$7.00
January – February 2024
Featuring...
The Surprising Scientific Weirdness of Glass
Also in this issue...
Horse Collar Pad Bogardus Molds The Fleischmann Co. Orange Bitters Fred Raschen Sacramento Whiskey Dealer ACL #8 – Land of Enchantment Demijohn Weights Julius Squeezer and so much more!
The official publication of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
Vol. 35
No. 1
Vol. 35 No. 1
January–February 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
No. 271
On the Cover: Collage inspired by the surprising weirdness of glass.
To Advertise, Subscribe or Renew a subscription, see pages 66 and 72 for details.
FOHBC Officers | 2022–2024 ...................................................................................... 2
To Submit a Story, send a Letter to the Editor or have Comments and Concerns, contact:
FOHBC President’s Message ............................................................................................ 3 Shards of Wisdom–Heard it Through the Grapevine ....................................................... 4 FOHBC News–From & For Our Members ..................................................................... 6 FOHBC Regional News ...................................................................................................... 8 Virtual Museum News by Richard Siri .............................................................................. 10
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The Surprising Weirdness of Glass by Brian Resnick ..................................................... 12 Bogardus Molds...I still have questions unanswered by Ralph Finch ............................ 16 The Fleischmann Co. Orange Bitters by Michael Seeliger ................................................ 20 Demijohn Weights by Brian Bingham ............................................................................. 22 Horse Collar Pad by Peter Maas ..................................................................................... 26
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A Puce Eagle Tale by Rick Weiner ................................................................................... 31 ACL Corner #8 – Land of Enchantment by Mike Dickman ................................................ 40 Fred Raschen Sacramento Whiskey Dealer by Steve Abbott .......................................... 46 Julius Squeezer by Peter Maas ........................................................................................ 52 The Saltsburg Glass Works by Jay W. Hawkins ............................................................... 54 Cry me a river? No, silly, Crimea-a-flask! by Ralph Finch .................................................. 58
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Lost & Found ................................................................................................................. 60 Member Photos ............................................................................................................ 64 Classified Ads .............................................................................................................. 66 FOHBC Sho-Biz–Calendar of Shows ............................................................................. 68 Membership Benefits, Display Ad Rates, Donations to the FOHBC ................................. 71
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Membership Application, Classified Advertising & Article Submission ............................. 72 Coming next issue or down the road: The Three Blue Bitters•Lady’s Star•ACL #9 Mammals•Privy Digger’s Dream•What Do You Collect?•M. A. Rue of Cranbury, New Jersey•Early Pittsburgh Glasshouses•Dr. Furber’s Cordial of Mountain Balm•Keystone Coffee Jar•Soda City’s Only Two Earliest Colored Sodas: H. Deming & Co. and C.C. Habenicht•Treachery at Hotel ZaZa•On the Witness Protection Program•Probst & Hilbs German Bitters Little Rock, Ark.•Pressed Stoneware Bottles•Whites Prairie Flower•Caswell Hazard Druggists•Te-Nex-Ine Ralph is stuck on an old product and so much more! January – February 2024
So you don’t miss an issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, please check your labels for expiration information.
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Elizabeth Meyer FOHBC Business Manager P.O. Box 1825 Brookshire, Texas 77423 phone: 713.504.0628 email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Fair use notice: Some material in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector has been submitted for publication in this magazine and/or was originally published by the authors and is copyrighted. We, as a non-profit organization, offer it here as an educational tool to increase further understanding and discussion of bottle collecting and related history. We believe this constitutes “fair use” of the copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this material for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use,” you must obtain permission from the copyright owner(s). Antique Bottle & Glass Collector © (ISSN 10505598) is published bi-monthly (6 issues per year) by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. (a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization) at 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; phone: 713.504.0628; Website: FOHBC.org, Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Raymore, Missouri 64083 and additional mailing office, Pub. #005062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@ gmail.com Annual subscription rate is: $40 for standard mail or $55 for First Class, $60 to Canada, $80 Other countries, $25 Digital Membership [in U.S. funds.] Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, Level 2: $500. The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. (FOHBC) assumes no responsibility for products and services advertised in this publication. See page 72 for details. The names Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. (FOHBC), and Antique Bottle & Glass Collector ©, are registered ® names of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc., and no use of either other than as references, is permitted without expressed written consent from the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. Certain material contained in this publication is copyrighted by, and remains the sole property of, the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. while others remain property of the submitting authors. Detailed information concerning a particular article may be obtained from the Editor. Printed by Modern Litho, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
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FOHBC Board of Directors Midwest Region Director: Henry Hecker, W298 S10655 Phantom Woods Road, Mukwonago, Wisconsin 53149, phone: 262.844.5751, email: phantomhah@gmail.com Southern Region Director: Tom Lines, 1647 Olivia Way, Auburn, Alabama 36830, phone: 205.410.2191, email: Bluecrab1949@hotmail.com Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors is a non-profit organization for collectors of historical bottles, glass and related collectible items. Our primary goal is educational as it relates to the history and manufacture of historical bottles and related artifacts.
FOHBC Officers 2022–2024 President: Michael Seeliger, N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521, phone: 608.575.2922, email: mwseeliger@gmail.com
Western Region Director: Eric McGuire, 1732 Inverness Drive, Petaluma, California 94954, phone: 707.481.9145, email: etmcguire@comcast.net Public Relations Director: Position Open Conventions Director: Craig Cassetta, 12 Marlin Court, Chico, California 95973, phone: 530.680.5226, email: craig.cassetta@gmail.com Historian: Brian Bingham, 4305 Arbor Cove Circle, Oceanside, California 92058, phone: 442.264.9945, email: brian.bingham@att.net Membership Director: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
First Vice-President: Position Open
Merchandising Director: Position Open
Second Vice-President: Stephen R. Jackson, P.O. Box 3137, Suffolk, Virginia 23439, phone: 757.675.5642, email: sjackson@srjacksonlaw.com
FOHBC Virtual Museum
Secretary: Alice Seeliger, N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521, phone: 608.575.1128, email: aliceajscreative@gmail.com Treasurer: Kathie Craig, 1037 Hazelwood Avenue, Campbell, California 95008, phone: 408.591.6511, email: kathiecraig@sbcglobal.net Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Director-at-Large: Ferdinand Meyer V, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Director-at-Large: John O’Neill, 1805 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, California 94002, phone: 650.619.8209, email: Joneill@risk-strategies.com Director-at-Large: Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, California 95402, phone: 707.542.6438, email: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net Northeast Region Director: Charles Martin Jr., 5 John Hall Cartway, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts 02675 phone: 781.248.8620, email: cemartinjr@comcast.net
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Alan DeMaison, 1605 Clipper Cove, Painesville, Ohio 44077, phone: 440.358.1223, email: a.demaison@sbcglobal.net Joe Gourd, 27W058 Fleming Drive, Winfield, Illinois 60190, phone: 630.653.7088, email: joegourd@aol.com Ferdinand Meyer V, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002, phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Miguel Ruiz, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002, phone: 713.222.7979, email: mruiz@fmgdesign.com Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, California 95402, phone: 707.542.6438, email: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net
Magazine Editor: Peachridge Collections, LLC, Ferdinand Meyer V and Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Design and Layout: Ferdinand Meyer V Proofreaders: Alice Seeliger and Bill Baab
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
President’s Message Michael Seeliger President Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521 608.575.2922 mwseeliger@gmail.com
We are well into a very active bottle show season. This Fall I attended a couple of great shows: Nashville and Chicago. At the Nashville show, we had a great Federation presence and I had the opportunity to talk to many seasoned and new collectors. It was an easy sell to have them take our latest AB&GC magazine and listen to what the Federation has to offer. The Houston 24 Info Packet is a terrific way to have all out information in one handout. I witnessed lots of interest in the Nashville event. The more I see how the special exhibits are coming together, the more I realize it will be an event of a lifetime. This is really a family event with so much for everyone, not just bottle collectors. The Museum and activities that will surround this Expo make this a vacation that just so happens to have a great bottle show to attend also. The Chicago Show was also well-attended, and I had the opportunity to discuss Federation benefits with many collectors. I am always surprised when members do not fully use the Virtual Museum or Auction Price Report. If you need any help learning how to access and navigate these tremendous resources, just let me know and I will be happy to walk you through it. Alice and I plan to attend the Jackson, Mississippi, Tampa, Florida, and Chattanooga shows and I hope to attend the Rochester, New York, and Mansfield, Ohio shows. Though I would like to attend the Baltimore show, I will rely on other Board members to represent the Federation at that one. Our webinars (online seminars) are getting a life of their own. The most recent one, presented by Joe Gourd and John Kemler, was a delightful look at unusual trade cards. We had a record number of attendees! Recorded webinars are posted on our website FOHBC. org. Dann Louis and I are putting together a webinar featuring John Wolf’s collection. Dann is also writing a Cure book based on John’s collection. If you have pictures of John and his bottles, please let me know so that we can add them to our webinar. Keep an eye on our webinar schedule to see other upcoming topics. The well-documented photos and historical information from our presenters, along with questions and comments from attendees, are building on the wealth of knowledge we are saving for future generations. In the absence of a National Convention in 2023, we did not have
January – February 2024
an annual membership meeting. There were no issues requiring a membership vote. Hopefully, through this magazine which serves as the official publication of the Federation, my President’s letters, the Board meeting minutes that are published on our website, and my communications with many of you at shows, by phone, and through emails, we are fulfilling the purpose of the annual meeting to keep you aware of Federation activities. We will have a membership meeting at Houston 24. There are items requiring membership approval including bylaws updates/revisions, and the election of Board of Director members for the 2024-2026 term. Our bylaws revision proposal, including rationale for changes, will include updated guidelines regarding the use of on-line meetings and electronic communications, a streamlined board and duties of each position, and guidelines for the new initiatives that have been implemented since the last revision. You will receive this information well before the annual membership meeting. The list of nominated candidates is on page 6. All current board members, a truly dynamic group, have agreed to join me for another go ‘round. They also encourage anyone who would like to nominate themselves for one of the positions to put their hat in the ring. If we have multiple candidates for any position, we will have an election run-off for that position. Otherwise, a single vote will be cast for the entire slate. Covid-19 had a significant impact on the activities of the Federation. The FOHBC Member and Club Contests have not been held for several years...we just couldn’t get it off the back burner. We apologize to those who submitted entries in the various categories. We intend to make up for this with the announcement of the 2024 Awards winners at Houston 24. Please see page 57 for contest rules and note that we have changed the criteria to include previously submitted entries for consideration. Information on how to submit entries is also on our website where you can download the appropriate forms. At FOHBC.org, select FOHBC Club Contests under the Members heading. I’ll close with a reminder to make your hotel and table reservations for Houston 24 now! As of December 1, more than one-third of the rooms in our event block at Hotel ZaZa have been reserved. Check out the event promotional packet you received with the last issue of AB&GC and additional information on FOHBC.org. Though much of the work of the Board of Directors happens behind the scenes, we are always open to ideas and suggestions...and concerns. Please don’t hesitate to let one of us know your thoughts on how we’re doing. A strong Federation needs interested, involved members. We’re all just an email away. I hope 2024 brings you fun, adventure, and that special piece you’ve been searching for.
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Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine”
Tom Hicks was big on life and in the hobby, and friends, too. Written by Ralph Finch
One of the sad things about living long enough—I’m 83 and a half—is that you experience the passing of many wonderful people, people who did much for the hobby and the lives of all who knew them. Tom Hicks, of Eatonton, Georgia, died August 30, 2023, at the age of 84. Tom was truly one of the great ones, and I was blessed to have known him for perhaps 50 years. I have written about Tom and his full-of-joy wife, Mabel, many times over the years. I’ve also had many phone calls with Tom, enjoying that slow Georgian drawl of his, seeing his eyes sparkle even over the phone lines, and listening to his many stories, like... How the well-educated and well-traveled man felt believing he was the only liberal Democrat in his entire county, or his stories about Mabel, who always made him smile...and sometimes shake his head. (Tom’s stories would make you smile; Mabel’s stories would make you burst out with laughter.) I’ve had the pleasure of traveling with the Hicks duo many times to England as part of Jim Hagenbuch’s great trips to Europe. We all went over with large empty suitcases, hoping to fill them with new purchases, except Tom, who bought stuff as if he had taken over a small U-Haul truck. Or even a LARGE U-Haul truck. He was amazing, and his interests were as large as his heart. He bought oars and antique fishing poles, and I repeat—We flew over! (Tom always had to pay airlines for overweight and oversize charges.) Usually, on the last night at the hotel, as we all desperately packed to return to the States, Tom (or Mabel) would go from room to room asking if we had any extra bubble wrap or a little room in our own suitcases to take just one more thing back for Tom. Once, I think it was a large, heavy, pottery bed-warming bottle. I think he ended up giving it away. And Mabel, Tom’s wife for 48 years? A shy, religious Southern Baptist belle. Her favorite story was to be asked where she had first met Tom, and she would flash that big and wonderful smile and say, “At a motel”! (It is a long story and completely innocent.) My favorite—and I hope I can find the photo—was at an English Summer National Show put on by Alan Blakeman. It was often attended by Iain Gosling of Scotland, who always wore his tradi4
Mable and Tom Hicks
tional kilts. As usual, the topic came up: What do Scots wear under their “skirts,” and Mabel inquired. “Why don’t you go over behind him and take a peek,” I suggested. So Mabel walked over and ever-so-slightly lifted up the hem of Iain’s kilt. Mabel looked over to me, but I gestured “a little bit more.” She did, then looked over with that big smile of hers.
