Geelong Bottle & Collectables Club Inc
SUPER, MARIO
Volume 65 November/December 2008
How Mario Wojiceszhk became an instant sensation with a treasure he’s had hidden away for 15 years.
STATE SHOW SPECIAL ISSUE
WHO’S WHO President:
Kim Johnson 5267 2486
Vice President:
Peter Harding 5275 3411
Treasurer:
Bob Bauer 5250 1392
Secretary:
Robyn Harding 5267 2522
Vice Secretary:
Anne Phillips Librarian:
David Smith Editor:
Cam Ward 0430 369 146
Public Officer:
Kim Johnson State Representative:
Craig Finegan & David Smith
‘Excellent’ standard wins
Geelong show
G
EELONG Bottle and Collectables Club has won widespread praise for hosting another successful state show. And the praise from those who travelled to Geelong on the first weekend in November matched the success many club members experienced in the show itself. Among dozens of high class displays – and at least one considered to be of museum quality – Geelong club members took out no fewer than 10 separate categories. That they had time to organise themselves competitively was no mean feat given the task that the club undertook in readying the venue, maintaining security and acting as impromptu tour guides for curious members of the public. They even pitched in to make up a non-competitive display of Geelong memorabilia that showed the remarkable depth of collectables to have been produced locally. A decent queue had formed by the time the doors were open to the public on Saturday morning and this pace continued for much of that day. Sunday was noticeably quieter and the club is now considering condensing the event to a one-day show should it host another
Supper Attendant:
Pam Bauer
WHAT’S NEXT Bottles (any number)
FEBRUARY – Soda syphons MARCH – Beacon Trading Co APRIL – Goldfields oils
Collectables (any number)
FEBRUARY – Old newspapers MARCH – Five favourite things smaller than an orange APRIL – Anzac Day
D
Kim and Noel deep in conversation.
state show. Consideration will also be given to moving the event to a date earlier in the year and possibly seeking a more central venue. But that should not take the gloss of what was another milestone in the Geelong club’s history. “The displays were excellent, there were a lot of really outstanding displays,” judge Charlie Tysoe said. Fellow judge Graeme Fyfe was similarly enthusiastic in his praise, noting that it had been a difficult task in finding a winner in a number of categories. The favourite five and ginger beer categories in particular drew a host of quality entries, with judges eventually deciding to split the latter into two sections – printed and impressed. ALL THE WINNERS – PAGES 4-7
Accidental discovery
ESPITE all the museum quality exhibits, or the hours of wheeling and dealing or all the tall tales told over a Saturday night meal and across a swap and sell stall, it was a bloke from Lara who emerged as the unlikely scene stealer from the 2008 Victorian State Show. And he did it with one bottle that has been lying in a cupboard at home for 15 years. But that one bottle – a mint condition James Dixon Leith thistle whiskey – was enough to have complete strangers come up to Mario Wojiceszhk at the Geelong Showgrounds on
Saturday afternoon and offer him $3000 cash on the spot for one of the most sought after bottles in Australia. But even more surprising was how Mario – a non-collector came upon the treasure. Fifteen years ago he was part of a crew helping to install the standard gauge rail line to the Shell refinery at the back of the old Corio distillery near St Georges Rd. The first pass of the grader uncovered a number of bottles – three stoneware and one glass – prompting Mario to yell out to the driver to stop. He and his mates
praise from state judging panel
in a glass of its own
John Lynch’s winning display of impressed and convict ginger beers contained a number of museum-quality pieces.
leaves collectors in a state of ecstacy looked at the find and when no one else wanted them, Mario put them in the boot of the car. They would find no more bottles at the site. He said the embossed thistle was the only reason it caught his eye. “Then I washed it under the tap and put it the cupboard,” he said. That was 15 years ago. It was only a recent chance meeting with some Geelong club members that alerted him to the fact that his long-forgotten find might be valuable. That’s what prompted him to bring it along to the show and seek out some more opinions. His initial reaction when he came
across another thistle in one of the competitive displays was that his bottle wasn’t that special. Then it was pointed out that the bottle was the ONLY other thistle among the thousands of others on display or for sale in the hall. As for how such a jewel came to be buried in an out-of-the way part of Corio, Mario has his own theory, in which the distillery plays a part: “Someone knocked it off (from there) and drank it!” And for those desperate – or hopeful – collectors, Mario knocked back the easiest $3000 he will probably ever make. This thistle is not for sale.
