During these same years Steve was also a frequent contributor to the Federation’s “Bottles and Extras.”

He has also written pieces for “Antique Bottle and Glass collector.”

It has been Steve’s privilege to serve as president and vice-president of both Minnesota bottle clubs several times and to also serve as co-chairman of the Minnesota bottle show. Other club activities include serving as a contributor and one of many coeditors for both volumes of “The Bottles, Breweriana and Advertising Jugs of Minnesota.”

Before retiring from 34 years of teaching junior high English, Steve chaired an antique bottle show and sale at Burnsville Nicollet Junior High as a fund raiser and he also advised the school’s Collector Club. Two of Steve’s former students are now bottle collectors.

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Katie Foglesong Katie spent much of her life in Ottumwa, Iowa and had developed an interest in collecting and other interesting relics during the late 1950s. By the early ‘60s, Katie's collecting scope had broadened to include antique bottles and eventually fruit jars.

Katie joined the Antique Bottle Collector's Association of California founded by John Tibbitts of Scramento, in 1965. After checking the club roster she was surprised to see fellow Iowan Dr. George “Doc” Herron on the list. She immediately contacted him and the idea of forming an Iowa bottle club was one of the first topics discussed.

Doc Herron and Katie made plans to set up a bottle display at the 1966 Iowa State Fair, with Vivian Jones, another of Katie’s many good friends,

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helping out. The idea was to seek out other bottle collectors in the state.

The first display at the State Fair was a tremendous success with large crowds surrounding the shelves of bottles. Questions were also plentiful and the potential for forming the Iowa bottle club was set in motion.

The following year, 1967, the Iowa Antique Bottleers club was established with Doc & Ruth Herron, Katie & Curly Foglesone, Ralph & Helen Welch, Max & Vivian Jones, and Frank & Juanita Welch as the “charter members”. The club soon had over 100 family memberships and the IAB was well on its way, thanks to Doc and Katie.

In May of 1968, Katie became the club’s newsletter editor. This involved composing and mailing a monthly multi-page newsletter to each of the members on an every-

Bottles and Extras

increasing club roster. Katie faithfully carried out the duties of editor for the IAB for the next 23 years! She never missed putting out an issue and even after she retired as editor, she continued to contribute articles for the IAB newsletter.

By 1969, the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs (FOHBC) had its first meeting and in 1970, Katie was elected its treasurer. Feeling communication and information were key elements in promoting the hobby and the FOHBC, Katie proceeded to type and mail out a monthly newsletter for the FOHBC. She also compiled and typed a brief history of the establishment of the FOHBC. With her involvement in the FOHBC, Katie soon became friends with numerous collectors across the country. Never one to put off writing a letter, Katie always responded quickly to any correspondence she received. She became good friends with John Eatwell of Colorado, Richard Hansen of California and Bill Baab of Georgia, just to name a few.

Katie's involvement with bottle collecting didn't stop with just the FOHBC and the IAB. She also wrote numerous articles for the Tri-State Antique Trader, the Collector's Weekly, and a weekly historical article for the Ottumwa Courier called “Remember When”. She gave classes locally on collecting antique bottles and jars and also gave antique appraisals for the local bank in Ottumwa. Additionally, Katie wrote a 40 page book about her adventures as a bottle collector called “Trials and Trails of a Bottle Collector”.

Katie hosted numerous IAB meetings at her home and frequently furnished a room for overnight visitors who came through to tour her collection. In fact, Katie used every possible situation to promote the hobby of in Iowa.

With all of her involvement with her hobby, Katie managed to operate her own bakery for 11 years. She was post mistress at the Ottumwa substation inside a grocery store where she also worked as a bookkeeper. Katie also put in many

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hours at the Wapello County Historical Museum in Ottumwa, setting up displays and compiling research on local artifacts and businesses.

For those of you who knew Katie well, you would know that she was never short on letting someone know how she felt about any given situation. Katie always was frank and told it like she saw it. This may have rubbed a few people the wrong way, but, for those of us that knew her well, we knew where she stood and knew that her word was gold. Pretentious would not describe Katie as she drove a 1953 Plymouth name Gertrude, had a three-legged dog named Lady, and once traded a Colt .45 pistol for a historical flask!

"I have too much fun to be an expert and I am too busy hunting bottles to stay at home and sell my surplus.” she told her good friend, Vivian Jones. “I have much to learn and I’m a happy bottle bug trying to promote our hobby in the Midwest locally."

As stated earlier, Katie was bitten by the bottle bug in the 1960s with her first bottle being a Hutchinson soda from Ottumwa. By 1970, she had over 2,000 bottles in one room of her small house! Her first 1,000 bottles were mostly dug or purchased with very little investment. She once paid $15 for a cobalt blue Casper's Whiskey bottle and didn't want anyone to think that she might be crazy for paying that much for a bottle! Since that first Ottumwa soda bottle, Katie had picked up a Roback's Bitters barrel for $15, a Kelly's Old Cabin Bitters for $10, and she thought the $20 she paid for a Log Cabin Sarsaparilla may have been too much!

Katie passed away on October 29, 1995 at the age of 76. She and her collections are no longer around, but her memories with her friends within the hobby and elsewhere continue to make us smile whenever her name is mentioned.

Thanks for all you've done for our hobby, Katie!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I first met Katie

November-December 2008

Foglesong by writing to her about a Mexican Mustang Liniment bottle that I had found. This must have been around 1970 or so and I was 12 years old at the time. She responded with a very nice letter within the week. Over the next few years, I continued to write to Katie from time to time and she would always promptly write back with answers to my questions.

I joined the Iowa Antique Bottleers in 1981 and became good friends with Katie. She was always a

59

"people" person and the love of collecting always came before the present day attitude of "How much is it worth?"

When she retired as editor in 1991, I assumed the duties of editor of the club newsletter which I continued for the next 15 years. Until her death in 1995, Katie continued to be active in our club by attending the meetings and contributing articles for the newsletter.

Mike Burggraaf Iowa Antique Bottleers

An example of one of Katie’s first FOHBC newsletters:

Federation Facts and Fancies from Katie Foglesong, Treasurer of the Federation, 1970.

"Hello, fellow members of the Federation: "I am Katie Foglesong, newly elected Treasurer of the Federation for the Year 1970. Formality is fine — if you know how, which I don’t, so for the next year you will here (sic) from me once a month — informally. I will keep you posted on financial progress and if I have nothing to report therewith, I’ll just tell you of my latest find, bottlewise, or maybe even about the one the cat broke.