And it was on one of the many group trips to London when Tom and Mabel suggested we (me and my “date,” Janet) go over to St. Paul’s Cathedral to visit the Whispering Gallery (designed by Sir Christopher Wren, circa 1700). It was preplanned, and everyone knew what was going to happen except Janet. There, I sat down Janet on the very chair where I had sat alone on earlier trips to London and proposed to her. The event was witnessed by the group, including cure collectors John and Mary Wolff. (Mary had prepared by having included a supply of Kleenex for the teary-eyed attendees.) And another Mabel story from another London trip: For those overseas excursions, I was in charge of listing a dozen or two stage productions, and when selected, I’d call the box office for seats. So... There we were in the front row of what I had expected to be a G-rated show (it was when I had seen the movie version on TV), but not so in London’s West End. The curtain went up, the music started, and almost immediately, a naked man ran on stage waving what one loosely could be described as his private parts. And he was right in front of Mabel! And Mabel? Tom later said that at the Baptist church back home, Mabel giggled and described the show. Often. But, back to Tom: As is noted in any reference to Tom’s collecting, an attempt to list everything would fall far short of the truth. Tom had vast interests, and I probably feel safe to say Tom liked everything, from museum quality to whatever caught his roaming collecting eye. In 2013, Tom had a professionally printed top-quality book published called Hicks’ Home and Collections. Turning the pages, showing the rooms of the “add-on” part of his 1820s home, one felt like entering a quality museum of quality items...lots of items. Once, Tom bought a collection of early furniture and it arrived in a large semi-truck! Tom also had a heart as large as any semi-truck, and he will be missed by everyone who knew him and everyone who wished they had known him. PS: As of Sept. 12, Mabel said: “I’m doing well, considering...and Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine”
when Tom died, he was peaceful. At the funeral, everyone seemed to love him. Tom’s bottles are here in the house and they keep me comfortable.”
We are not responsible for Typographical Errors! Alice Seeliger, our ace magazine proofreader, asks if you have ever wondered why typographical errors creep into our FOHBC writing, no matter how diligent we are? Well...we have a specific demon to blame and his name is Titivillus, the “patron demon” of scribes. The first reference to Titivillus by name occurred in Tractatus de Penitentia, c. 1285, by Johannes Galensis (John of Wales). Attribution has also been given to Caesarius of Heisterbach. Titivillus has also been described as collecting idle chat that occurs during church service, and mispronounced, mumbled or skipped words of the service, to take to Hell to be counted against the offenders. Now we have someone to blame for any typos you may find in our purfect magazine! Titivillus, the “patron demon” of scribes
Collecting regrets? It’s not too late Then again, my friend, I’ll say it clear: For some of us, it is. Confessions, by Ralph Finch I’m no Frank Sinatra; in fact, I even refuse to sing in the shower, a place, I once read, makes everyone sound good. (It’s a lie.) Decades ago, I even stopped humming along in church, fearing that if there is a god, I might suddenly be struck dead by lightning. (It didn’t happen, so... A: there is no god or B: if so, indeed, she is very forgiving.) Does anyone know if Sinatra collected (other than women and money)? I collect a ton of stuff. The Finch Funhouse is bursting at the seams. (We often paraphrase that famous movie line, we’re “gonna need a bigger boat,” changing it to “We’re gonna need a bigger condo.”) But I’m sure that all of us, collectors or not, as the end is near, we can think back and... OK, after decades of collecting, seeing tens of thousands of items, and even having acquired a lot of it, is there something you’d like to change?
January – February 2024
I have many experiences and won’t confess to all of them in case the statute of limitations has not run out on some. But collecting regrets? I’ve had a few. Fifty-plus years of collecting, and I remember the regrets so well: There was a time when I was a novice, and I was at my first bottle show at the old armory in Jackson, Michigan, maybe 55 years ago. There were two matching, pontiled and embossed medicines for $400, more than I could imagine spending (then). I’ve never seen another like it since. If I ever do, at that price—or ten times more —I’d drop my cane and jump over the table to grab it.
And now, the end is near And so I face the final curtain My friends, I’ll say it clear I’ll state my case of which I’m certain I’ve lived a life that’s full I traveled each and every highway But more, much more than this I did it my way Regrets, I’ve had a few But then again, too few to mention I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption I planned each chartered course Each careful step along the byway But more, much more than this I did it my way Frank Sinatra
Then there was the time I was at the two-day weekend antiques market on London’s Bermondsey Street. You had to take a bus—across Tower Bridge—then walk a mile to get to it. One Friday I saw a porcelain image of a young child, and on the reverse an old piece of pasted paper revealing the child’s history. Back at my hotel room, I remained captivated by it; it truly was an image of the most beautiful child I had ever seen. But I don’t collect porcelain, images of children, whatever. Still, the next day, I took the bus and walked the mile, but...it had been sold.
And ketchup? I’m labeled (lampooned?) as the “Ketchup King.” In my collection of a ton of ketchup stuff, I have about 25 labeled/ embossed ketchup crocks and jugs, and I firmly state that if you spent an unlimited amount of time—and money—you’d have a hard time coming even close to matching mine. Yet, when I pass the shelves groaning under all those jugs, I groan and think...Why, oh why, didn’t I raise my bid one more time and get what would have become the best of all my ketchup jugs? Dear reader: If you ever stop by and look around, you’ll understand that I really liked a few things that I didn’t glom on to. Still regrets? I’ve had a few. And if I get another life to live, things will be different. And we will get a bigger condo. 5
FOHBC News From & For Our Members
FOHBC Elections FOHBC Bylaws: Article VIII – Terms and Elections A. The nomination and election of all Federation officers including President, Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, Membership Director, Public Relations Director, Conventions Director, Historian, Merchandising Director, Directors-at-Large (3), and Region Directors (4) shall be held every two years. Any officer may run for successive terms. B. For the purpose of nominations, the President shall appoint a three (3) to five (5) member Nominating Committee at the annual convention meeting the year prior to the election year. This committee shall prepare a slate of nominations for each office, listed in this Article, and these shall be published in the March/April issue of the official FOHBC periodical of the following year. Also, any member desiring to run for any office in the Federation may file a nomination form with the Election Committee (in accordance with procedures approved by the membership and instituted by the Election Committee) indicating the office they desire to run for. The deadline for filing this is April 1st of the year that the elections are held, unless otherwise stipulated and approved by the full membership of the Federation. C. For the purpose of elections, the President shall appoint a five (5) person Election Committee to oversee and conduct the elections, and these shall be conducted in the following manner: 1. A ballot shall be prepared by the Election Committee with the nominated slate of officers, including those received on a nomination form, and this ballot shall bear the Federation seal so that it may not be duplicated. These ballots shall then be disseminated to FOHBC members and affiliated clubs in good standing (dues current as of May 1st of that year). As outlined in Article III, each Individual Membership, Associate Membership, Digital Membership, new and existing Life Membership shall have one vote, (for example, for a husband, wife and two children, ages 16 and 18, possessing one Individual Membership and three Associate Memberships, that family shall be entitled to four votes). 2. Each Federation affiliated club shall be entitled to one vote per club, which is to be cast by a Federation representative of the club at the direction of that representative’s club. 3. These ballots shall then be returned to the Election Committee by a designated date and shall remain unopened until the annual convention meeting. The membership may, upon majority vote, make other arrangements for the return of the votes, if deemed necessary, at some future time. 4. The Election Committee shall open the ballots and tally them at a time stipulated at the convention. Any Federation member and/or candidate may view this process. Once the votes have been counted the Election Committee chairperson will then announce the results at the general membership meeting at a time designated by the presiding President, the results having been previously certified by the Election Committee as true and correct. The newly elected officers will take office at the conclusion of the annual convention at which they have been elected. 5. All nominees on the ballot shall be voted on by the entire membership and club representatives with the exception of the Region Directors, who shall be elected by a majority vote of only the members and clubs within their respective regions.
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6. The person receiving the most votes shall be elected to the position under consideration. There will be a run-off only in the event of tie votes, and this procedure, if occurring, shall be set by the Election Committee.
7. From time to time, it may be necessary to slightly alter the election procedure, and, if this is necessary, it may be done by a majority vote of the members in attendance at an annual general membership meeting. An amendment to these bylaws to do so shall not be required. 8. Appointments by the President may fill any position not filled by this process.
FOHBC Candidates
FOHBC Officers - Proposed Slate
The FOHBC Officers - Proposed Slate list to the right is the slate of FOHBC recommended candidates put forth by the nominating committee headed by Eric McGuire, chairperson, and Elizabeth Meyer for the 2024 2026 term.
President: Michael Seeliger, Brooklyn, Wisconsin (Midwest)
Anyone desiring to run for a position may choose to run, fill a vacant position or run against one of the candidates by submitting a nomination. Then, mail or email to Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, phone: 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com The closing date for nominations is April 1, 2024 at midnight. Additional nominations will be printed alongside the slate proposed by the nominating committee and will be listed in the May-June 2024 issue of our magazine along with a short biography of each candidate. FOHBC members will vote by a form provided by mail. The new board members will be announced after a vote count at the annual FOHBC Membership Breakfast Meeting at the FOHBC Houston 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition on Friday, August 2, 2024. The newly elected Board of Directors will begin serving their terms at the close of the Houston 24 Expo.
First Vice President: Position Open Second Vice President: Stephen Jackson, Suffolk, Virginia (Northeast) Secretary: Alice Seeliger, Brooklyn, Wisconsin (Midwest) Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, Houston, Texas (Southern) Membership Director: Position Open Treasurer: Kathie Craig, Campbell, California (Western) Director-at-Large: Ferdinand Meyer V, Houston, Texas (Southern) Director-at-Large: John O’Neill Belmont, California (Western) Director-at-Large: Richard Siri, Santa Rosa, California (Western) Midwest Director: Henry Hecker, Mukwonago, Wisconsin (Midwest) Northeast Director: Charlie Martin Jr., Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts (Northeast) Southern Director: Tom Lines, Auburn, Alabama (Southern) Western Director: Eric McGuire, Petaluma, California (Western) Conventions Director: Craig Cassetta, Chico, California (Western) Historian: Brian Bingham, Oceanside, California (Western) Merchandising Director: Position Open Public Relations Director: Position Open
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
FOHBC News From & For Our Members
Houston 24 Bottle Transport Questions Hi Ferdinand: I was planning on going to the Houston 24 Expo and was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to transport bottle(s) that I may buy at the show from Houston to San Jose airport. I don’t plan to take any down there, but is there a way that you would suggest to effectively handle the logistics in the transportation of glass? If I pack them in a carry-on bag, TSA will want to inspect the glass containers and that could be problematic if you understand that process. Perhaps you have had this experience before and know. As possibilities, I was thinking that I could pack them up and mail them from Houston, or ask the seller(s) to mail it to me. Or, I could pack them in the carry on and deal with the inspection process. Any thoughts?
world in New Hampshire? What Granite State community hosts one of the most modern commercial soft drink bottling operations in the United States? How and why were patent medicines morphed into fizzy soft drinks for refreshment? When was “lithia water” a thing and what role did New Hampshire play?
Leonard Schoenborn Cupertino, California [FM5] Leonard, this is an excellent question that I am very familiar with. I may even use it in the magazine, with your permission. Nothing below cabin or in luggage. If you carry on, which I do often, TSA checking your bag occurs under your supervision. I always make sure I have room to bring something back. Many times, it is oversize such as a stuffed bear on wheels or a large jug with handles most recently. If I can’t fit it on board the plane, I leave time to visit a pack-and-ship retail business. I think the best way to transport bottles is a suggestion from my friend Jerry Forbes who is also coming from the West Coast. He has this nice compartmentalized, structured, and supported box with a handle that he carries everywhere and on the plane. I am copying Jerry and asking him to photograph and send you his box pictures and add a few words. They are for sale I believe by Ken Edward. Hope this helps!