Mario’s accidental find of a lifetime.
2008 Victorian State Bottle CATEGORY WINNERS
One of the true highlights of John Lnch’s impressed ginger beers an 1820s I Morton & Sons believed unique in this size.
A colourful and rare Australian Homeopathic Ointment potlid from Richard and Jeni Goldsworthy’s winning display.
1A – Codds (pictorial or variety) Lou & Rick Kanizay 4A – Aerated waters Hamiltons/Maughams Charlie & Bev Tysoe (1st); Joe Votava (2nd) 7A – Aerated waters Hamilton/Lamont/Codd/ Riley John Glen 8B – Crown seal beers Wally Speechly 10A – Beginners glass/ ceramics Tony Parsons 11B – Bitters Jim Bell 14A – Chemist bottles (clear/aqua) David Bruce (1st); John Evans (2nd) 16A – Castor oils Danny Smith 17A – Chinese containers Geoff & Phyllis Spurling (1st); Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy (2nd) 18A – Coloured glass Jan Needham 20B – Coloured glass Kent & Merv Warrick 21A – Crown seal soft drinks Mel Brown (1st); Mark Schvelein (2nd) 22A – Crown seal soft drinks ceramic labels John Evan 24A – Demijohns Paul Gamboni 27A – Eucalyptus John Evans 28A – Favourite five Ross & Christine Roycroft
(1st); Lindsay Pitcher (2nd) 29A – Fruit/storage jars David Smith 30A – Geelong bottles/ containers David Smith 31A – General collection glass/ceramic Graeme Fyfe (1st); Scott Richmond (2nd) 32A – Ginger beers (impressed & transferred) John Lynch (=1st), Graeme Fyfe (=1st); Ray Coffey (=2nd), Rex Matthews (=2nd). 34A – Household general Colin Pringle 35A – Inks/inkwells/gums Vic & Lyndel Walker 36A – Internal threads (blob tops) Ken & Merv Warrick (1st); John & Coral Glen (2nd) 39A – Labelled bottles Bruce Lowenthal (1st); David Smith (2nd) 40A – Largest & Smallest Kingsley & Raelene Durdin (1st); Colin Pringle (2nd) 41A – Miniatures & Samples Bill Costello 44A – One item and written history Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy (1st); Vic & Lyndel Walker (2nd) 45A – Perfume or smelling salts Andrea Lowenthal 49A – Pickles, oils & vinegars Ken & Lynel Irwin 49B – Pickles, oils & vinegars Peter Rice 50A – Pots/pot lids Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy
Craig Finegan showed this example of a stone hamilton.
