Glenn Poch's Bottle Collecting Newsletter 9

Dec/Jan 96'
Newsletter #9
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By now I am sure all of you are aware of all of those bottle related
sites around out there on the web, if you find a new site of interest be
sure to let me know so I can pass it on to everyone else! if you do not
know of any sites email me and I will be able to supply you with a few
locations!
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Submissions wanted! I am sure many of you reading this newsletter collect
something in one form or another and undoubtably have some knowledge of
expertize in a field or subject.  I know that many collectors who have
just signed up with us specialize in insulators (I for one know nothing
on this field and would love to read an article on them).  These
submissions can be on any given glass related subject such as color,
condition, repairing, catagories, fields, digging stories, acquisitions,
show reports, etc. as long as it relates to the hobby.  So why not e-mail
me with a article or two and I will add it to the next newsletter, there
is just too much good information out there in peoples heads that need to
be shared!

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Target Balls:

The sport of competive shooting saw the clay pigeon develop during the
1880's, prior to that gun competitions used blown glass round balls in a
wide array of colors.  These glass balls were approxamtely 2 3/4" in
diameter, and were all hand blown in a three-piece mold, they also have a
small round hole (slightly raised above the surface) where the blowpipe
was removed.  The earliest target balls date back to the 1840's but were
used primarly in the 1870-1880 period.  Many of these little historical
objects only have mold markings, but some are embossed with the
manufacture's name, some popular names at the time were Bogardus, Ira
Paine, Gurd & Son, WW Greener, and NB Glass Works. Some also had dots and
diamond patterns that were supposed to make the bullet break the glass
easier and not bounce off the smooth surface.  They were made in America,
England, and Canada.  All of the target balls are hard to find as is the
case with anything made to be destroyed!  Common to Rarest colors in this
order Blue,Amber,Purple,Green,Aqua, and Clear.

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This Bottle Not to Be Sold or Taken (?????)
This Bottle Must be Returned (?????)

On many pre-1900 bottles you will find these words embossed on several
differnt bottles mainly (soda and beer).  What is the true meaning to
this strange message? The bottle was indeed sold at the time of purchase
for the contents it contained, so how can this contradictory statement
make sense?  Well, the true purpose of this embossing was to discorage
people from taking the bottles and not returning them or even worst
selling the bottles to other bottlers in the local area.  Bottles in the
West and Mid-West had few glass houses and needed to import bottles from
east coast glass factories, this in-turn took day's and even weeks in
many cases for the shipment of these glass gems to arrive, this led to
the dimisize of many small time manufactor's and stores.  Many times the
bottles were embossed in such a way that it was easily recognizable that
it belonged to a certain company.  Some bottles are even marked Stolen
From: ..., without the glass bottle their product was worthless, since
sales would not be possible.  So next time you see a bottle marked with
the word's (Stolen, Not to be Sold, Return) you can think of the
intersting history associated with those bottles!

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Bottle Trivia - first person who writes back with all the correct answers
will have an honarable mention in the next newsletter!

1) name all of the companys who produced true cabin shapped bitter
bottles embossed "bitters"

2) true or false - soda bottles can be found in smooth bases, graphite
pontils, and open pontils?

3) When (date) did the first bottling machine come into play?

4) Which beer company marketed ruby red bottles?

5) What Year will we the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors hold
their Bottle Expo?

6) What is the record price held for flask sold within the past two years?

* answers will be in next month's issue!

FOR SALE:

Ryan, Savanna Georgia - cobalt iron pontil soda, good condition $140.

Hexagonal Blue Posion bottle (Not to be taken) several sizes $15 each.

Figural whiskey cigar amber $45-

Figural whiskey gun amber (original cap) great condition $85-

Many Philadephia Soda's - e-mail for info

Large drugist display bottle (once had a label under glass (no label)) -
in mint condition with label would bring over $500., without still a
pretty piece of early glass - $65-

pochg@phk.nslsilus.org
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Wanted bottles of fine quality: figural bitters, inks, early
scents/perfumes, cup plates, witch balls, and some whimseys.

pochg@phk.nslsilus.org




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Happy Collecting,

Glenn