Granite Fizz: The Untold Story of Spring Water and Flavored Tonic in New Hampshire After nearly four years of research, I just published this book on the history of both commercial springs and bottled carbonated sodas (“tonic” to New Englanders) in my home state of New Hampshire—the “Granite State.” Since 1825, more than 30,000 U.S. soft drink bottlers have created and sold fizzy soft drinks to everyday consumers like you and me. Amazingly, those companies produced in excess of 16,000 different brands and drink names—most of which survive only as part of our collective memories and because of ardent researchers and collectors (like us!). The book was designed to be highly readable and filled with colored illustrations and fun facts. Some of the topics I tackle: Is the oldest, continually operating soft drink bottling plant in the January – February 2024
Interested members can order a copy through Amazon for $21.95. Check out http://granitefizz.com/ for more information. And speaking of fizzy drinks, if you enjoyed the article, “Boy, Have You Got Moxie!” in the November-December issue, you might enjoy reading more of the history of this crazy beverage. Merrill Lewis and I published Moxie through Arcadia Publishing in 2019. You can order a copy through Amazon but please consider purchasing one through the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage in Union, Maine (hometown of Moxie inventor Augustin Thompson). All proceeds from the sale of this book go toward supporting this wonderful independent museum and its Moxie collection. https://matthewsmuseum.org/moxie Dennis Sasseville Bedford, New Hampshire
Columbus Collective Museums FOHBC member, Allen Woodall, looking good on the cover of the Visit Columbus GA 2024 Visitors Guide. The seven museums, including the world-famous Lunch Box Museum, are home to local legends, fascinating facts, antique bottles and a one-of-a-kind collection of artifacts from historic Columbus, Georgia and the surrounding region. Make sure you make a visit if you are in that part of Georgia! 7
FOHBC Regional News Please visit FOHBC.org for expanded coverage.
The Greater Buffalo Bottle Collector’s Association held its 24th annual show and sale on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at the Polish Falcons Club in Depew, New York. Show chairman Tom Karapantso reports, “The show was well represented in all collecting categories such as stoneware, bitters, flasks, medicines, mineral waters, milks, insulators, Pan American Expo, art glass, postcards, photos, go-with advertising, small antiques and an informational table with flyers for other shows, issues of our club newsletters and FOHBC literature.” Tom said that the number of dealers was down from 45 last year to 36 this year. He suspects it was due to a Buffalo Bills home football game…go Bills!! Between paid admissions and free admittance attendance there was a very respectable one with 172 attendees.
#spiritschweppes between Great Britain, USA and Germany. Fresh on the table: the latest edition of AB&GC with the great virtual museum - Hans-Jürgen Krackher, Potsdam, Germany
Northeast Region [Charlie Martin, Jr., Director] First and foremost, let me wish all our readers a Happy New Year. May you, your family, and your friends enjoy good health, happiness, and peace throughout 2024. May you find the bottle of your dreams this year, as well! Now for an update on recently held antique bottle shows from the Northeast Region that closed out the 2023 season. Bruce Mitchell, show chair, provided the following report on their club’s 51st annual show and sale. “The outdoor tailgate bottle, glass and antiques event was held on the grounds of the Museum of Connecticut Glass (MOCG), the site of the historic Coventry Glass Works (1812-1852). The show was co-sponsored by the MOCG and the Southern Connecticut Antique Bottle and Glass Collectors Association (SCABGCA), a FOHBC affiliate club. Despite the weather forecast of heavy rain later in the morning, the rain or shine show continued with just light rain on and off throughout the day. Furthermore, despite the weather forecast, 25 of the 38 contracted dealers attended the outdoor show, many erected tents to protect their tables from rain, and many survived without tents. You could find an abundance of antique bottles, glass, stoneware, and sundry small antiques offered for sale. While the number of avid bottle and glass buyers attending the show was down from previous years, over a hundred-plus buyers braved the weather to attend the show. Dealers reported good sales, which is often the case with fewer dealers for buyers to buy from. Refreshments, including donuts, bagels, cream cheese, tea, and coffee, were available.” Bruce also reported that many attendees took the opportunity to tour the Museum Barn and the historic Turner House, which contained displays of early Connecticut glass. 8
Tom went on to say, “For the first time in many years, we had to work at filling some veteran dealer tables. As is typical of many organizations, we are aging out with dealers in their 80s and early 90s who no longer can participate in the show.” He said that club members stepped up and took additional tables and noted that some dealers who skipped this year plan to return for the show in 2024. For Tom, an enjoyable part of the show is the many repeat customers that attend the show year after year. The energy and excitement of the buyers and many conversations going on simultaneously energized the hall. The club’s hospitality tradition is that dealers are provided with free donuts and coffee during setup and free sheet pizza, wings, and beverages for lunch. Many happy customers were observed leaving with their purchases. Dealers reported that they did well. Next year’s show will mark the quarter-century milestone for this club. Congratulations to all! The Yankee Antique Bottle Club held its 54th Keene Show and Sale on October 8, 2023, at Keene High School. For many, this fall event has been the marque show and sale for the New England region for over five decades! If you’ve never attended this fall spectacle—do yourself a favor and include it on your “bucket list” of bottle shows to attend. I spoke with several dealers in depth about the revised format adopted several years back. Most agree that it works quite well and that customers have ample room to move through the aisles without fear of bumping into each other or, heaven forbid, a dealer’s table of goodies. This year, I received an email from Yankee Bottle Club president Stephen Seraichick, who commented, “Last year, 2022, we were back in business with our fingers crossed. Our faithful dealers, thank you guys and gals, were chomping at the bit to return to some kind of normal, as were the buyers and folks interested in what the fuss is all about regarding antique bottles. This year, 2023, was a vast improvement over 2022. Our show was almost maxed out with dealers, and attendance improved greatly. Although our active membership is small, every member gave 110% effort, netting us the results we had hoped for. I witnessed a lot of smiling faces from dealers and attendees.” Rumor had it that one buyer was shopping for colored pontil medicines, and to hear Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
dealers chatter that, the buyer left with several fine examples and a lighter wallet by about $35,000. The Mid-Maine Antique Bottle Club held its Third Annual Antique Bottle Show and Sale. Show chair and club president Paul McClure submitted the following report and review of the day’s activities. “Dealer tables were sold out again, and a couple of dealers set up outdoors. A very good crowd came through the door, with nearly 30 early buyers and 200 general admissions. This year was special because of several things. We dedicated the show to Jack Pelletier, ‘The Bininger Man.’ I can’t even begin to list all his contributions to our hobby over his lifetime. He is a dear friend of our club, and we were thrilled to recognize him with a small gift and lots of applause. The Moxie folks from the Matthew’s Museum of Maine Heritage in Union, Maine came as our guests. We gave them two tables up front to help promote the museum and sales of all things Moxie. They were blown away by the show, and our collaboration with them will surely continue. Two very generous donations from a club member resulted in our first club t-shirts, which were proudly worn by attending members. Also, twenty new road signs were donated, which helped with our exposure and door count. Our raffle was a choice of $100 or a Washington/Taylor quart flask. The winner chose the cash. Our amazing educational displays were Maine paper-labeled sodas and related items and small-town (less than 1,000) population. Maine medicine bottles. Many thanks to everyone who helped put this very fun and successful show together. We will see you again next year, same place and time!” Ann Hansen, show promoter for The Forks of the Delaware Bottle Collectors, reported on their 49th annual show and sale held on October 21 at Macungie Park Hall in Macungie, Pennsylvania. Now in its third year at its new location, the show had 60 dealers covering 93 tables across two floors. Twenty-one early buyers enjoyed early admission, with nearly 180 in attendance overall. Sales were brisk at the opening, and strong dealer-to-dealer sales were noted. Happy patrons left with full bags, according to Ann. By the time you read this article, the holiday season will be nearing an end. I did not want to let the year pass without personally thanking our magazine contributors. Without your hard work and effort, our wonderful hobby would not be as exciting, successful, and welcoming as it is. You make a difference that empowers us as collectors to do better and be better through the dedication and tireless work you provide for your fellow club members and the bottle-collecting community at large. Thank you one and all! Until next time, good bottle hunting! January – February 2024
Western Region [Eric McGuire., Director] It has been a busy time of the year for me but I did manage to attend the ‘49er Historical Bottle Association Bottle & Collectibles Show in Auburn, California. Consistently one of the best shows in the western region, it did not disappoint. It has been a long while since I witnessed clogged aisles when a number of dealers put out their wares. While it is true that nearly all of the bottles for sale were not fresh from the ground, several old collections were offered. I must offer my appreciation to the show organizers for their excellent work. Even though the venue is the same as in recent years, the club is always faced with new rules and regulations that create constant challenges. After the show, Dan Bell, one of the primary organizers, contacted me, and I am sure a number of others, asking for feedback on the show. They are always pro-active in attempting to make the event as good as possible. Thanks for your hard work guys.
Midwest Region [Henry Hecker, Director] Digging season draws to a close in the Midwest. We have already had two snowfalls in Wisconsin, and the ground will soon be too hard to punch through. However, a recent report in Ohio Swirl chronicles a dig by Dave Grove and Cole Wenger that produced a circa 1920 snapping turtle skull and some false teeth. (I do not think they belong together, but the turtle certainly was dentally challenged.) At an estate sale, a Wisconsin collector found a box of bottles that included an olive green “Goodwin & Fogerty Turkish Wine,” a nice “Carters Spanish Mixture” and several other pontiled medicines. The family decided to sell the bottles at their sale after being offered $10 for the whole box at a local antique mall. As the story goes, a deceased relative had collected decades ago, and the family had no idea of its value. This is just another example where documenting your collection is essential, as well as having a plan to leave for your loved ones when you can’t take the bottles with you. The Midwest Region is still hoping to host the 2025 FOHBC National Antique Bottle & Glass Convention. Our beautiful facility, the virtually brand-new Brookfield, Wisconsin Conference Center, has plenty of exhibit space, tables, a large seminar room, and excellent banquet facilities. Milwaukee has plenty of side attractions related to our hobby, with great local collections, brewery tours, and several museums. But as of yet, we still need a show chairman and volunteers to do the various organizing and “grunt work” to put the bottle show and sale component together. The Milwaukee Club does not have enough “person power” to take on the local work alone. There is a possibility that we can collaborate with NABA (National Association of Breweriana Advertising), and those connections need to be explored.
Southern Region [Tom Lines, Director] No report this issue.
Please visit FOHBC.org for expanded coverage. 9
Virtual Museum News By Richard T. Siri, Santa Rosa, California
The FOHBC Virtual Museum has been established to display, inform, educate, and enhance the enjoyment of historical bottle and glass collecting by providing an online virtual museum experience for significant historical bottles and other items related to early glass.
Phase 4 A few new additions! $30k Phase 1 Flask Filled Dec. 2018
$25k
$20k
Please help us fill our Phase 4 Wishart’s Pine Tree Tar Cordial bottle.
$15k
Donations to the Museum are always needed to ensure we continue. We are a 501(c)(3) educational club, so your donation is tax deductible.
Phase 2 Jar Filled Dec. 2021
$10k
$5k
Phase 3 Barrel Filled Dec. 2022
Please help us in our Phase 4 fundraising capital campaign to continue development of the FOHBC Virtual Museum. The FOHBC and the Virtual Museum team thank our many donors who have helped us raise over $101,273 to date. We have $22,127 in available funds to continue development to build our galleries, exhibition hall, research library and gift shop. Donations are tax deductible. All donors are listed on our Virtual Museum Recognition Wall.
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With one salaried website technician averaging $1,200 a month, we need help. We are continuely traveling to collections, so more costs are incurred. All other time is donated by the Virtual Museum team out of our love and passion for the hobby and the FOHBC. Thank you!
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FOHBCV ir t ualMuseum .org For gift information contact: Alan DeMaison, FOHBC Virtual Museum Treasurer, 1605 Clipper Cove, Painesville, Ohio 44077, a.demaison@sbcglobal.net
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Please attend the FOHBC Online Webinar Series Every Month Schedule posted on FOHBC.org, Facebook and sent to members via email newsletter. FOHBC | Online Webinar #8 Michael Seeliger & Stephen Jackson
FOREIGN BOTTLES IN AMERICA Zoom Seminar #2 Tues. 13 June 2023 7 pm Central Many collectors are unaware that an unknown but substantial number of our bottles were produced beyond our shores. Several examples have come to light challenging the conventional wisdom that our bottles, both early and late, were produced in this country. The earliest printed sources go back to 1975 when Margaret Ellison wrote an article in Archaeologia Aeliana, the Journal of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle (England).