and Collectables Show 55A – Set or series Richard Cant (1st); Troy Clohesy (2nd) 55B – Set or series Brendan Cant 58A – Spirit containers Warren Irwin 59A – Stoneware/ceramic Australian trade names Geoff & Phyllis Spurling 60B – Whiskey (stone/ ceramic) Wally Speechly 61A – Category not mentioned Paul Welsh (1st); Rodney Baron (2nd) 61B – Category not mentioned Richard Goldsworthy 64A – Avon Laurie Rice 65A – Badges Bill Millar 68A – Brewerania Rodney Bardin 70A – Childhood memorabilia Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy 75A – Ephemera Eric Barton (1st); Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy (2nd) 76A – Favourite five Noel Dawson 79A – Glassware (old) Peter Harding 79B – Glassware (old) Tracey Elso 80 – Insulators Ron Bernard (1st); Alan & Elizabeth James (2nd) 82 – Juniors Molly Johnson (=1st); AmberJohnson (=1st) 84 – Kitchenalia Tracey Elso
85 – Ladies’ choice Dot Votava (1st); Greta Carter (=2nd), Andrea Lowenthal (=2nd) 89 – Moneyboxes Ross & Christine Roycroft (1st); Scotty Clark (2nd) 91 – One item & written history Rod & Merilynn Weiss 94 – Pressing irons Lorraine Bernard 100 – Tins/packets Bob Bauer (1st); Kim Johnson (2nd) 101 – Tools Rod & Merilynn Weiss 103 – War memorabilia Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy 104 – Any other collection Ron & Greta Carter (1st); Julianne Atwood (2nd)
AWARDS
Best display Category A – Richard Cant Best display Category B – John Cross Best display collectables – Bill Millar Most informative display – Paul Walsh (milk bottles) Best Geelong display – David Smith Encouragement prize – Ron Nutt Best display (juniors) – Molly and Amber Johnson Master class – David Bruce Bruce Gill Award – Tony Parsons Most successful – Richard & Jeni Goldsworthy
David Smith’s sparkling Chas Cole lightning stopper.
A selection of Joe Votava’s aerated waters (from left) Clifton Springs Mineral Water maugham, W Leak & Sons Benalla hamilton, Bayldon & Graham Geelong hamilton, W Hutchinson NSW hamilton, Jensen & Huston Ballarat hamilton, Grigsby & McSweeney Geelong hamilton.
Collectors flock to see Geelong’s Club members won praise from visitors and exhibitors alike for their comprehensive display of local memorabilia.
Crown seals helped Tony Parsons win the beginners section.
America on the Australian goldfields was the theme of this winning collectables display by Richard Goldsworthy.
Aboriginie-themed ephemera from Eric Barton.
Plenty of bargains were to be had in the expansive swap and sell section.
big weekend of show and tell
Club member Noel Dawson assisting judges, from left, John Glen, Charlie Tysoe and George Fyfe.
Tracey Elso was a winner with this nostalgic display of kitchenalia.
For sheer weight of numbers it was impossible to go past BIll Millar’s badges – and this was only half the entry!
A collection of brass bung holes helped Rodney Bardin win the brewerania category.
minutes October Meeting October 27, 2008
Meeting opened at 8.05pm Apologies Anne & Daryl Phillips Moved – Craig Finegan Seconded – Peter Harding Minutes of previous meeting Accepted by – Peter Harding Seconded – Joe Votava
Business arising from minutes No reply from APCO regarding sponsorship for State Show. We will use other items for furtherest traveled. Moved – Noel Dawson Seconded – Pam Bauer Correspondence The Australian Bottle & Collectables Review Western Antique Bottle & Collectables Club Inc. newsletter Moved – Leanne Harding Seconded – Pam Bauer Treasurer’s Report Term deposit $2445.00 Cash tin $00.00 Tea tin $88.00 Swap & sell tin $28.50 Moved– Tracey Elso Seconded– Pam Bauer General Business Kim has been contacted by someone interested in Brownie Downing. Please see her for further information. Ron Leen is unable to a Geelong display at the State Show. Cam will now help set up the display which we will needs items for. Please see Cam if you able to help. Peter will be at the Showgrounds at 8am on Friday. People needed to hand out flyers at Belmont market on Saturday. Tracey has organised for an announcement to go over the speakers at the Sunday market at the Showgrounds. More signs to be put out and sandwich boards discussed. Geelong City Council’s donation of $500 arrived last week. Security has been organised for both nights. Remember next month will be our Christmas night. All members please bring along an item for the hamper for raffle. We will also do a coin toss competition and trivia. Kim will send out a flyer to members regarding this. The key tags for prizes are no longer available so this has been changed to a bottle opener, which look very good. Warnambool to host the State Show next year. Meeting closed 8.50pm. Best Acquired 1st Joe & Dot Votava 2nd Barry Sydenham 3rd Bruce & Elsie Coles
Collection of bottles. Butcher’s scales. Framed Singer sewing repairs.