"If there are any clubs that do not have a copy of my unimportant little book for your library, just let me know and I will send you one free. ("Trials and Trails of a Bottle Collector" was a 40-page book Katie wrote about her adventures).

"If your club would like to exchange newsletters with our club, we are more than willing.

"I had a note from John Eatwell, the new president of the Federation, and he tells me that there are now 60 clubs that have joined the Federation. Pretty great for a one-year-old baby.’

"I better warn all my readers that I am not the world’s best typist, let alone stencil typer – or speller either. The money saved by typing my own stencil is a bunch tho, so please put up with my problems. I have been fighting the correction fluid off and on for over a year and I have as yet to get the hang of it. Once I ruined a pair of good slacks, once I got the darned stuff in my eye, twice I left out the cushion sheet and ruined my whole page and as far as I’m concerned, I am just going to live with my errors.

"I live in Ottumwa, the southeastern corner. Bottle digging isn’t the best in this area tho a few real good ones have turned up here. My only child lives in Denver with her husband and my special little guy, three year old Mickey. We keep the Denver Zephyr in business, I think, running back and forth. I have tried bottle hunting in Denver but gave that up too. Denver has very active, very large club and I’m always too late. I buy 90% of my bottles for many reasons – no time to dig, I work seven days and two nights a week, I have a very bad back which won’t let me do more than scratch the surface, and if I want ‘em, I gotta buy ‘em, so those of you who hate the silver pick , please forgive me.

"Oh yes! — the most important thing this month, your 1970 dues. I had a piece of a letter from Lenore Seiler and I do mean a piece. The letter was supposed to contain mailing labels but somehow the letter became damaged and most of the contents were lost so I am hoping this reaches every club concerned.

"If you have already paid your 1970- dues, ignore the blank below, if not — send $3.00 to me and I will send you a receipt for same. I’ll be around again next month. Katie"

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November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

2009 FOHBC National Bottle Show Hosted by the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club

California or Bust Banquet: Early Admission: Saturday, August 1 Sunday, August 2 General Admission: $5 Sunday, August 2

Friday, July 31 6:00 pm Sheraton Fairplex Hotel 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm 8:00 am to 9:00 am 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Pomona Fairplex 1104 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768 Show Chairman: Pam Selenak 156 S Pepper St Orange, CA 92868 (714) 633-5775

FOHBC Convention Director R. Wayne Lowry 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083 (816) 318-0161

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

61

Bottle Cleaning By

Jennrog Collectables • • • •

Professional cleaning with a personal touch.

Nearly 10 years in the industry.

References available.

Pricing – Single bottle - $16.00 Pontiled - $17.00 Discounts available for lots of 6 or more items • Turnaround time is typically 3-4 weeks.

• See our Bottle Cleaning Page on website, below.

We are happy to announce that we are now the Northeast Distributor for:

©

Jar Doctor™

in New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Eastern Canada. We have machines, parts and supplies in stock, and will be happy to deliver your machine or supplies to a show near you.

Current Show Schedule South Attleboro, MA - Jan. 11, 2009 Baltimore, MD - March 8, 2009

South River, NJ - Feb. 1, 2009 Somersworth, NH - April 5, 2009

Jennrog Collectables 99 Lawrence St. Pepperell, MA 01463 978-433-8274 jennrog@charter.net

!!!

Fruit Jars

!!!

Famous Show and Sale

Muncie, Indiana Sunday January 11, 2009 9 am - 2 pm WWW.FRUITJAR.ORG

Show Headquarters - Signature Inn Room Hopping Jelly Jammers - Saturday, January 10, 2009 - 10 am Fruit Jar Get-Together & Auction - Saturday, January 10, 2009 - 1:30 pm

Make your own reservations with the hotel - 765-284-4200

Show Location - Horizon Convention Center Admission $2 Ample Space - Dealer tables still available Fantastic lighting

Show Chairman - David Rittenhouse 1008 S 900 W Farmland, IN 47340 765-468-8091

Show Information - Jean Harbron 765-644-4333

62

November-December 2008

Bottles and Ex-

Classified Ads FOR SALE For Sale: Exotic beach glass from the Secret Cove. Includes colors like midnight blue, ruby red, yellow, purple, black, 19th century china, terra cotta, ship glass, RR signals. $5 per 4 oz. package or $17.50/lb., 3 lb. limit. Add $9.85 for packaging & shipping. Paypal: marosner@aol.com or check to M. Rosner, mail c/o MARChaeology, 24 Branford Rd., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 107063504.

For Sale: Redbook #10. 2008 Edition. Visit our website: Redbookjars.com and order early for the Holidays. The book is a wonderful gift for any fruit jar enthusiast. Contact: Doug Leybourne, PO Box 5417, North Muskegon, MI 49445, ph: (231) 744-2003.

For Sale: Clear 3 ½” tall oval bimal embossed “Trade E-Z Mark/free sample”,Clear 5 ¼” tall oval bimal embossed “Physicians sample/ hydroleine”, amber 5” tall square bimal embossed “O.D. Chem Co/New York sample” small chip on bottom. clear 5” tall square bimal embossed Golden Liquid Beef Tonic/Physicians sample” small lip chip, clear and aqua 3” tall rectangle bimal embossed Sample/No equal/Furniture polish// Mfg’d by Keep Bros Phila, amber 2 ¾” tall oval bimal embossed Sample of Cero (have 2), clear 2 ¾” tall rectangle bimal (indented corners on front) embossed Sample//Wyeth (on bottom), light bluish green 2 ½” tall 8 -side bimal embossed Sample/Three in One, aqua 3 1/8” tall round bimal embossed Sample Bottle/Dr Kilmers Swamp Root/Kidney Cure/ Binghamton NY, clear 4 ½” tall (like catsup) machine made screw top embossed CBCo emblem,sell all for $35 plus postage of $8. Contact: Bob Black, 1741 Glen Mar Dr, Lancaster, OH 43130

The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors

Bottles and Extras Advertising Rates DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES B/W