Eric McGuire RSVP to get a Zoom invitation at
FOHBCseminars@gmail.com
Webinar #2: Foreign Bottles in America
Webinar #3: Warner’s Patent Medicine Empire
Webinar #5: Collecting ACL Sodas The artwork of H.H. Warner & Co FOHBC | Online Webinar #8 as shown through his advertising Michael Seeliger & Stephen Jackson Tues. 12 Dec. 2023 7 pm Central
By Ephemera Collectors
John Kemler & Joe Gourd
FOHBC
Tuesday
CLASSIC & ZANY
7 pm Central
Zoom Webinar #7 Trade Cards
14 November 2023 Moderated by
Michael Seeliger
RSVP to get an invitation at FOHBCseminars@gmail.com
Webinar #6: Three State Digging
Webinar #7: Classic & Zany Trade Cards
A discussion and display of the artistry of Victorian advertising that Warner employed during his medicine empire. Whimsical, satiric,and sometimes provocative methods to get home his desire to have customers require his medicines. Warner produced several almanacs each year and had over 70 different advertising posters.
RSVP to get a Zoom invitation at FOHBCseminars@gmail.com
Webinar #8: H. H. Warner Advertising
The FOHBC is conducting monthly 1-hour online Zoom webinars with presentations and imagery on a broad range of topics relating to antique bottle and glass collecting. Join us for an exciting series by leading authorities in their fields discussing antique bottle and glass collecting, history, digging and finding, ephemera, photography and displaying, and so much more. Webinars occur on Tuesday evenings during the first, second or third week of each month at 7:00 pm Central. Time will be left for questions and answers. FOHBC president Michael Seeliger moderates all webinars, which are recorded and available in the FOHBC Members Portal within a week after the event. Webinars are FREE for FOHBC Members and *$15 for non-members. *For a short time only, all webinars are free to all! Webinar #4: Show & Tell
When you RSVP at FOHBCseminars@gmail.com you will receive a Zoom email invitation with a link for each event. Simply join us at the noted time, sit back, relax, and enjoy. Attend via desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone if you prefer. Attend them all or a la carte.
RSVP to get an invitation: FOHBCseminars@gmail.com January – February 2024
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Reprinted from The Highlight by Vox, September 2023 issue, Brian Resnick
There’s a myth about glass you might have read
about in high school: If you go to a church that’s hundreds of years old and look at the glass windows, you’ll find that the panes are thicker at the bottom of the frame than at the top. That’s because, according to lore, glass is actually a liquid, just one that flows very slowly. This is a myth for a lot of reasons. The simplest is that the thickness of glass at the base of the windows can be explained simply by how glass panes were manufactured in the olden days. Back then, flat windows were made by spinning a glass form into a flat disc, which left the finished product with uneven thickness. But also, as a scientific explanation, the myth does not do glass justice. Glass is so much weirder than a very slow-moving liquid. In fact, even though glass is one of the most common, most useful materials in the world—lining our windows, covering our phones, delicately holding our stems of roses—scientists still have deep questions about what it fundamentally is. “It defies the very simple categories we have of liquid, solid, and gas,” says Camille Scalliet, a theoretical physicist at the University of Cambridge. She’s not the only scientist flummoxed by glass. All over the world, physicists, chemists, and other specialists are trying to unlock its secrets. It’s true that glass does have some liquid-like properties. But remarkably, rather than flow, glass doesn’t move very much at all. In 2017, scientists analyzed the church glass myth in a paper, determining that, over a billion years, church windowpanes would flow a single nanometer. (That is one-billionth of a meter; it’s infinitesimally tiny. A piece of paper is around 100,000 nanometers thick.)
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Three mind-bendy conversations about glass later, And this finding gets us closer to the deepest mystery of glass. The question scientists grapple with isn’t “why does it flow.” Instead, “we don’t really know why it’s solid,” Scalliet says. The quest comes with some deep prizes. One prize would just be a better definition of one of the most common materials in the world. A complete understanding of glass would be satisfyingly sublime: It would teach us about how this material changes over billions of years and tell us about its final form. We could learn whether certain forms of it could be considered a new state of matter. Contemplating glass also forces us to consider the limitations of perceiving time on the scale of a meek human life span. There are less heady prizes, too. If we understood glass better, “you can really start creating materials that don’t exist yet,” Scalliet says. Glasses that are stronger or bendier, or have properties we can’t yet imagine. “But at the moment, we don’t really have this knowledge.” To explain the weirdness of glass, it’s helpful to think about what typically differentiates between liquids and solids. Solids and liquids are both made up of atoms and molecules. Temperature changes how these components are arranged. Cooler temperatures solidify molecules; warmer temperatures make them juicy. The important differences are seen on the microscopic scale of molecules. In liquids, the molecules are very disordered; they move around each other and flow. “If you could zoom in and see individual molecules, they would be packed randomly and they would be moving around very fast,” Scalliet says. I think of a liquid like a crowd of people dancing at a club. They’re energetic, packed in, vibing. They can move around each other, bump and grind, dancing to the music. If you took a snapshot of the dancers, it would look like a chaotic, jumbled mess. That’s a liquid. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
I see the sublime in my windowpanes.
There’s a myth about glass you might have read about in high school: If you go to a church that’s hundreds of years old and look at the glass windows, you’ll find that the panes are thicker at the bottom of the frame than at the top. That’s because, according to lore, glass is actually a liquid, just one that flows very slowly. Solids are much more tame. As we typically think of them, they are made up of crystals, which are structured, orderly patterns of molecules. When the temperature cools down, the atoms and molecules line up in a regular geometric pattern. In the dance club metaphor, instead of undulating past each other, these ravers stop dancing and sit down in concert seats. They can still squirm a bit in those seats (as long as the thermostat in the theater isn’t set to absolute zero), but they’re mostly locked in place.
whole dance floor seizes up. You’re locked in place, and not in an orderly geometric pattern. It’s a mess. It’s glass. And you’re not going to make it to the bathroom in time (again, it might take some billions of years to move just nanometers). This is the basic definition of a glass: a liquid that has been locked in place. Or, in science-speak, an “amorphous solid.” And it applies to a lot of materials, not just the silica-based glasses that hang in our windows or cover our phones. “When you think of glass, you think of a glass that you drink water from, or window glass,” Weitz says. “But to me, it’s so much richer. There’s so many materials that behave glassy-like.” Some plastics are considered glasses, as are natural materials like amber. And some parts of your cells are considered to be glass-like. Even foams like whipped cream can be described as glass-like, Weitz says. Finding out the underlying mechanics that connect all these forms of glass, that’s “the real challenge to me, the beauty of the whole science.” The club scenario is the start of the explanation for why glass is solid, but for scientists, it’s incomplete. The problem lies in the end result. If you take a picture of the molecular structure of a glass and the molecular structure of a liquid, they look the same. So why does one flow and another is locked in place?
So those are liquids and crystalline solids: simple and easily distinguished from one another. Glass is neither of those things— while still retaining some properties of each.
“There are currently different ways to explain this, why the glass is not moving,” Scalliet says. But no theory is universally agreed upon.
The simplest explanation for how glass forms is that it’s a liquid that cools too quickly for those crystals to form. So the molecules get locked in place in a chaotic liquid-like arrangement.
The various explanations involve some very math-heavy invocations of thermodynamics. But in short, scientists are in search of a deeper order to this system that we can’t see just in a snapshot— something to explain glass’s solidness like you could explain the solidness of table salt by pointing to its crystal structure. The secret is likely in the collective action of the molecules over time, and how they influence one another as the liquid seizes up.
Imagine you’re in the crowded dance space, and you decide you need to use the bathroom. But when you try to get there, a lot of the dancers decide to stop moving. When that happens, it becomes harder and harder for you to navigate across the dance floor. “If you’re with your partner and you want to just trade places, you can’t do it because you’re so jammed, you need to get other people to move,” David Weitz, a Harvard physicist, says. And when you can’t move, it makes it harder for other people to move around you. So gradually, and then very suddenly, the January – February 2024
But it’s just such a complicated system to unravel. “It’s sort of a massively collective phenomenon where you look at a huge number of atoms and molecules,” Weitz says. “A lot of the theory of glass is trying to understand how [the molecules] collect together.”
[continued...]
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In practical terms, it matters that scientists don’t have a complete theory of glass. For one, it means they simply don’t understand glass as well as they do crystalline solids. With a crystalline solid, you can predict many of the properties of the solid just by looking at its simple crystal structure. Just by knowing the arrangement of the molecules in the crystalline solid, “you can understand, for example, how the solid will absorb heat,” Scalliet says, or “where it will break.” But in the case of glass, “you have basically an infinite number of arrangements. You don’t have this well-known underlying structure.” That means it’s hard to predict the properties of glass. We learn how glass breaks by breaking it and how it holds on to heat by heating it. That leaves the manufacturing of new types of glass to be a bit of trial and error. But the lack of a complete theory also leaves scientists with some fundamental—even existential— questions about what glass truly is. For one, it’s hard to say exactly when a liquid stops being a liquid and starts being a glass. “There’s no clear boundary,” Scalliet says. “At this moment, we basically have a very anthropocentric way to separate what’s a liquid and what’s a glass.” That’s because glass will still flow a tiny bit over millions and billions of years. If we lived for that long and experienced the passage of time more quickly, we might not think glass is very mysterious at all. We might think it was a liquid. It could also be that, also over an immense period, glass will eventually crystallize and become a typical solid. In this light, glass is just liquid “that’s sliding on its way to being a crystal,” Mark Ediger, a chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison, says. But there’s another exciting possibility here: that instead of crystallization, over very long periods, glass can inch closer to the state of “perfect disorder,” as Ediger describes. “Let’s suppose that you have boxes,” he says, “many different boxes of different sizes and shapes, and you’re trying to pack them all into the back of a U-Haul.” If you manage to squeeze all the boxes in the back of the U-Haul, with no possible room for any others, and there’s only one possible configuration of the boxes that will allow you to do this, that’s perfect disorder. A glass that has achieved perfect disorder would be called an “ideal” glass, Ediger says. “It’s not ideal in the sense that it has the best composition to be on the front of your cellphone,” he says. “It’s ideal in the sense it has the best possible packing of those constituent entities without crystallizing. If you wanted to make it any tighter, you’d have to start having crystals.” The problem is that no one is sure if ideal glass can actually exist, let alone create it or use the material. Though it would be an exciting discovery, as Ediger says, the material would arguably represent an entirely new phase of matter. Ediger has done some experiments trying to make a glass as ideal as possible, packing molecules into a material one at a time. The problem is that “the closer you get to the ideal glass, the longer everything takes,” he says. “In terms of packing the U-Haul, we have one box left and it doesn’t quite fit.” 14
That’s because glass will still flow a tiny bit over millions and billions of years. If we lived for that long and experienced the passage of time more quickly, we might not think glass is very mysterious at all. We might think it was a liquid. There are also studies of 100-million-plus-year-old pieces of amber to see if the material has evolved into a more “ideal” state over its long time on Earth. But the question remains unanswered. If ideal glass exists, it could help scientists understand the more common kinds of glass better. The solidness of less-than-ideal glass could be explained, in part, by how close it is to being perfectly disordered. (That’s because the closer a glass is to the ideal state, the less it’s able to reconfigure itself, and the longer it takes to reconfigure itself. And a system that takes a long time to move is “stiff,” as Ediger says—a.k.a. solid.) The search for ideal glass is mostly an academic quest that flirts with sublime ideas; the researchers I talked to seemed to love the jigsaw puzzle nature of the problem. But discovering it could also lead to better predicting the properties of glass, and help with engineering new ones. “If you can identify what this ideal packaging [of molecules] looks like, that’s really telling you what the ultimate properties of glasses are,” Ediger says. “Now, if you don’t make it that well, then you’re not going to get those properties, but at least it tells you what you’re shooting for.” Any deeper insight into the nature of glass might help scientists engineer better ones. “If you understand how physical properties emerge from a given [disordered] structure, then you can start making new materials,” Scalliet says. Like smartphone screens that are bendy, or less likely to break. Or making glass that can trap nuclear waste for longer and longer periods. The future might be built on more advanced glasses. But for now, we can just appreciate glass for what it is: intensely useful, flowy like a dance floor but rigid like a gem. And deeply, beautifully unknown. “Look at this window,” Scalliet says. “Like, there is this thing, It’s everywhere. And we don’t understand why it exists.”