latest finds October Peter & Lee
Capital Building Society 45rpm record Hooper’s (?) ammonia bottle GJ Coles glycerine bottle Embassy tin Eastern Beach souvenir dish Assorted Geelong cook books
Cam
Pakington Street price list Sunshine harvester cover Foster’s export stout bottle Coca Cola bottle sleeves
Barry
Butcher’s scales
Jennifer
1950s magazines
David
Chas Cole green glass blob top
Alan
Early Minnie Mouse Schweppes cordial Fosters beer Mao’s Little Red Book Archbishop Mannix bass plaque
Ron & Jan
Sharpe Bros demijohn Donald Duck egg cup “Father & Son”, “Mother & Daughter” books
Craig
Unusual skirted1850s salad oil Jones Lincoln eight cities lamont Large 1840s storage jar
Tony
Hoadley & Co Tomato sauce McIntyre Lincoln & Co 7oz codd
Bruce & Elsie
Framed Singer Sewing repairs Singer cushion
Noel
Ford book, tram and car magazine
Joe & Dot
Collection of bottles
SECOND
THIRD
FIRST
minutes November Meeting November 24, 2008
Meeting opened at 8.00pm Apologies Pam Bauer Moved – Joe Votava Seconded – Peter Harding Minutes of previous meeting Accepted by – Peter Harding Seconded – Noel Dawson Business arising from minutes Nil Correspondence The Gippsland Antique Bottle & Collectables Club Inc. newsletter Thankyou letter from Jim Bell Moved – Ern Taylor Seconded – Leanne Harding Treasurer’s report Term deposit Cash tin Tea tin Swap & sell tin
$2,445.00 $ 00.00 $ 100.00 $ 28.50
Moved – Peter Harding Seconded – Jennifer Sydenham General Business State Show was a success even though we didn’t have a big profit. There was only about half the amount of people through the door compared to 2004. Dates can’t be predicted. If we host it again, perhaps have it before Maryborough which is July/August and only have it for one day. Perhaps change the location to somewhere more central, but this will be restricted by budget. Centenary Hall in Norlane was suggested. Thankyou to Craig and Tracey for the MacRobertsons lolly jar and lollies they donated. Bus trip to Camberwell Market and Tyabb early next year and include Cranbourne. Noel will get date. Peter has been contacted by the Herald Sun Home magazine. They want to do stories on collectables. There will be no names or suburbs mentioned. Please see Peter if you are interested in having your collection covered. Thankyou gift given to Kim on the behalf of the committee for all her hard work in organised the State Show. Well done. Shane mentioned that the state association is looking for office bearers. Anyone interested pleas see Shane. Meeting closed 8.30pm followed by trivia questions and then the raffle was drawn. Best Acquired 1st Tony Parsons 2nd Bob Bauer 3rd Daryl & Anne Phillips
Priddle, Bollington, Mahon & Hogan marbles. Tilley heater. Advertising poster—Andrews Stove Geelong.
Tough times no deterrance T HE end of 2008 saw more rare collectables come to light in a variety of auctions around the country. The top end was again dominated by lots in Graham Lancaster’s auctions but even eBay produced some out-of-the-ordinary items. Chief among them was a scarce amber Dakin Brothers, Of China `torpedo. Described as one of the best examples dug in Darwin, it was similar to the stunning example that featured in the wining Masters collection at the 2008 state show. Six bidders eventually pushed the price to $1575 – not bad for a bottle with a chip on the base. Among the notable Geelong collectables swapping hand on eBay were a 26oz clear glass Bollington Hop Beer ($220), Bayldon & Graham hamilton ($127.50), and two International Harvester brass kangaroos ($101 and $172.50). These were a long way short of the $1000 that a 10oz J. Greeves, Geelong Breffits patent realised at the last two-day Lancaster auction for the year – despite the bottle showing some pitting and a flawed bubble to the rear of the body. But the Greeves was, in turn, topped by some truly spectacular pieces that went under the hammer in Toowoomba. And it wasn’t just bottles that fired up the bidders,