Page

1/2 Page 1/4 Page 1/8 Page

4” Col

3” Col

2” Col

1 Issue

$175

$90

$50

$20

$30

$25

$20

2 Issues*

$300

$175

$90

$35

$55

$45

$38

3 Issues*

$450

$235

$130

$50

$80

$65

$57

4 Issues*

$600

$315

$170

$65

$105

$85

$75

5 Issues*

$725

$390

$210

$80

$130

$105

$85

6 Issues*

$850

$475

$250

$95

$150

$125

$90

Color

Page

Cover

1 Issue

$200

$225

$125

$80

$45

2 Issues*

$350

$400

$200

$130

$75

3 Issues*

$525

$600

$300

$200

$110

4 Issues*

$700

$800

$400

$280

$150

5 Issues*

$875

$1,000

$500

$375

$195

6 Issues*

$1,050

$1,200

$600

$425

$230

1/2 Page 1/4 Page 1/8 Page

Classifeds: 10 cents per word 15 cents per bold word $2 minimum monthly charge ad should be typed or printed

*Consecutive issues with NO changes Camera ready copy preferred but not required for display ads

*****50% DISCOUNT***** For FOHBC member clubs All ads must be paid for in advance Make checks payable to FOHBC (Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors) Send payment to: June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083 Send ad copy and/or questions to: June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083 (816) 318-0160, fax: (816) 318-0162 AD DEADLINES Issue Date

Deadline

January/February

November 20

March/April

January 20

May/June

March 20

July/August

May 20

September/October

July 20

November/December

September 20

Bottles and Extras

For Sale: New book: Mostly Whiskey: Bottles, Jars & what have you by Jack Sullivan. A compilation of illustrated articles (many from Bottles and Extras) with additional material and index. $21, postage included. Sent to Jack at 4300 Ivanhoe Place, Alexandria, VA 22304.

For Sale: Outstanding Western bottles: 1) Hall's California Pepsi Wine Bitters (mint) $600. 2) C&R Eagle Works, Sac City with beautiful color (cobalt), extremely rare, made for just 6 months in 1860 $1500. 3) Crystal / Patented 18 1/2 / footed base and collar top, blue $425. 4) F.M. Modesto (aqua) rare & mint $350. 5) pumpkinseed, 1/2 pint, Hugh Casey, 50 K St. / Sacramento, extremely rare & mint $385. 6) pint cofin flask, Wichman & Lutgen / San Francisco, beautiful flask, mint $235. Also have a dozen mint tooled Westtern whiskies. Contact: Mike Southnorth, Upland, Ca., Ph (909) 982-1205.

For Sale: Ex-rare "The only one known" iron-pontiled whiskey, Nicholson, St. Louis, heavy whittled, great condition $1200. Amber sixsided Civil War era whiskey, G. Lediard, St. Louis, has been cleaned, nice $995. Rare honey-amber Civil War era ale, Ed Quinlivan, 251 Biddle St., St. Louis, Mo., W. McCully & Co., Pittsburgh, mint $995. Postage & insurance extra.

Contact: Tom Feldman, 425 N. Oak St., O'Fallon, IL 62269, Ph: (618) 632-3327 or Email: tombF@sbcglobal.net.

IT ALWAYS PAYS TO ADVERTISE!!!!!

Send in your for sale items!

WANTED Wanted: Fruit Jar Newsletter issues: April 1981, June 1981 through March 1982, July 1982, September 1982, December 1982 through June 1983, August 1983, October 1983 through January 1984, March 1984, July 1984

November-December 2008

through November 1984, January 1985, February 1985, April 1985 through September, 1985. Contact: June Lowry, ph: (816) 318-0160, email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com Wanted: Past issues of Bottles and Extras. If you have issues you would like to dispose of, please consider donating them to the FOHBC. We have new members regularly request old issues. Contact: June Lowry, ph: (816) 318-0160, email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com.

Wanted: Glass Chatter newsletters from the Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club, especially ones from the 70’s and 80’s. (I have none prior to April, 1977) Also looking for any old bottle magazines. Send list of what you might have.

Contact: June Lowry, ph: (816) 318-0160, email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com.

KETCHUP, PICKLES, SAUCES 19th Century Food in Glass Betty Zumwalt, author 498 pages of pictures & research of glass containers the early food Industry utilized Smyth Bound - $25

Mark West Publishers PO Box 1914 Sandpoint, ID 86864 The Glass Artisan’s Bottle/Glass Cleaning Service Many years of cleaning service with dealer and collector satisfaction.

Your items are treated as if they were my own and with close attention to detail .

Prices start at $15

63

best: marosner@aol.com or call Marc (914) 478-6165.

WANTED Southern Illinois blob top and Hutchinson-style soda bottles.

No painted labels Steve Kehrer (618) 410-4121 Kehrer00@charter.net Wanted: American Poisons. Contact: Joan Cabaniss, 312 Summer Ln, Huddleston, VA 24104, ph: (540) 297 -4498, email: jjcab@b2xonline.com.

Wanted: “Hale & Parshall, Lyons, N.Y.” bottles (master ink-shaped, embossed on base). Also Memory jugs, china, and stoneware figural whistles.

Contact: Chris Davis, 522 Woodhill, Newark, NY 14513, ph: (315) 3314 0 7 8 , e m a i l : c d a v is016@rochester.rr.com.

Wanted: stoneware bottles from Illinois or St. Louis. Also want black glass or pontiled ales. Contact: Scott Garrow, ph: (630-916-7623, email: whitebarnantiques@comcast.net.

Wanted: Par-T Pak soda bottles and advertising, apothecary bottles of Michigan, and poison bottles of United States.

Contact: Frank Bozek, ph: (616) 452-5645, email: epbozek@yahoo.com.

WANTED Levitan and Bagan, Chicago, IL bottles of any/all kinds.

Seltzer and soda bottles are known.

Company belonged to my greatgrandfather during the early 1900’s.

Known to have been delivered at some time by Seipp’s Brewery wagons.

Contact: STEVE (414) 281-5885 glassartisan@yahoo.com

Tony Hofeld 8724 Ferris Avenue Morton Grove, IL 60053 Ph: (847) 966-0909 Email: ahofeld@aol.com

Wanted: Assorted caps & lids for the many old bottles & jars I've dug with unusual threads & lips. Also buying bottles & collections of value in Westchester & Southern CT areas. E-mail

Wanted: Any new fruit jar finds. Serious collector of unusual fruit jars and closures. Let’s get acquainted.

Contact: Doug Leybourne, PO Box 5417, North Muskegon, MI 49445,

64

ph: (231) 744-2003.

Wanted: Glass paperweights advertising whiskey or saloons - preProhibition preferred. Contact: Jack Sullivan, 4300 Ivanhoe Place, Alexandria, VA 22304 or E-mail: jack.sullivan9@verizon.net.