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
$180 May 2012 American Glass Gallery #8 $1,000 June 2021 Glass Works Auctions #167 Lot 141: June 2021 · Glass Works Auctions “ST / DRAKE’S / 1860 / PLANTATION / X / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1862”, (Ring/Ham, D-108), New York, ca. 1862 - 1875, black olive amber color 6-log cabin, 10”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth. Perfect condition, extremely bold impression, no wear or scratches. A very rare color and as dark as any we’ve sold! Also four heavy ‘beads’ are embossed on the base, something we have not seen in any other Drake’s! Dan Catherino Collection.
“ST / DRAKE’S / 1860 / PLANTATION / X / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1862”, (Ring/ Ham, D-105), New York, ca. 1862 - 1875, medium salmon pinkish puce 6-log cabin, 10”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth. A 1/2” in diameter in-making chip extends from beneath the applied collar down into the neck. Pure puce color that looks great in any lightning.
$2,400 November 2020 American Glass Gallery #121 Lot 185: ““S T / DRAKE’S / 1860 / PLANTATION / X / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1862”, 1862 - 1880. Medium-to-deep pinkish raspberry, cabin form with 6 logs above the label panel, applied sloping collar - smooth base, ht. 9 7/8”, near mint; (just the slightest trace of minor wear, and the embossing is a little weak in the upper shoulders as is not uncommon with this mold, otherwise perfect). R/H #D106. A gorgeous, rare, eye-appealing color that passes plenty of light, and having plenty of pink!
$15,690 September 2020 Glass Works Auctions #121 251: “General Washington” And Bust – “E Pluribus Unum / T.W.D.” And Eagle Portrait Flask, Kensington Glass Works, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 1820-1830. “Firecracker” Medium amber with a strong olive tone, sheared mouth – pontil scar, pint; (light exterior high point wear). GI-14. Tremont Labeth collection.
$14,000 September 2020 Glass Works Auctions Lot 172: “ST / DRAKE’S / 1860 / PLANTATION / X / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1862”, (Ring/Ham, D-105), New York, ca. 1862 - 1875, medium moss green cabin, 9 7/8”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth. Recently ‘picked’ at the ‘Elephant Trunk’ flea market in Connecticut (a favored venue of the ‘Flea Market Flip’ reality television show), and possibly only the second known example in this very unusual moss green color. In 1993 we auctioned the collection of Elmer Smith of Shelton, Washington. Lot 20 in that collection was at that time the only moss green Drake’s Plantation Bitters known to exist, it sold for $10,000!
Drake’s Plantation Bitters
Available to FOHBC Members Only! Online Auction Price Report. Search on your smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. Includes 10 years of results from American Bottle Auctions, American Glass Gallery, Glass Works Auctions and Heckler in Phase 1. The Auction Price Report will only be available to FOHBC members. Joining the FOHBC will give the new member 24/7/365 access. What a great tool this will be for the collectors, diggers, pickers, researchers and the generally curious! Phase 2 will include images! Visit the FOHBC.org Members Portal for instructions. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Bogardus Molds... I still have questions unanswered. Ralph Finch looks back on target balls (with a few hits and a few misses) I suppose that almost any glass company could have made them. Any glass company could order a common, plain, three-piece mold for a 2-7/8ths inches diameter ball; apparently, many did. But since glass target balls were ordered by the barrel—often 300-plus in a barrel—and made to be destroyed, most ball makers remain anonymous. Why go to the expense of making elaborate molds? (Note that a few did; the super-rare ball embossed with a finely detailed pigeon is a prime example.) But there are exceptions; a few balls gave some information, but not the maker. Ira Paine was a major sharpshooter and had (literally) a ton of glass balls made; all embossed with his name but not a maker’s name. The glass company occasionally took care of that in advertising but not on the ball itself. Paine noted that his orbs are “the only substitute ever invented for a living bird”. An advertisement from New York City’s Bohemian Glass Works touted that it was “having made a specialty of the manufacture of glass balls” noted that 103,250 Bogardus balls had been shipped “in one week in April 1879.” But Bogardus balls were also made in England and Germany; are these separate from the 103,250? The Bohemian firm also boasted that 80,000 of its balls had just been shipped to London—again, part of the 103,250? Also, over the pond, British gunmaker W&C Scott and Son ordered 10,000 balls...yet no balls are embossed “Bohemian.” Some balls tell you everything—except the maker, such as the “Great Western Johnston” ball [A]. It is embossed “From J. H. Johnston Great Western Gun Works 169 Smithfield Street Pittsburgh, Pa.” Embossed on the back, in six lines, is: “Rifles Shotguns Revolvers Ammunitions Fishing Tackle Choke Boring Repairing* & c. Write For A Price List.” Variations of this ball have been sold. A deep-purple example was first sold in the Kerr auction for $19,040 (in 2007). The ball is also found in regular amber, deep root beer, and a great yellow amber. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a run of these on your shelf? A one-known-only aquamarine “Louisville Ball” is embossed “Manufactured by Kentucky Glassworks Company Joseph Griffith & Sons Sole Agents Also Dealers in Guns Pistols & Fishing Tackle Louisville Kentucky.” [B] Other U.S.-named glassworks? “Agnew & Brown / Corner of 27th & Smallman Sts. Pittsburgh Pa.” (One example, called “The Pigeon Ball,” finally sold for $29,120.) [C] “E.E. Sage & Co. / Glass Manufacturers / Chicago Illinois / Patented August 21st / 1877.” [D] FYI: Why do people collect? One friend started with target balls when he found a Sage and noted that the date was his birthdate. (The month, not the year.) The amber “C. Newman” ball is assumed to have been made by the San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works since Carlton Newman
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was the firm’s proprietor. [E] Also, there are Great Britain balls embossed “N. B. Glass Works Perth,” [F] “W. W. Greeners St Marys Works Birmm.” [G] “Stacey & Co.,” [H] and “Robinson, Birmm.” [I] A Dutch ball is marked “Boers & Cp. Delft Flesschenfabrick.” [J] In Germany, “Bogardus Glass Balls Stolberger Glashutten.” [K] FYI: Birmm is the abbreviation for Birmingham, then the gun-making capital of England. (The above ball list is almost complete, but...I don’t want readers to fall asleep.) Also, there is other minutia I could bring up. I’m a serious—but former target ball collector, and even I’m a bit tired by this, so... Let’s take a shot at the Bogardus ball. Here, we will take aim at what is perhaps the most well-known ball: “The Bogardus.” In fact, in England, the Brits will often refer to any glass target ball as a “Bogardus ball.” And 99.9 percent of the balls are embossed “Bogardus’ Glass Ball Pat’d Aprl 10 1877.” [L] (Variations will be noted below.) Since there were a (literally) ton of Bogardus balls, there had to be MANY molds. Yet, I’ve never heard of one turning up. (Were they melted down in the metal drives of the Great War {1914-18} since the ball-shooting era was pretty much long gone by then?) Now, here’s the point of this: Once, during the period that I dedicated way too much time researching target balls, my listing of variations of the embossings uncovered: The three-part Bogardus balls had mold lines that separated words at different points; some balls showed different uses of the apostrophe and different ways to abbreviate the word “April.” I think I counted 45 different molds, and don’t you dare call for a recount of the @$#& things. (Plus, there were Bogardus balls embossed with large letters: A, B, C and D.) And to add to that number, a score of Bogardus balls (bad pun intended) were made in England as I assume it was cheaper to send a mold over to England than send many thousands of balls. OR, the molds were also made in England. (We attribute to England the balls that, in one of the diamonds of the pattern, a very small number or letter is found.) Also, Bogardus balls made in Germany (again, an assumption) add to the total mold number. And regarding target ball molds in general? What about ball molds from Australia, Canada, France, Norway, and Sweden? With its almost worldwide use, I have never heard of anyone having a Bogardus ball mold or even seen one! My head is spinning like a poorly launched target ball. Talking about molds...Could anyone update an article on molds for flasks, etc.? Any comments? Or complaints? Or a target ball mold? Write ralphfinch@gmail.com
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The Fleischmann Co. Orange Bitters By Michael Seeliger
For several years I have picked up these unusual and decorative “canteen” pottery jugs. I believe they were produced by the prominent firm The Fleischmann Co. out of New York, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and San Francisco.
Examples of some of The Fleischmann Co. unusual “canteen” pottery jugs.
Knowing the firm’s popularity, I assumed these were produced to contain one of their many popular spirits. After viewing an example with a label in John Feldmann’s Bitters collection, I realized they may all have contained Orange Bitters. Since the labeled one has a FDA endorsement, this product was advertised and sold after 1906, when Fleischmann Company was in the patent medicine business, capitalizing on flavored liquors for the medicinal trade.
Most of us are probably familiar with Fleischmann’s Yeast “with the Yellow Label,” which has been successful since 1868 alongside Fleischmann’s thriving distilling operation. Example of a paper label of The Fleischmann Co. Orange Bitters New York City. The Fleischmann Distillers, New York, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburg, Buffalo, San Francisco. Guaranteed By The Fleischmann Co. Under The Food And Drugs Act June 30th 1906. 600–606 West 34th Street.
Charles Fleischmann was born in Budapest in 1834. With his younger brother, Maximillian, born in 1846, they came together, settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and built a distillery with James Graff at Riverside, Ohio, just west of Cincinnati. They began making gin and branched out into bourbon in 1870. The yeast became most well-known, and in 1883, at Louisville Southern Exposition, they built an exhibit. This exhibition ran for The Fleischmann Co. jugs can be found in approximately one-gallon, quart and pint sizes. All with a deep blue glaze.
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four years and provided tremendous exposure to their yeast. Doing so well financially, they opened an office in New York City in 1892 and introduced “Royalty,” a London dry gin. Maximillian died in 1890 and Charles in 1897. The company continued to grow, and in 1900, they introduced “Congress Hall Rye.” The following year, a distillery was built in Peekskill, New York, to make the rye whiskey.
Fleischmann’s Mixers Manual. The Fleischmann Co. produced quite a lot of marketing ephemera including pamphlets of recipes to promote various Fleischmann products such as various American whiskeys, gin and vodka and Black & White blended Scotch.
Fleischmann’s Yeast with the Yellow Label advertising trade card. Fleischmann Co. Compressed Yeast product.
the jug is on the left and sometimes on the right side of the jug. The picture label that appears at the beginning of this article was reproduced from the original John Feldmann jug label. I could not determine whether they produced the clay jugs before the Orange Bitters and used these vessels due to leftover stock or if they were made specifically for the Bitters. Prohibition shut down the distilling business, and the yeast allowed them to survive until Prohibition was repealed. They reopened the Peekskill, New York distillery, and started making gin. In 1938, they signed on as distributors of “Black & White Scotch.” In 1940, they purchased the Davieness County Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky and began making straight Bourbon and Rye whiskies. Fleischmann’s Vodka was added in 1956. In 1962, they began production of the Vodka in Clinton, Iowa. In 1908, the company released an “Eastern Rye” made again from 100% rye grain. In 1910, they expanded to include a line of cordials to accompany their distilled spirits. Possibly, this is when the “Orange Bitters” was produced. Why the fired clay jugs? They had to be expensive to produce compared to glass bottles. The jugs can be found in approximately one-gallon, quart and pint sizes. All with a deep blue glaze. Sometimes, the handle on January – February 2024
Fleischmann’s Distilling Corporation continues today, purchased in 2009 by Sazerac, the present owners of Fleischmann’s trademarks. Resources: Fleischmann’s Yeast website. Bourbonveachdotcom, Bourbon History Bitters collection of John Feldmann 21
Demijohn Weights We just visited the Sandwich Glass Museum. I read somewhere that during the age of large-scale glassblowing, the glassblowers with the biggest lungs were most valued because they could provide the lung power to blow the largest of Demijohns. In general, men were much smaller in those days, so it seemed a very plausible story.
By BRIAN BINGHAM
However, after a visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum and witnessing again the art of free-blown glass, I have come to consider that muscle power, not lung power, was the main requirement.