T. Field barrel – $17,500.
A Greeves Breffits patent, similar to this example owned by Craig Finegan, reached the $1000 mark at auction last year.
Rarity is rarity, no matter what your passion. Top price for the weekend was the $17,500* paid for the exceedingly rare T. Field & Sons pottery barrel. Supposedly made for the 1879 Sydney International
Gilson bread plate – $10,400.
Exhibition, it features an applied Australian coat of arms – more than 20 years before Federation! The final price was more than $5000 above the upper estimate. Also well up on its estimate was a spectacular majolica
Lovelock ginger jar – $11,000.
glazed bread plate from J. Gilson Pioneer Pottery in Kleinton, Queensland. Embossed with the motto “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” in German, the unused plate fetched $10,400 against an estimate of $6000-$8000. The other pottery piece to reach five figures was another exhibition piece – a lidded majolica ginger jar by GA Lovelock. The outstanding feature was an applied dragon and the jar realised $11,000 against an estimate of $8000$10,000. Top price among the bottles on offer was $14,500 for the highly desirable St. Louis Hop Bitters embossed with the unofficial Australian flag trademark. Unearthed in Narrabri, NSW, it has some tip staining and light scuff marks but was still rated as very good. The auction was also notable for some of the prices realised from a category that doesn’t often get into the spotlight – chemist bottles. Among the better examples that fetched up to three times their estimates were H.A. Rowes, Sydney with rose trademark ($1100), W.A. Noble Chemist & Druggist, Toowoomba complete with an original celluloid advert ($1150) and J.C. Atkinson, Townsville embossed with an Aborigine throwing a boomerang ($1200). *All Lancaster prices quoted do not include the buyer’s premium.
JC Atkinson – $1200.
CLASSIFIEDS Notices
Wanted to buy
Need to e-mail a photo? Like to post a photo on the internet to sell an item? Have a lend of the club’s digital camera. ASK PETER FOR DETAILS
Milk glass Vegemite/Marmite jars. Also screw top metal lids, any size. Phone Bruce on 0408 527 741.
Wanted to buy
Pre-1956 telephone directories. Geelong & District or Melbourne Phone Cam on 0438 369 146.
Anything to do with Jim Beam, Coca Cola, ceramic Garfields and Ned Kelly. Collectables collector. Phone Len Ellmer on 5224 1469.
Any old newspapers and documents. Prefer Geelong and areas but will consider anything. Phone Peter on 5275 3411.
Royal Doulton Whisky flasks/Kingsware Old electric jugs Please call JIM HUNTER on 5127 6420. Member of the Gippsland club.
Victa logo plate For original model Phone Alan on 5255 4773 or 0403 160 336.
SINGER SEWING MACHINES Anything to do with Singer. Phone Bruce or Elsie on 5275 5450. Matchboxes, labels, vesta boxes, match grips and Meakin china. Phone 5276 1267. Any old newspapers and documents. Prefer Geelong and areas but will consider anything. Phone Peter on 5275 3411. Geelong street guides and business directories. Phone 5266 1126.
Embassy branded items. The old GJ Coles home brand. Will BUY anything. Phone Peter on 5275 3411. Any Scouting memorabilia. Phone Shane on 5229 6469.
For sale Photographic record of 2008 State Bottle and Collectables Show. All category winners and selected individual bottles on one CD. Suitable for enlargements. $10 per copy. Phone Cam on 0430 369 146.