Wanted: Jamaica gingers, also Ginger extract, tincture and ginger essence embossed or labeled.

Contact: Richard Olson, PO Box 734, Lone Pine, CA 93545, 760-8764667, email: lnrolson@yahoo.com Wanted: Knowlton ½ gallon, Pine ½ gallon, Gayner quart, Gayer pint, old oyster bottles and jars; Knowlton zinc lid, Pine glass lids and zinc bands, Knox glass lids and zinc rings. Also wanted: Washington state embossed milk bottles. Contact: Scott Gibbons, 23325 91st Ave S Apt PP105, Kent, WA 98031; Phone: 253-951-0471; email: Gibboinwa@comcast.net Wanted: Oregon flasks: A.P. Hotal-

November-December 2008

ing (picnic), Merchantes Exchange, Gillman's Bar, Sargent's Buffet, Stubling, Umatilla House, J.H. Cutter, O.I.C. Rye, S. Adolph. Also looking for Oregon mini-jugs, shot glasses, cork screws and other "gowiths." Contact: L. Garth Ziegenhagen, Ph: (541) 548-4776 or E-mail: zigs@bendcable.com.

Wanted: Always looking for California blob sodas from common to rarest. Among them: Mt. Tamalpais; American flag; H. Brader; Golden West/Napa County; Columbia/Napa County. Contact: Mike Southnorth, Upland, Ca., Ph (909) 982-1205.

Bottles and Extras

sodas. Contact: Tom Feldman, 425 N. Oak St., O'Fallon, IL 62269, Ph: (618) 632-3327 or E-mail: tombF@sbcglobal.net.

Wanted: Hemingray Glass Co. items including: tobacco jars, jellies, fruit jars, blob tops, medicines, apothecary store jars, Kerosene cans, oil lamps, tableware and newer crown tops, refrigerator bottles, etc. Of course, insulators too. Contact: Bob Stahr, 515 Main St., #403, W. Chicago, IL 60185, Ph: (630) 231-4171 or E-mail: Bob@Hemingray.com.

Wanted: Fort Wayne Indiana bottles, especially the following blobs: Frank Hey, Benedict & Honrhe, Hahn and cobalt Centliure. Also Indiana blob beer or ales. Contact: Jim Van Every, 11929 Fisher Rd., Ft. Wayne, IN 46818, Ph: (260) 625-4872 or Email: OldJimmy@embarqmail.com.

Wanted: Cyrus Noble bottles (Lilienthal and Crown Distilleries) and advertising. Reno Brewing - carnival and stretch glass. Western liquor advertising. Faro gaming items.

Nevada advertising spoons and china.

Contact: Russell Umbraco, 10195 Silver Knolls Blvd., Reno, NV 89508, Ph: (510) 693-0550 or E-mail: russellu1@juno.com.

Wanted: Illinois & Missouri pontiled

Wanted: Any Hutchinson with Mrs.

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

65

Miss in bottler name. E-mail: KarenandRick@cox.net.

Wanted: Any pre-prohibition beer items from Missouri breweries, including bottles. Breweries: Anheuser-Busch, Lemp-Falstaff, American/ABC, Green Tree, Griesedieck, Hyde Park, Columbia, Cherokee, Anthony-Kuhn, Moerschel, Capitol, Phoenix, Goetz, Muehlebach and Weiss beers. Towns: St. Louis, Jefferson City, St. Charles, Kansas City, Sedalia, Washington, Hannibal, St. Joseph, etc. Please contact: Sam Marcum, Ph: (573) 782-0135 during evenings or E-mail: brewshop2000@yahoo.com.

39th Annual

Advertise your show!

Send in your flyers!

Show Chair Pat Jett 71 Outlook Drive Hillsboro, MO 63050 Phone: (636) 948-3029 Email: patsy_jett@yahoo.com

66

November-December 2008

Bottles and Extras

FOHBC Sho-Biz Calendar of shows and related events FOHBC Sho-Biz is published in the interest of the hobby. Federation affiliated clubs are connotated with FOHBC logo.

Insulator shows (courtesy of Crown Jewels) are indicated with an insulator. Information on up-coming 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 June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083 or E-mail: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com. Show schedules are subject to change. Please call before traveling long distances.

November 1 & 2 Springfield, Ohio 38th Mid-Ohio Insulator Show (Saturday 8am - 4pm and Sunday 9am - 3pm with dealer setup from 12noon 6pm Friday October 31) at the Clark County Fairgrounds (exit 59 off I-70), Springfield, OH in the Arts and Crafts Building. Info: Steve or Lois Blair, ph: (740) 852-3148 or Glenn Drummond, ph: (334) 257-3100, email: glenn@patent-1871.com.

November 2 Elkton, Maryland Tri-State Collectors and Diggers Club’s 36th Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm) at the Singerly Fire Hall, Routes 279 & 213, Elkton, MD. Info: Dave Brown, ph: (302) 738-9960.

November 7 & 8 Tulare, California Golden Gate Insulator Club’s 40th Annual Tulare Collectible Show will be held at the Tulare Veteran’s Memorial Building, 1771 East Tulare Ave., Tulare, CA 93274. Info: Dave Brown, ph: (559) 936-7790, email: 1skychair@msn.com or Bob Merzoian, ph: (559) 781-6319, email: bobmerzoian@mac.com November 8 Belleville, Illinois The Eastside Antique Bottle & Jar Show and Collinsville Beer Can & Breweriana Show have been merged to create a Super show! (9am - 3pm, early buyers 7:30am) at the Belle Clair Fairgrounds, Routes 13 & 159, Belleville, IL. Info: Bill Cress, ph: (618) 466-3513 or Kevin Kious, ph: (618) 346-2634 or Curt Faulkenberry, ph: (636) 797-5220.

November 8 De Funiak Springs, Florida

Emerald Coast Bottle Club’s Annual Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale, (9am - 4pm) at the De Funiak Springs Community Complex (just north of I10), De Funiak Springs, FL. Info: Bobby Vaughn, ph: (850) 415-5521, email: bd2hg75@gmail.com or Alan McCarthy, ph: (850) 769-3984.

Show & Sale (9:30am - last collector leaves), at the Bethany Baptist Church, 2207 28th St, Phenix City, AL 36867. Info: Jimmie Hobbs, ph: (706) 494-003, email: linedad777@att.net or Greg Stratford, ph: (706) 322-3259, email: jgmilkdude@aol.com.