I read somewhere that during the age of large-scale glassblowing, the glassblowers with the biggest lungs were most valued... Halloween is approaching, so today, we are making a blue free-blown pumpkin. The first thing that struck me was just how small and easy the first puff on the blowpipe was to produce a decent-sized bubble in the hot glass. He explains, “As his breath hits the hot glass, it expands up to 10 times”. All the while, he is swinging the blowpipe back and forth to center the hot glass on the end and then spinning it to keep it from dripping off the end of the blowpipe. Then, into the first mold, which will give the pumpkin its ridges. He then sits at his bench, all the while spinning the blowpipe. After some manipulation with his tools and a dip in the blue coloring, the pumpkin goes back into the furnace. With the blue coloring now properly applied and melted into the piece, he gives it another puff of air (left), and we watch it expand to about a quart-size pumpkin.
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A Strong Stout Individual Need Apply
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The remaining glass was re-fired, dipped into a smaller ridged mold, colored green, and made the top of the pumpkin. Note our vivid blue pumpkin. The top, when it cools, will turn green. In this picture, you can also see the colored blue and green ground glass colors he used sitting on a massive glass press. Our piece immediately went into the annealing oven, so shown here is a finished piece that was available for sale. Note it is roughly a quart size, and it took very little air to blow into this size. So, ok, what’s my point? I witnessed a lot of swinging and spinning of hot glass, and I wondered how heavy Demijohns are. Are big lungs the only requirement? I have a few Demijohns, so I took it upon myself to do a little research and this is what I found. In these examples, I find (from left to right) the following sizes and weights:
Now, add the size of the blowpipe and the bigger and heavier it gets. Can you imagine swinging and spinning 8 or 10 pounds of hot glass on the end of a rod all day? Even if all they have to do is get it into a mold and blow. That’s heavy work compared to blowing a 1-pound 6-ounce whiskey cylinder. Another thing that should be considered is the mold handler’s job. Having seen a few small molds up close personally, the workers handling those huge cast iron molds must have been strong and stout as well. A strong, stout individual need apply.
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Horse Collar Pad By PETER MAAS
One of the more unusual privy digging
finds recently was this teal blue pressed glass object. It is embossed “COLLAR PAD NO. 3 PATD JAN. 31, 1888”. It is broken into two pieces and is missing a corner, but it is still an interesting and attractive piece of old glass. We assumed it was part of a neck brace for a human, but a review of the patent proved otherwise. The patent description explains who made it, its purpose, and why it was made of glass. An 1889 Eau Claire Wisconsin City Directory lists Rudolph Schwahn as a harness and saddle-maker, one of eleven in business in Eau Claire that year. Rudolph’s father, William, was also in the business as a harness and saddle wholesaler and retailer. The number of local competitors helps explain why he applied for a patent and chose such a brilliant color. The patent discouraged competitors from copying the idea, and the color was an important product differentiator.
[4] This is a typical old and used all-leather horse collar. Schwahn noted that leather lost its shape when it got wet and was uncomfortable for the horse. The glass collar went on the inside at the top and was attached with leather straps.
[5] Antique 1870-187 6.5 inches, Buchanan patent states that zinc hurtful to the horse.
[6] Late 1800s illustration of a typical carriage horse collar setup.
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72 Zinc Horse Collar Pad. Michigan. Schwahn’s c pads corroded and were
[1] The glass horse collar measures 5 by 4.5 by .5 inches thick. It was attached to the leather collar with four leather straps. The underside is smooth and shaped to be comfortable for the horse.
[3] This horse is wearing a modern synthetic horse collar showing the position of the pad at the top of the collar above the horse’s neck.
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[7] Listing in the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Volume 42, 1888, 377,088, Collar-Pad. Rudolph Schwahn, Eau Claire, Wis. Filed July 19, 1888. I have learned from my experience in harness-making, and especially the manufacturer of horse-collars and fitting them upon horses’ necks, that horses have different shaped necks, and especially on top where their collar-pad fits—that is to say, some necks are arched on top, some are straight at this point, and others are depressed or hollow at the point where the collar-pad rests. On account of these differences in contour the same style of collar-pad will not properly fit three horses differing in formation of the neck, as above explained. I have therefore separated the necks of horses into three classes, each class corresponding to one of the formations above described. Leather pads, zinc pads, and lead pads have heretofore been used. The leather pad is the best of the three, but when wet it loses its shape, and when it becomes dry will not fit properly. The zinc and lead become useless after a little wear, as they crystallize and break, and when in this condition are absolutely hurtful to the animal. [2] From the description for Patent 377,088. Schwahn noted that horse necks vary in shape, so he offered them in three sizes. The “NO. 3” embossed on the collar pad identifies it as the largest of the three. The patent application was submitted in 1886, but prototypes were presumably made well before that. The nearest glass manufacturer at the time was in Milwaukee, so there is a good chance the early ones were made at the Wisconsin Glass Company (1881–1886). Our example is embossed with an 1888 date, so it was made after that, probably when Cream City Glass Co. operated the glassworks (1888–1893). Part of the fun of digging is identifying and researching interesting and unusual items that turn up. The embossing on this piece made it easy. I’m not aware of other examples of glass collar pads being found or dug, but I assume he sold quite a few of them, at least in and around Eau Claire.
[8] United States Patent Office, Rudolph Schwahn, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Collar-Pad. No. 377,088, Patented Jan 31, 1888. 28
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By RICK WEINER
A PUCE EAGLE TALE
This is a story about the most sentimental bottle I have ever
dug. It was not just the bottle itself but how the whole event unfolded—from the timing of the permission, the events leading up to the dig, and the people I met during the adventure. This phenomenal dig took place over 17 years ago, and those events still seep into my memory today. I often cannot remember where I put my slippers, but I remember this dig like it was yesterday. I originally wrote about this bottle years ago when I first unearthed it, but sadly, that article was merely a page and a half long. Unfortunately, that does not do this awesome privy dig justice! Here is some back history on my bottle-digging journey through the early years that led to finding the best bottle of my life. So sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy the ride. The year was 2005. I wasn’t new to bottle digging, but I had just discovered through research that people threw bottles and trash in outhouses in the 1800s! It began a love affair with the art of privy digging. I started hitting the ash dumps at the ripe age of 12, so I had “bottle fever” for most of my life. I have been on this planet for 64 years, and there is no need to do the math. I’m an old timer to most, but the digging bug is still biting hard to this day! I had moved from Ambler, Pennsylvania, to Lansdale, Pa., in the early 90s. I was 17 at the time. As I said, I was always interested in digging bottles, except for the years when I was more interested in girls, cars, and drinking beer, not necessarily in that order. Those three things will make even the most dedicated digger pack up the shovels and hand tools. January – February 2024
The funny thing is, I always had old bottles sitting around in my house, so whenever I gazed at them, I was always daydreaming of my life in search of old glass and trinkets, and I missed it. I have my grandmother to thank for that. She is a huge part of this and many of my stories, even though she has been gone for some years. As young lads, my brother Steve and I initially stumbled upon our first old dump by a place called “Tommy’s Dam” in our hometown of Ambler. We knew nothing about old bottles, but my grandmother sure did. She owned an antique shop in the Pocono Mountains called “The Barn Store.” Right away, I knew she was the person to call when we had questions about our newfound treasures. We were so excited, and little did we know we had just been bit hard by the bottle bug with that first promiseland milk bottle! I had found a small pottery pot from the dump that read “James Keiller & Son’s Dundee Marmalade London 1862.” We were beside ourselves because it said 1862 on the top. When I called my grandmom, she explained that 1862 was just a patent date, but she also said it was a “neat little jar with lots of crackles.” We didn’t care much about the patent date then, but I was sure glad she went into such detail, which helped me understand later in life. She made me more knowledgeable about the goodies we found. The more we dug, the more we wanted to return to the dumps. It was constantly on our minds when we were kids. Back then, I didn’t have the mindset about bottle 31
digging that I do today. We were young and dumb, and we did enjoy the stuff we dug, but some days, we liked our BB guns more. Who knows what rare colored sodas were slain by the dreaded Crossman 760 pump guns in that dingy stone basement in Ambler? As I matured, my view on life changed, as did my outlook on bottle digging. I slowly began to dig more into the history of these vessels from the past. It became so interesting that I could not wait to research an unknown bottle freshly pulled from the ground. I could feel the past churning—daydreams of large brick glass factories and the blowing of assorted bottles. In particular, one glass house that stands out is the Dyottville Glass Works in Philadelphia, Pa., located in the Kensington area from 1816 to the 1830s. When I read about the proprietor T. W. Dyott and how he ran his glassworks, I wished I had a time machine to go back and witness the daily life of a glassblower. It was almost like Dyott was running a home for wayward kids, as most of the glass blowers were children aged 12 to 15, and most interesting, they mainly blew colored whiskey flasks. These flasks are highly sought after today. There was also a school on the premises, and Dyott produced his food on the many acres of land he owned, including cows for meat and milk. It was more like a big family than a business. It just sounded like such a cool place. Needless to say, the children did not live long, productive lives as glass finishers. The poisonous fumes from the hot glass eventually sent them all to glassblower heaven. These are the kinds of things that make bottle digging exciting for me; the history is what it’s all about! Someone asked me recently, “Where did my first privy dig take place?” At first, we were only dump diggers, and I had never dug a privy and did not know the first thing about the process. One Saturday, I was home watching a television program...I believe it was Colombo. The phone rang, it was my buddy Paul. His exact words were, “Rick, I found something; I don’t know what it is; come to Cedar Beach, in the back.” Since I was watching a detective show, I had the urge to investigate. I got in the truck and headed over. Pauly Scar Face (his nickname) was an arrowhead hunter then, so I was speculating he found something rare, like an ax head with a lightning bolt going through it or something along those lines. He found some pretty cool stuff like that in the past. I mumbled to myself—it better be rare to pull me away from Colombo! I pulled into the back as he said, and I did not see his car when I arrived. I yelled, but with the traffic going by at a steady clip, there was no way he could hear me. Just then, I spotted something shiny in the distance. It was his bumper sticking out behind some weeds and small trees. What was he up to? I walked over and heard a faint “Yo, Rick.” I started to inch forward, and then I saw him. He was down in a concrete-lined square hole! He was excited, but I did not know why. He hollered up, “I wonder what this is?” I replied, “It’s a hole.” I would have gotten both barrels if Captain Obvious had been around. He said he found a few whole bottles. Since we had never dug a privy before, we had no clue what we 32
were seeing. I decided to jump in and see what was going on. It was big enough for both of us to move and scratch around in. When the concrete ended, old red brick continued going down. We had heard of “privy digging” before, but now we were doing it! Soon, the fill in the brick liner was changing from a white chunky to a dark, rich loam, and the bottles and trash started coming into view. It was a turn-of -the-century privy, and we were over the top with excitement. We got a bucket full of bottles in the end. The privy bug had made its mark and the best was yet to come. Not too long after, we got the urge to dig a privy. Since the last one was accidentally found, I suspected we would not find many privies like the first. I had to make my own luck. Then reality struck—we would need permission at people’s houses if we wanted to dig those time capsules from the past with any regularity. That thought put Paul in panic mode. With his shy personality, there was no way he would ask someone to dig up their backyard. But I knew if we didn’t do it, we would never be digging privies in this lifetime. We had to start somewhere. One day, while driving to the local recycling yard, I spotted a man plucking tomatoes off the vine in his garden. I wasn’t interested in the tomatoes but was intrigued by the old stone house that looked more like a mill. I pulled the truck over and started walking towards the man in the garden. I thought he would yell, “Get off my land, you bums,” but that didn’t happen. At first, I commented on how nice his crop was. That got me lined up for the next question. “How old is your house, sir?” I’m sure he was wondering why I was asking all these weird questions, but I made it this far, so I kept going. I was right in my first assumption; the house used to be a grist mill, and it was built in 1867. As the conversation continued, I spit out, “Do you think I could look around for the old outhouse on your property?” I thought he would look at me like I had three heads, but that didn’t transpire either. He was curious. I didn’t lie; I told him this was my first attempt at getting permission and that this would be only my second time to dig a privy. With all of the formality out of the way, I landed my first actual permission! To begin this stage of digging, I needed to gather the tools of the trade. The main one is the probe. We did not know anyone who dug privies, so I had to rely on “Doctor Google” for information. Once I searched “privy probe,” we had the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
blueprints and a plan. This consisted of spring steel from the trunk of a junk car, an eight-inch, hollow pipe, and a spot welder. Paul just happened to have a welder, as he was a motorhead, and cars were his bag. So we were finally in business! The probe was made and we gathered the necessary items, such as tarps, shovels and hand tools. It was time to tackle our first permission. May the bottle gods be with us! This phrase would become our mantra. We finally arrived at the grist mill house. Our excitement level was over the roof, probably from all of the articles we read on outhouse digging in the last month. The first time I stuck the probe in the ground and heard that crunchy, crackly sound, I was hooked! I had visions of bottles stacked like cordwood waiting for us to haul out. But from that day forward, I learned a few critical things about privy digging. I can get the permissions and find the privies, but I cannot make bottles magically appear in the pits. You get what you get, then move on to the next. Our first privy was a dud, but it was a learning experience. We only found one whole bottle with a small hairline crack down the side. It was a “Worlds Hair Restorer” in amber. Everything else was in pieces, better known as shards. You have to know the lingo if you want to play the privy game. With the first real dig under our belts, it was time to move on to greener pastures or, should I say, greener yards. I knew these permissions would not just drop in our laps, but the next one practically did. Our friend Maggie, who worked as a receptionist at our workplace, overheard people discussing our obsession with outhouse digging. She lived in Catty, an old town in the Lehigh Valley established in 1803. She said, “If you guys want to check my yard out, you are welcome.” She said there was a hole by the shed that she thought was a groundhog hole, but she wasn’t sure. We were new at this game and figured we would check out every possible lead. Upon arrival, we made our way down the sidewalk that led to the shed, and wouldn’t you know, a big ole groundhog was looking right at us from the hole! I guess that ruled the privy idea out. We decided to probe the backyard. Paul spotted a sinking spot right away. I inserted the probe, and down it went! It was crunchy to the end of the probe. We had ourselves a privy, but was it another dud? The only way to answer that question was to stick a shovel in! The January – February 2024