November 9 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The Pittsburgh Antique Bottle Club’s Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm, early buyers 7am), at the The Ice Garden, Rostraver Township, Exit 46B of I-70, 4.1 miles north. Info: Bob DeCroo, 694 Fayette City Rd., Fayette City, PA 15438, ph: (724) 326-8741 or Jay Hawkins, 1280 Mt. Pleasant Rd., West Newton, PA 15089, ph: (724) 872-6013.

November 15 Metairie, Louisiana The New Orleans Antique Bottle Club 36th Annual Show & Sale , (9am 5pm) at the Quality Hotel , 2261 N Causeway Blvd., Metairie, LA 70001. Info: Kirk Diez, 2605 Winifred St, Metairie, LA 70003, ph: (504) 887-8913, email: pontilscar@yahoo.com.

November 9 Oakland New Jersey North Jersey Antique Bottle Collectors Association’s 39th Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm, early buyers 8am), at the Oakland Elks Club, 33 Ramapo Valley Rd., Oakland, NJ. Info: Ken, ph: (973) 907-7351 or Jim, ph: (515) 454-8993.

November 22 Terre Haute, Indiana The Wabash Valley Antique Bottle & Pottery Club’s 11th Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm, early buyers 7am), at the Shadow Barn Auction Barn, 1517 Maple Ave., Terre Haute, IN. Bottle auction Friday, November 21st at 7pm. Info: Ned Pennington, 367 S 22nd St., Terre Haute, IN 47803, ph: (812) 234-2214, email: squarenail@verizon.net.

November 15 Chehalis, Washington The Washington Bottle Collectors Association Show & Sale, (9am - 3pm with set-up Friday, November 14 1pm - 7pm), at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, Chehalis, WA. Info: Pete Hendricks, ph: (253) 335-1732 or Warren Lhotka, ph: (206) 3298412, email: wlbottleguy@yahoo.com, website: http:// www.wbcaweb.org.

November 23 Greensboro, North Carolina Southeast Bottle Club’s 7th Annual Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale, (9am - 3pm with dealer set-up from 7am - 9am, no early buyers), at the Greensboro Farmer’s Curb Market, Greensboro, NC. Info: Reggie Lynch. Ph: (704) 221-6489, website: http://www.antiquebottles/com/ greensboro.

November 15 Phenix City, Alabama The Dixie Jewels Insulator Club’s Fall

November 30 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania The Forks of the Delaware Bottle Col-

Bottles and Extras

November-December 2008

67

(More) Sho-Biz lectors Association’s 35th Annual Show & Sal, (9am - 3 pm, early buyers 7:30am), at the Bethlehem Catholic High School, Madison & Dewberry Avenues, Bethlehem, PA. Info: Bill Hegedus, 20 Cambridge Place, Catasauqua, PA 18032, ph: (610) 264 -5945.

December 6 Auburn, California 49er Historical Bottle Association’s 31st Annual Show & Sale, (9am 3pm, early buyers Friday, December 5 2pm - 8pm), at the Gold County Fairgrounds, Auburn, CA. Info; Steve Abbott, ph: (916) 631-8019, email: foabbott@comcast.net.

January 11 Muncie, Indiana Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club’s Winter Show & Sale (9am 2pm), at the Horizon Convention Center, 401 S High St., Muncie, IN 47305. Info: Dave Rittenhouse, 1008 S 900 W, Farmland, IN 47340, ph: (765) 4 6 8 - 8 0 9 1, email: rittjman@aol.com or Jean Harbron, ph: (765) 644-4333.

January 11 South Attleboro, Massachusetts The Little Rhody Bottle Club Annual Show & Sale (10am - 2pm, early buyers 9am), at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 304 Highland Ave, South Attleboro, MA. Info: William Rose, ph: (508) 880-4929, email: sierramadre@comcast.net or Arthur Pawlowski, ph: (401) 647-3113.

January 17 Jackson, Mississippi Mississippi Antique Bottle Show, (9am - 4pm), at the Mississippi Fairgrounds, Jackson, MS. Info: John Sharp, PO Box 601, Carthage, MS 38051, ph: (601) 506-0105, email: Johnsharp49@aol.com.

January 17 Maitland, FLorida Central Florida Insulator Collectors and Antique Telephone Collectors Association Annual Show a Sale, (8am - 4pm), at the Maitland Civic Center, 641 S Maitland Ave, Maitland, FL 32751. Info: Paul Mikula, ph: (407) 365-4686, email: wecoman@bellsouth.net January 17 Strongsville, Ohio Western Reserve Insulator Club’s 10th Annual Show & Sale, (10am - 3pm with dealer setup at 9am), at the Spyglass Hill Recreation Center, 13201 Compass Point Dr, Strongsvile, OH 44136. Info: John Hovanec, ph: (440) 237-2242, email: wric@clubs.insulators.info.

January 24 Anderson, California The Superior California Antique Bottle Club’s 33rd Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 4pm), at the Shasta County Fairgrounds, Anderson, CA. Info: Mel Hammer, ph: (530) 241-4878 or Phil McDonald, ph: (530) 243-6903.

January 31 Sarasota, Florida The Sarasota-Manatee Antique Bottle Collectors Assocition’s 23rd Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 3pm) with early buyers January 31 5pm - 7pm), at the National Guard Armory, 2890 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34237. Info: Ed Herrold, PO Box 18928, Sarasota, FL 34276, ph: (941) 923-6550, email: drbitters@mindspring.com.

February 1 South River, New Jersey The New Jersey Antique Bottle Club’s 13th Annual Show & Sale, (9am 2pm, admission $3, under 12 free), at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 88 Jackson St., South River, NJ. Sales table $30 each. Free parking & appraisals.

Food available.

Info:

NJABC, 24 Charles St., South Jersey, NJ 08882-1603 or Joe Butewicz, ph: (732) 236-9945, email: botlman@msn.com.

February 6 & 7 Rome, Georgia The Rome Antique Bottle Club’s Annual Show & Sale at the Rome Civic Center, Turner McCall Blvd., Rome, GA. Info Jerry Mitchell. PO Box 475, Bremen, GA 30110, ph: (770) 537-3725, email: mitjt@aol.com or Bob Jenkins, 285 Oak Grove Rd., Carrolton, GA 30117, ph: (770) 8340736.

February 7 Yuma, Arizona The Grand Canyon State Insulator Club’s 10th Annual Show & Sale, (9am - late afternoon), at the Riverside Park, Yuma, AZ (next to Yuma Territorial Prison). Info: Roger Natel, ph: (623) 566-0121, email: mr.162@cox.net.

February 13 & 14 Las Vegas, Nevada The Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectibles Club’s 44th Annual Show & Sale, (early buyers: Friday, February 13, 11am - 5pm, general admission: Saturday, February 14, 9am 4pm), at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino, 2411 W Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV. Info: Stan Pullen, 5830 E Owens Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89110, ph: (702) 452-7218.

February 20 - 21 Columbia, South Carolina The South Carolina Antique Bottle Club’s 36th Annual Antique Bottle Show & Sale, (Friday, February 20, 12 noon - 6pm, Saturday, February 21, 9am - 1pm, admission donation to Boys & Girls Club, set-up Friday, February 20, 10:30am - 12 noon), at the Meadowlake Park Center, 600 Beckman Rd., Columbia, SC. Free parking, food available, 150+ tables—

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(More) Sho-Biz always a sell-out.

Info: Marty Vollmer, 1091 Daralynn Dr., Lexington, SC 29073, ph: (803) 755-9410, email: martyvollmer@aol.com or Eric Warren, ph: (803) 951-8860, email: scbottles@aol.com. Club website:www.southcarolinabottleclub.com February 21 Jacksonville Beach, Florida The Dixie Jewels Insulator Club’s winger break Show & Sale, (9am 3pm), at the Comfort Inn Oceanfront Motel, 1515 N 1st St, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250. Info: Paul Deriso, ph: (904) 707-8199, email: Derpaul@aol.com.

February 21, 2009 Columbus, Ohio The annual Columbus, Ohio Antique Bottle Show, (9am - 2:30pm), at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, 17th Avenue Exit off I-71. Admission, 2.00; Early Admission, 20.00 (7am). Scott Antique Show also Saturday at the Fairgrounds. Info: Joe Hardin, 594 Layman Road, New Vienna, OH 45159. ph: (937) 3710264. email: jkcollectables@gmail.com February 21, 2009 Aurora, Oregon Oregon Bottle Collectors Association Winger Show & Sale, (9am - 2:30pm, early buyers Friday 1pm - 6pm and Saturday 8am - 9am), . Info: Jim Dennis, PO Box 185, Dufur, OR 97021, ph: (541) 467-2760, email: jmdennis@hotmail.com.

February 22 Enfield, Connecticut Somers Antique Bottle Club’s 39th Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm, early buyers 8am), at the St. Bernard’s School West Campus, 232 Pearl St., Exit 47W, 191 Enfield, CT. Info: Rose Sokol, 164 Elm St., Enfield, CT 06082, ph: (806) 745-7688, email: enfieldrose@aol.com.

February 28 Grandville, Michigan West Michigan Antique Bottle Clubs 20th Annual Show & Sale (10am – 3pm) is being held at the Fonger American Legion Post, 2327 Wilson, SW, Grandville, Mi. No early admission and regular admission is $2. Info: Elmer Ogg, ph: (231)7987335, email: elogg@comcast.net or Steve DeBoode ph: (616)667-0214, email: thebottleguy@comcast.net.

March 7 Saint Joseph, Missouri Missouri Valley Insulator Club’s 7th Annual St. Joseph Insulator/Bottle Show & Sale, (9am - 3pm), at the American Legion Pony Express Post #359, 4826 Frederick Ave., St. Joseph, MO. Insulators, bottles, lightning rod equipment, telephones, and advertising filled 63 tables in 2008 and we have 70 tables available for 2009.

Info: Dennis R Weber, 3609 Jack St., St. Joseph, MO 64507, ph: (816) 3641312, email: stjoeshow2009@aol.com.

March 7 Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Insulator 21st Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm eith dealer setup 7am - 9am), at the Shrewsbury Fire Hall, 21 W Forrest Ave, Shrewsbury, PA (Exit 4 off I83) This show was sold out last year! Info: Charles Irons, ph: (302) 422-5712, email: ironsjrc@verizon.net, http:// www.insulators.infor/clubs/cbic/.

March 7 Seattle, Washington Emerald City Insulator & Bottle Collector’s 20th Annual Show & Sale, (10am - ???), at BF Day School, 3921 Linden Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103.

Info: Jack Hare, ph: (206) 523-3288, Robin Harrison, ph: (206) 522-2135, or Gil Heddges-Blanquez, ph: (206) 329-1413or (206) 218-7936 (cell), email: bluemex@comcast.net

March 8 Baltimore, Maryland The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club’s 29th Annual Show & Sale (8am 3pm) at the Physical Education Center, CCBC-Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd, Essex, MD (I695, exit 34). Info: Eric Ewen, ph: (410) 265-5745, email: teresaanderic@comcast.net.

March 13 & 14 Chico, California Chico Bottle Club’s 43rd Annual Show & Sale, (Friday 10am - 7pm and Saturday 9am - 4pm), at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, Chico, CA Info: Randy Taylor, PO Box 1065, Chico, CA 95927, ph: (530) 345-0519, email: rtjarguy@aol.com.

March 14 Badin, North Carolina The Uwharrie Bottle Club’s 2nd Annual Antique Bottle & Collectible Show & Sale, (8am - 3pm, set-up 6am - 8am), at the Badin Fire Department, Highway 740, Badin, NC. Free parking and appraisals. Food available. $20 for eight-foot table - 48 available.

Info: Todd McSwain, 8649 EddinsPoplin Rd., Norwood, NC 28128, ph: (704) 474-0552, email: mcswain8649@alltel.net.

March 15 West Swanzey, New Hampshire Gallery at Knotty Pine 15th Annual Show & Sale, (10am - 3pm, early buyers 9am), at the Gallery at Knotty Pine, Rt 10, West Swanzey, NH Info: Joan Pappas, ph: (603) 352-5252 March 15 St. Louis Missouri The St. Louis Antique Bottle Collectors Associations 39th Annual Show & Sale, (9am - 2pm), at the Two Hearts Banquet Center, 4532 S. Lindbergh, St. Louis, MO Info: Pat Jett, 71 Outlook Dr, Hillsboro, MO 63050, ph: (636) 948-3029, email: patsy_jett@yahoo.com.