first scoop-out revealed just plain dirt. The second brought up two machine-made bottles and a ball of tin foil. The depression kicked in like a shot of lightning, quick and to the core. I was beginning to wonder if this hobby was for me. We decided to keep digging since we were there and had nothing else to do. After the tin foil ball, there were no more objects, just ash and dirt. Then, the unheard-of happened. I felt something in the ash, and when I pulled it out, I started spinning around like a pull-top on a smooth kitchen floor! I was holding a ten-sided bright blue mineral water from Easton, Pa.! I’ve only seen them in magazines and digging videos. To hold one was like a dream come true. I was happy with one, but we needed the bottle gods to rustle up one more for Pauly. When it was his turn in the pit, a few minutes passed, and our prayers were answered as another rose to the surface, then another and another, and yet another. The blue sodas started popping like popcorn from a hot, greased pan! One after another, they came until 31 cobalt blue and 15 green pontiled sodas and beers were lying on the ground like soldiers. We were in total shock and happy as clams. The bottle bug had a hold of me for life! We got spoiled early on in our privy-digging career. My mind started gearing up for our following permissions, as you always have to think ahead. Where will the next one be? After digging this amazing privy, I forgot about ash dumps. I had never found anything like this in all of my dump-digging career. Deep down, though, I knew digging bottles of this caliber regularly was a pipe dream. I had to concentrate on the next permission, which meant the dreaded door-knocking. At first, we would pick a house and knock. Once, we knocked on a door, and an older woman answered. I explained what we wanted to do and how we were looking for old bottles in outhouses. She came back with a puzzled tone of voice. “Oh, I didn’t know there were outhouses in 1959?” I looked just as puzzled as she sounded. Then I put it together—her house was built in 1959! After that day, I started doing internet research on the construction date of all the homes I planned to get permission from, and it hasn’t disappointed me so far. Soon, we were like well-oiled, permission-getting machines. Well, I was... it really wasn’t Paul’s cup of tea. I didn’t like it much myself, but I knew I wanted those old blue sodas and outhouses were the places they were hiding! I had a few leads towards the north end of town. One weekend, I was out buying some batteries at Home Depot and decided to make the trip to a house a friend suggested. I did some checking, and the house and property was circa 1835. I had never dug anything that old in my life! The idea sparked daydreams of the old glass waiting to be pulled from the ground. After eating a slice at Tony G’s, the local pizza shop, I walked catty-corner across the street to the house my buddy told me about. I rapped on the door a few times and waited. No answer. I gave it a minute, then decided to try the house next door since I was there. I would find out later by trial and error that the key is to keep knocking until you get a yes! This house looked just as old; 33
as the neighbor’s. There was another house next to it, but the weird thing was it looked like the “same house.” That brain pop will play into the story later, so don’t scratch your head just yet. I knocked on the door, and within minutes, a smiling lady was looking dead in the eye at us. That doesn’t happen often, especially when strangers knock on your door. I try not to waste any time and get right to the point. “Hi, we collect old bottles and...” Before I even finished my spiel, the lady said, “Oh, outhouse diggers, right?” We were both shocked, but we went with it. We were in her backyard, probing with vigor the next thing you know. I learned that everything happens for a reason, especially in the privy-digging life. I thought the yard was very narrow and strange, but I kept probing. Finally, the probe hit something abnormal and went down like a dirt rocket! We were excited as kids who had just heard the final school bell! The woman came out to see how things were going; oh, by the way, her name was Martha. Martha told us she thought there was a well in the area we were probing. In a split second, our excitement level dropped, and for good reason—that privy dream turned out to be a water well. We did not want to tackle a well, so we filled in what we had dug. The search was back on for the privy. I was probing in five-foot sections as I walked along the rickety chain link fence that divided Martha’s yard and her neighbors. I glanced into the other yard, and a strange sight caught my eye. An old, thick Victorian slate sidewalk was sunk in the ground and lifted up at least a foot. I don’t know what came over me, but I asked Martha, “Do you think it would be OK if I went over and stuck the probe in that hole”? She returned with, “Oh, I don’t think Matthew would mind.” I vaulted over that fence like I was in the Olympics and jammed the rod in. That’s what we were looking for! The probe buried and made a crunchy tune. But then I realized we didn’t have permission here. Sadness came upon me. But on the same note, desperation hit hard. I quickly returned to the other side and asked Martha if she knew the owner. She replied, “Oh yeah, we go way back. We went to school together and he owns many houses in town but lives in Arizona.” There goes my roller coaster of emotions. We would never get this one, but it was so close. Out of the blue, an angel spoke. “I will call him and tell him about your hobby.” We got a reprieve. It would be three long weeks before we knew the answer. But you know the old saying. “God gives the best to those who wait.” Three weeks and a day passed, but it seemed like three months. Then I got the call: “Rick, this is Martha. Matthew said it’s fine to dig the privy. He said just put everything 34
back the way it was.” I remember doing jumping jacks in the kitchen and almost touching the ceiling! I had a good feeling about this one. As soon as I hung up the phone with Martha I called Paul and gave him the good news. He said he was “as ready as a track star on the starting line.” That kid has always had a way with words. I had been doing a lot of research on the house in the three weeks we were waiting for permission. I discovered that Martha’s and Matthew’s houses were one and the same. Martha said she had her suspicions but never dug too deep into the property’s history. In 1870, the house was split and used as separate dwellings with separate addresses. The original house was built in 1835. With all this newfound information, I realized why we would not find any privies in Martha’s yard. Because it was all one property, they would have never dug a well anywhere near the outhouses due to contamination. Everything was falling into place. With the formalities behind us, it was time to dig! Paul and I decided to take the Monday off and begin the mystery dig. When you think about it, every dig is a mystery until you break ground. All the thoughts beforehand are just daydreams and wishful thinking. The time finally came, and we parked in Martha’s spot in the alley. We started hauling tools, tarps, and the blue barrels through the yard and tossed everything over the fence. When all the stuff was over, we got ready to hop over and noticed a tree had fallen and smashed the fence in the middle behind some arborvitaes. We now had an easy way in and out. As we walked over to the thick slate sidewalk, I realized we did not have the pry bar to lift the sunken section. I had to think outside the box, so we got some rope and tied it to the corner of the slab, and with a little brute strength, we both pulled that thing right on its side! Now, mind you, this was 17 years ago. I would have pulled my spine out, among other things, if I did that today. With that task out of the way, it was time to stick the shovel in! Right away, I saw shards of glass. That could be a good thing and also a bad thing. Sometimes, at the end of a fill, when the privy was no longer needed, they would toss in some trash at the last minute. You can also tell if another digger had dug a privy by the amount of shards dumped in at once and no layers in the pit. Seeing no layers is the key, and if there are no layers and the fill is mixed, the pit was dug by a digger from our recent past, with no ifs, ands, or buts. Or, as I like to call them, “pit pirates.” As we dug deeper, we liked what we saw. This fill was not only layered, it was hard as hell. That meant it was untouched for many years. I got flashbacks of some of the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
1850s wood liners we dug that resembled this one. Soon, we hit a clay cap. They had rules in some towns for clay cap-offs. They vary in depth. This one seemed to go on forever! Hopefully, it was hiding some good glass treasure at the bottom! We were looking at a five-foot-thick cap! A real backbuster. As we got to the end, I spotted an aqua flash. I broke out a hand tool and got to work. Soon, a pictorial tree showed on an oval-shaped bottle through the clay. I prayed that the other side was not broken. At that point, I had no idea what it was, then it fell out, and I caught it. Wow! I was in shock. I recognized it from pictures on the Internet. It was a summer-winter tree flask with a big open pontil and a sheered top, probably from the 1840s! That was the first bottle out, and it wasn’t even in the use layer. Whoever filled this pit in must have been drinking heavily, and thank God he was! I had high hopes, but like I always say, “Ya get what ya get.” Sometimes, there is only one bottle in the pit. Soon, the cap was gone, and the dark loam came out steady. Mixed in with it were some nice old shards, which included mineral waters, pontil colognes, and colored soda pieces. I now knew that was a very old, untouched privy. Paul hit a wooden wall on the right as we began our journey down, and we started the process of uncovering the four walls. Usually, most of the walls are rotted, but this time, all of the walls seemed solid all the way around. This was a first for us. As we examined the walls a little closer, I decided to Google info for “best-preserved wood,” and cypress popped right up. It turns out this outhouse liner was made of red cypress, which was costly when building homes, and these people used it for an outhouse! That made us think money was no object here. That’s always something to look forward to when you are digging privies because the more money they had, the more items they tossed in the privies, including bottles! The pile of black muck and broken glass started to build on the top side and Martha decided to come over and peek in on the action. She is a historian and author, so her interest was really sparked. Martha thought it was so cool that we discovered her house produced these incredible artifacts even though we were digging in the neighbor’s yard. She also began to tell us that the home’s original owner was the president of the local steel company that was in operation from the 1830s into the 1870s. That would explain the cedar-lined privy. They must have had a few bucks to spare, so why not spend some on building the old outhouse? Paul had a bottle showing when he was down the hole. It seemed to be a dark shade of brown, almost like a tobacco amber. He took his time twisting it out. It’s called savorJanuary – February 2024
ing the moment while you are praying it was whole. Then, the bottle popped loose. We both had lock-jaw when we saw it to be an iron pontil John Clarke mineral water. The stunning Clarke bottle dates back to the late 1840s. All we could think about was what would show up next. It was my turn to jump in the hole. We were down about five feet, and it was smooth sailing. The big clay cap was gone and the fill was rich, black, and gooey. Just before I was ready to disappear into the darkness, Martha yelled out, “Do you guys want a sandwich?” I sure did, as I was hungry. On the other hand, Paul filled up on Little Debbie snack cakes he had in his backpack. She brought over a Braunschweiger liverwurst sandwich with sweet mustard, onions on the side, and some RC Cola to wash it down. I had my lunch in the privy mine while sticking halfway out of the hole while standing on a bucket. Paul was getting jumpy and wanted to get on with the dig. I finished the wurst with a few more bites and sank back into the void. I then realized it was too dark to see what I was doing. I yelled up to Paul to drop down the lights. We didn’t have headlamps or flashlights back then, so we used droplights. The lights auto mechanics used. They even had a little metal cage around the bulb to protect it from falling rocks. We had to run a cord to Martha’s outside outlet because this homeowner didn’t have one. Once the line was juiced up, the cypress-lined privy came alive! It was very cool and comfy down there. Only an outhouse digger will understand that sentence. I often look back and wonder why I didn’t make a video of these experiences. I rarely took any pictures, either. That usually happens when I’m overly excited and in the moment. As I began scratching around the cypress box, I noticed that one side had way more glass than the other. This outhouse phenomenon happens because of the placement of the seat. The trash piled up on the chosen end when it was dumped. Next, I started finding shards and chunks of historical flasks like “Washington Eagles,” “General Taylor Never Surrenders,” and “Rough and Ready.” These were just shards and pieces, so we prayed for a whole one or two to grace us— and it was still a way to the privy bottom. If there were any times in my privy-digging career I would want to re-live, it would be that day. I began to see a few whole bottles sticking out of the fill. I dug in lightly and out dropped a dark green iron pontil “G. A. Kohl Easton, Pa.” soda, which was a local for us. I loved this pit! Even though I wanted to savor every moment, I could not stop myself from digging, and I was like a cat in a fresh litter box. With that cool soda find, I was out of the pit, and Paul was ready for his turn. 35
The way we did it back then was, “You keep what you find.” You are in if you find a good one, and the other guy is out. It was a weird process, but it worked for us. As I climbed up the ladder, I heard talking above me. It was one of the tenants who lived in the house. He seemed to be in his early 20s. I could tell he was really curious about what we were doing. The first question was, “You all putting in a pipe?” That’s pretty much what most people say. My comeback usually goes something like, “No, we are digging this hole for fun and the excitement of it.” Then we get into what we are doing and start talking about bottles—this is when most people are dumbfounded and say, “Bottles in the ground?” The renter commented, “If I didn’t find something right away, I would never do it again—that’s way too much work!” That statement made me grateful for all the empty privies we had dug. It was the productive ones that made it all worthwhile. Either you are a privy digger, or you are a civilian. The day was going great until, out of nowhere, a strong thunderstorm unleashed a hard downpour and nailed us. Luckily, the back porch was nearby, so we dove for cover. I thought quickly and tossed a tarp over the hole. Nothing is worse than digging bottles in 183-year-old black muck 36
beneath a potty! I got on my phone to check the weather, but before I could even bring it up, Martha yelled, “Don’t worry boys, it’s a fast mover.” Martha was great! She did so much for us; now she is our weather lady. In our downtime, we discussed what might be on the bottom of this old pit. Our imaginations ran wild, but we knew the future would not be ours to see. That’s the simplest way I can put it. The rain stopped as I finished the rest of my liverwurst sandwich, and the sun poked out a bit. I believe God gave us a little break to gather our thoughts and recharge our cells. In a matter of minutes, the tarp was ripped off, and it was business as usual. The buckets were moving now since we had our rest. I heard Paul down in the pit say, “Oh, dammit,” and I knew that wasn’t a good thing. He said to pull the bucket up—“You will not believe it.” When I looked in, I said something worse than Paul. Sitting there in three pieces was a dark aqua “Turner’s Sarsaparilla.” This bottle was over 14 inches tall, 4 inches wide and had a massive open pontil the size of a quarter. We found out later that it was a rare variant with an open pontil and worth a pretty good sum. Que Sera, Sera. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Heckler Premier Auction 128 Lot: 18 Eagle – “Dyottville Glass Works / Philada” Historical Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1860-1870. Light pink puce, sheared mouth - smooth base, pint; (patchy exterior wear and ground lines, several small shallow open bubbles on shoulder). GII-38 This is the widely publicized flask which was dug by well-known bottle digger Rick Weiner. Certainly a rare item to dig, the flask was treasured by Rick. Eggshell thin glass with no chips or cracks. Good condition. Rare and beautiful!, September 2015, Heckler & Co.