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FOHBC MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY ADDITIONS & CHANGES New Members Peter Abbott 22 Stanwich Ln Greenwich, CT 06230 203-869-9492 pabbott@greenwich academy.org Insulators Bruce Bliss 811 Daisy St Clearfield, PA 16830 814-765-5911 bdbliss@hotmail.com Bitters, flasks, fruit jars, and pontiled medicines Peter Bonewicz 32 Wade St West Haven, CT 06516 Gus Brown 3174 Rocky Springs Rd Piney Flats, TN 37686 423-538-6908 WowAntiques@charter.net Antique advertising Danny Catherino 523 Tyson Ave Philadelphia, PA 19111 215-745-3350 BDGRL012000@ yahoo.com Eva Clark 5339 Custer Rd Maryville, TN 37804 865-983-6328 Eye cups Jim Dale 504 Hilldale Ave Syracuse, NY 13206 315-491-2246 jamesd668@hotmail.com Warners safes, black glass beer bottles, and pictorial torpedo bottles

Greg Detlie 1267 McDaniels Ave Highland Park, IL 60035 847-926-9035 me-chevy@worldnet.att.net Miscellaneous bottles Tom Doligale 6403 Shelton Cir Unit 104 Crestwood, KY 40014 502-727-6118 pooch3fan@qmail.com Udolpho Wolfes Schnapps, hairs, Doyles hops, & colored whiskey fifths Karl Duchek 444 Mountain Ave Westfield, NJ 07090 Darrell Ellsworth 220 Tioga St Johnstown, PA 15905 814-341-6416 d.ellsworth@ wriwindber.org Pre-prohibition bottles and stoneware from Johnstown, PA and surrounding areas

John Fifer 6820 Wooster Pike Rd Medina, OH 44256 330-722-7017 Lindaangel@aol.com Ravenna glass, Mawtua glass, Kent glass Judy Foles 12275 Cedar Ln Ashland, VA 23005 804-513-0088 Judyfoles@mail.com Virginia bottles, milks, water/lilith, beers. Whiskeys, old glass shoes Scott Gibbons 23315 91st Ave S Apt PP105 Kent, WA 98031 253-951-0471 gibboinwa@comcast.net Fruit jars and milk bottles Greg Gifford 832 Clover Dr North Wales, PA 19454 215-633-5216 Grgmam@aol.com

David Evans 39A Westminster Ave. Toronto, Ontario M6R 1N3 Canada 416-530-0151 devans0151@nogens.com Free blown glass

Roy A Glammeyer 16 Battletown Dr Berryville, VA 22611 540-955-2163 Cans, bottles, plates, cups, etc

David Fassinger 45 McMichael Rd. Carnegie, PA 15106 412-279-2367 dfassinger@comcast.net Flasks, whiskeys, & stoneware

Michael Gould, MD 240 Tolstoy Ln Severna Park, MD 21146 410-544-0404 mgouldword@aol.com Pharmaceutical glass and Jennings bottles

Jame Ference 45 Kidderbrook Rd Ashford, CT 06278 860-428-6481 Colored scroll flasks and Connecticut glass

Daniel Grove 2478 Craley Rd Wrightsville, PA 17368 717-676-9270 danstore70@yahoo.com Figural bitters

Bert Henke 2690 Nottingham Fenton, MO 63026 636-349-3022 Varied Vance Heroth 379 Eaker Rd Fort Plain, NY 13339 518-993-2275 clubvance@juno.com Local Mohawk Valley items, Beechnut Packing, general Jack Hewitt 1765 Potomac CT Lawrenceville, GA 30043 770-963-0220 hewittja@bellsouth.net Don Hovis 184 Pinewood Dr Ware Shoals, SC 29692 864-861-9547 hovis1@prtcnet.com South Carolina bottles Scott Kohl 42 School Ct Denver, PA 17517 Greg Kramer 27 W Freeman St Robesonia, PA 19551 610-693-3223 greg@ gregkramerandco.com Early American blown glass Ed Kuskie 352 Pineview Dr Elizabeth, PA 15037 412-405-9061 bottlewizard@comcast.net Jim Matheny 267 Irish Way Pismo Beach, CA 96449 805-459-0618 slon8ivy@hotmail.com

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Steve Mertz PO Box 12 Sandy Lake, PA 16145 724-376-2020 Ross Millington 658 Blackthrone Dr Chesapeake, VA 23323 757-469-5355 Stewart Putney 230 Church St Guilford, CT 06437 203-453-2807 stewartguilford@aol.com Early New England bottles and glass Edward Rentsch 108 Drummond Dr Pennington, NJ 08534 General Richard Riefer 2283 Panoramic Dr Concord, CA 94520 925-212-1721 Ron Rydalch 500 E Durfee Rd Grantsville, UT 84029 435-884-6359 RJRydalch@hotmail.com Western whiskeys, pepper sauces, and bitters Noel Sims 210 Belmont Forest Ct., 304 Timonium, MD 21093 Noelsims@aol.com Onion, shaft, and globe

November-December 2008

Johnny Smith 22694 County Road 12 Jenera, OH 45841 419-326-1112 JCS640@peoplepc.com Fruit jars and old Dutch memorabilia William Staman 1011 Millview Mtn Rd Forksville, PA 18616 570-924-4354 General Tom Stanton 3830 Gateway Ter Burtonsville, MD 20866 Ron Sterzik 2080 Sterzik Dr. Arnold, MO 63010 636-296-3112 ACL bottles and Missouri bottles Bruce Stottrup 2730 16th Ave N Fort Dodge, IA 50501 515-570-4938 bingo4@mchsi.com Iowa bottles and fruit jars Paul Taliaferro PO Box 43 Troy, ME 04987 207-948-3082 Pault@uninets.net Enjoyment and business

Bottles and Extras

Richard M Tucker 1627 Port Charles Pl Newport Beach, CA 92660 949-380-0300 RMTucker@rimpac.org

Encourage New Members

Changes San Diego Antique Bottle & Collectibles Club Attn: Ken Gallo 2320 Hyacinth Rd Alpine, CA 91901 619-659-9159 sdmike@san.rr.com

Jar Doctor™ YOUR COMPLETE SOURCE FOR GLASS

CLEANING EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES CLEANING CANISTERS Designed to safely and professionally clean inside, Outside and base - all at one time.

Available in white and clear PVC (3” through 7” ID) Prices ranging from $85 to $225

CLEANING MACHINES Units available, starting at $180 for small one-canister

OXIDES Polishing Aluminum, Cerium, and Tin $8, $11, and $20 per pound

Cutting Various grits of silicon carbide ranging from $6 to $12 per pound

TUMBLING COPPER New 12 and 14 gauge chisel point in 3 sizes $8.50 per pound

We accept: Paypal & ©

For further information, contact: R Wayne Lowry 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083 JarDoctor@aol.com www.JarDoctor.com

(816) 318-0161 (816) 318-0162 (fax)

Bottles and Extras

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Bottle and Extras Individual and Affiliated Club Membership Information Bottles and Extras

Membership in the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors includes:

Bottles and Extras

FREE ADS Send to:

June Lowry Bottles and Extras 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083 or Email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com Category - “WANTED” Maximum 60 words Limit - one free ad per current membership per year.

Category - “FOR SALE” Maximum 100 words Limit - 100 per issue.

Individual subscription / Membership rates for one year Second Class $30.00 (US only)

First Class $45.00 (inside US) $50.00 (Canada) $65.00 (Other foreign)

Name Associate member name(s) ($5 additional each) Street address City Zip Telephone ( State Collecting interests E-mail address

)

Single issues and back issues: $5.00 each Membership information, forms, and an online payment option are also available on the website (www.FOHBC.com) Enclose the appropriate amount payable to FOHBC and mail to: FOHBC June Lowry, Business Manager 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083 Please allow 6 - 8 weeks from the time you send in your payment for the arrival of your first issue of Bottles and Extras

Bottles and Extras Affiliated club membership rates for one year $75.00 (inside US) $95.00 (Canada) $110.00 (Other foreign) Club name Mailing address City Zip State Club President Address City Zip State E-mail address Meeting location Day Club website Club newsletter name Newsletter editor Club’s show date Club’s show location

(Use extra paper if necessary) Clearly PRINT or TYPE all ad copy

Telephone (

)

Telephone (

)

Time

Enclose the appropriate amount payable to FOHBC and mail to: FOHBC June Lowry, Business Manager 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083

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Membership Benefits The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors cordially invites you to join a dedicated group of individuals and clubs who collect, study and display the treasured glass and ceramic gems of yesteryear.

The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) is a non-profit organization supporting collectors of historical bottles, flasks, jars, and related items. 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.

Federation membership is open to any individual or club interested in the enjoyment and study of antique bottles.

The Federation publication, Bottles and Extras, is well known throughout the hobby world as the leading publication for those interested in bottles and “go-withs”. The magazine includes articles of historical interest, stories chronicling the hobby and the history of bottle collecting, digging stories, regional news, show reports, advertisements, show listings, and an auction directory. Bottles and Extras is truly the place to go when information is needed about this popular and growing hobby.

In addition to providing strength to a national/international organization devoted to the welfare of the hobby, your FOHBC membership benefits include: • A full year subscription the Federation’s official bi-monthly publication, Bottles and Extras • One free ad per yearly membership of 60 words for use for “wanted” items, trade offers, etc.

• Eligibility for a discount at FOHBC sponsored shows (National or EXPOs) towards “early admission” or dealer table rent • Access to a knowledge of the world of antique bottle collecting unavailable elsewhere • Contact information for clubs devoted to the study of historical bottles • A forum for your writings, articles, and editorials regarding the hobby • Participation in the nomination and selection of Federation members for the Honor Roll and Hall of Fame • Federation-sponsored writing, show poster, and newsletter-design contests • Free publication assistance for your book or manuscript • And more...

We encourage Affiliated Bottle Club memberships by offering these additional benefits to your group: • Display advertising in Bottles and Extras at an increased discount of 50% • Insertion of your bottle club show ad on the Federation website to increase your show’s exposure • Links to your club website free of charge, as well as assistance with the creation of your website • Free Federation ribbon for Most Educational Display at your show • Slide programs for use at your club meetings • Participation in Federation sponsored insurance program for your club show and any other club sponsored activities Finally…

We need your support! Our continued existence is dependent upon your participation as well as expanding our membership. The Federation is the only national organization devoted to the enjoyment, study, preservation, collection, and display of historical bottles. The FOHBC welcomes individuals who would like to contribute by running for Board positions or by sharing their expertise and volunteering their talents in other areas of interest such as contributions to our publications, assistance with the Federation’s National and EXPO shows, or through membership promotion.

If you haven’t yet joined our organization, please do so and begin reaping the benefits. If you are already a member, please encourage your friends and fellow collectors to JOIN US!!

For more information, questions, or to join the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, please contact: June Lowry FOHBC Business Manager 401 Johnston Ct. Raymore, MO 64083 816-318-0160 OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com or visit our home page on the web at www.FOHBC.com

WANTED Colored Pennsylvania Hutchinsons ASHLAND BOTTLING WORKS, ASHLAND (AMBER) F.J. BRENNAN, SHENANDOAH (YELLOW) J.C. BUFFUM & CO., PITTSBURG (ALL COLORS) A.K. CLARK, 41 CRAIG ST., ALLEGHENY (CITRON & AMBER) T.D. CUMMINGS, PHILA (OLIVE GREEN) EAGLE BOTTLING WORKS, YORK (AMBER) EXCELSIOR BOTTLING WORKS, ALLEGHENY CITY, PA (COBALT, AMBER, CITRON) PHIL FISHER, PITTSBURGH (CITRON) GOUDIE MOL & CO. ALLENTOWN (GREEN) KEYSTONE BOTTLING HOUSE, PITTSBURG (LT. COBALT) LAFFEY & HARRIGAN, JOHNSTOWN (COBALT)

P.H. REASBECK BRADDOCK (E. GREEN) RIDGEWAY BOTTLING WORKS, R. POWER (COBALT) ROYAL BOTTLING HOUSE, J. UNGLER, PITTSBURG (AMBER) P.J. SERWAZI, MANAYUNK (DEEP OLIVE) JOS. SMITH RENOVA, PA (OLIVE GREEN) SOUTHSIDE BOTTLING HOUSE (COBALT) SOUTHSIDE BOTTLING HOUSE, A.M. SCHADEMAN (AMBER & CITRON) T.I. (AMBER & COBALT) PITTSBURGH BOTTLE TURCHI BROS. PHILA (CITRON) UNION BOTTLING WORKS, PITTSBURG (CITRON)

I will purchase outright or trade for other colored Pennsylvania Hutchinsons.

Please contact me at (813) 286-9686 or email at rbrown4134@aol.com for list of available colored hutch’s.

R.J. BROWN, 4114 W. MULLEN AVENUE, TAMPA, FL 33609

Jefferson City, MO 65101

FOHBC C/O June Lowry 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083

Bottles and Extras

Periodicals

US Postage Paid

Please check your information and notify us of errors.

2008 is 150th Anniversary of John Mason’s invention - page 36

Hall of Fame Inductees - page 48