Even though many bottles were busted, digging this era was still exciting. I’d rather dig 1840s broken stuff all day with the chance of getting a few whole ones than digging 100 newer-aged bottles with no character. As I pulled the next bucket up, I heard a lot of glass rattling. I thought, here we go again, more broken stuff. Privy digging had me spoiled. When I looked in, I saw half a bucket full of little bottles, and they were all “pontil puffs,” which is slang we bottle diggers use for small pontiled bottles without embossing, somewhat like their cousin’s “slicks,” newer bottles without embossing. It was cool running my hands through that bucket and imagining the days when these little guys were in use. They looked to be all types of medicines. Most likely, all had morphine as an ingredient. Maybe someone was sick or addicted or both. Every bottle has a story. As I dug through the early 19th-century night soil illuminated by a modern-day mechanics drop light, I daydreamed about what might have been happening around this outhouse in the 1840s and 50s on any given night. Dirt roads, horses, and wagons dusted up the night with lingering smoke meandering through the streets from all the fireplacJanuary – February 2024
es and stoves. There may have been silence except for the occasional clacking of horses passing the house on a nightly mission to the corner store or a few people chattering down the block. And maybe there were gatherings where people were drinking. This might explain the many broken historical flasks we found in the privy! What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall at one of those shindigs. My daydream bubble popped when I hit some glass with my digging tool. With my glove, I moved some dirt away from the spot and saw a light blue hue. I was dead center in the pit. When I began to dig out my target, I noticed many pieces of glass in that spot. I had a short pitchfork next to me and decided to stick it under the glass and lift it. When I did that, my mind froze! Under that black muck was a pile of broken historical flasks and a few scroll flasks for good measure! Fifteen total! Many of the pieces were worth saving. Some great colors spotted were sapphire blue, yellow, light green, and aqua. I didn’t tell Paul about it, so I kept quiet like he did with the puffs. “Bucket up.” As the bucket was going topside, I was waiting for it. Then I heard, “Holy S**t!!” We both could not believe it. Broken or not, it was still a day we would never forget. That definitely was a bucket of 37
criers. Paul said, “I could glue some of those back together!” That ordeal was nerve-wracking. All we could talk about was, what if those babies were whole? I got nothing in one piece but was tired and needed a break. The ladder was looking good. I worked my way up and headed right for my lunch box to get some energy bars and finish my warm Red Bull. I turned around and Paul was already in the hole. He knew the possibilities and didn’t want to waste any time. As I sat gnawing on my bar, Martha walked over from the other side of the house behind me. She scared the heck out of me. “Hey guys, anything new?” I replied, “No, everything is old, and we love it!” Since she is a historian, she got that joke right away. Paul was pretty quiet down in the pit, so I had to roust him up a bit. “You sleeping down there?” He yelled, “Yep, and I think I’m dreaming!” Martha and I walked over to the hole and peered in. Paul was holding up three cobalt blue sodas interlocked between his fingers on one hand. Martha came right out and said, “Wow, they are pretty. Can I have one?” She still has a few sitting on her windowsill to this day. We always take care of the homeowners. Paul was out of the hole with that score. He reminded me that half of the pit was left for us to dig, and then all the fill would be out. It seemed like I would be the last man in. As I descended into the privy box, my eyes scanned the cypress wood walls, and I was feeling a little sad that it was almost over. I knew this would be a hard dig to top age-wise, as the 1840s was a great decade. I began to dig the remaining section of the use layer, and a few embossed medicines popped out. I can’t remember their embossed names, but they were open pontil. I tried to savor the moment as long as possible, but time was not on my side. Usually, when we reach the bottom of a privy, we stop taking out the fill. We just shove it over to the side that was dug out. We would take it all out this time because Paul wanted to take some of the cypress boards home to build a table. When he told me that, I laughed. People would be eating off a table made from the walls of an old outhouse! I had approximately three buckets left to haul up, so I began to slow down and admire the deep little room. I figured if we took most of the wood, I might as well scrape the walls down as some sections still had thick ash and privy soil on them. As I started to scrape the wall before me, I was no longer in my bottle-digging mode, so I scratched without any worries. Suddenly, I heard a clink, so I put down the metal tool and removed the ash with my glove. It was light enough down there, and my eyes were not deceiving me as I saw a bottle but could not distinguish the type. I returned to my savoring mode and slowly and steadily removed the dust like an archaeologist with a fine bristle brush. Soon, some embossing started to show through, so I got up really close, and what I saw gave me goosebumps. It was an eagle holding a bunch of arrows in his talons! No more slow and steady for me! I stuck my snake tongue tool behind the bottle and it dropped slowly onto the pile of soft ash below. 38
I became a little shaky from that action, but the bottle was intact. I WAS AMAZED when I picked it up and held it in my hands. I dusted it off and looked it over with no cracks or dings. On the back, the flask read “Dyottville Glass Works Philadelphia,” and, of course, it had the prominently embossed American eagle on the front. The patriotic eagle also had a banner surrounding it that read, “E Pluribus Unum.” I decided to sit and reflect a bit on this incredible find. I knew it wasn’t just a bottle—I was meant to be there that day and find it. I firmly believe in the saying, “Everything happens for a reason.” Sometimes, I go way over the top with my thinking and the “what ifs” of life. This was one of those days. One crazy notion I had was that the flask was sitting in that same spot the day I was born and all through my young life until that fateful day. That’s why it was meant for me to find it. I believe it was a Godsend. My wife would say, “Only you would think of something weird like that.” Maybe so, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. So, back to reality. I cleaned the bottle up a little and climbed the ladder for the last time into the daylight. I didn’t say anything to Paul while in the pit. When he saw me, he chirped, “Anything left?” My reply was not really—just this old thing, and I whipped out the bottle. He nearly fell over a rake. We both looked at it and said almost simultaneously, “Amber Eagle!” I walked over to get a drink of water, and after a slug, I poured half a bottle on the eagle side. In an instant, my excitement level exceeded the charts, if that was at all possible. This bottle was not amber at all; it was purple! Raising it to the sun verified it. Later, we would find out the color was called puce. This day would go down in bottle-digging history for me. I will never forget the “Cypress Box” and the “Puce Eagle.” The eagle was in my possession for a good eight years. It became like a mascot of sorts on the Internet. I admit I went a little overboard, as I talked about it and posted non-stop. Here I am still talking about it 17 years later! Some people, I’m sure, were tired of hearing about it, but most enjoyed the story. To this day, the subject is still brought up. I am glad I could bring it into the bottle world. I had to sell the flask after eight years of owning it. I rolled my Chevy S-10 and totaled it. I was still making payments and could not afford another vehicle, so I did the next best thing—I sold the Puce Eagle at Norman Heckler’s auction house and bought a used Chevy Silverado. I still have that truck today. Sometimes, life comes before bottles. Did you notice I said sometimes? If I had purchased this bottle instead of digging it in an outhouse, there would have been no Puce Eagle tale. Happy digging.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
January – February 2024
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ACL CORNER #8 [Mike Dickman]
Land of Enchantment many collectors enjoy collecting bottles from their home states,
with drug store bottles, Hutchinson sodas and milk bottles being particularly popular. Applied color label (ACL) soda bottles are sometimes collected this way. In 2022, Taylor McBurney published a book cataloging the dozens of ACL soda bottles from Rhode Island, with color photographs of every bottle. Although my home state of New Mexico is not yet the subject of any such reference, I’m going to indulge myself in this article by discussing a few of the ACL soda bottles that were made in beautiful New Mexico. New Mexico is nicknamed “The Land of Enchantment.” It is large but sparsely populated, ranking fifth in size but forty-sixth in population density among the fifty states. Arizona lies to the west, Colorado to the north (with Utah touching the northwest “Four Corners” point), Oklahoma to the northeast, Texas to the southeast and east, and Mexico to the south. First explored by the Spanish in 1540, New Mexico became a province of the Kingdom of Spain in 1598. It passed to Mexico in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence and then was captured by U.S. General Kearney in 1846 during the Mexican-American War. In 1848, New Mexico became a United States Territory (which included present-day Arizona), and in 1912, it entered the Union as the forty-seventh state, followed by Arizona one month later as the forty-eighth. New Mexico has an incredible diversity of climates and geographies, ranging from snow-capped, forested mountains to arid deserts to vast, flat prairies, with colorful eroded buttes and mesas throughout the state. Its population is also diverse, made up of Hispanics, Anglos, African Americans, twenty-three Native American nations, tribes and pueblos, and more recent arrivals such as Vietnamese who fled from the Communists. We now have great Vietnamese restaurants everywhere! [Fig. 5] Big Chief Beverages, Raton, New Mexico, undated but circa 1950. The brand was bottled by dozens of companies under license from the Coca-Cola Corporation using all sorts of Indian vignettes on the ACLs, making the bottles highly collectible. 40
No doubt, due to the relatively small consumer base, many New Mexico ACL soda bottles are scarce to extremely rare, even if their prices do not reflect their sparse quantity. “Duke City Beverages” is an example. (Fig. 1) Bottled in 1946 by the Duke City Beverage Company of Albuquerque, a prominent New Mexico collector told me he’s seen just ten examples in three decades of collecting. Yet I recently was able to buy a mint example for $50. The 7-ounce bottle shows the Zia sun symbol on its front Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
[Fig. 2] New Mexico license plate from the year that Duke City Beverages was made, with the date inside a Zia sun symbol.
[Fig. 4] Portrait of the Tenth Duke of Albuquerque, the “duke” in Duke City who founded the city in 1706. A professional baseball team named The Dukes played in Albuquerque for decades but moved to Portland, Oregon in 2001 and was renamed The Beavers.
[Fig. 3] Yucca Beverages, Clovis, New Mexico, 1941 [Fig. 3] New Mexico state flag featuring the Zia sun symbol. The yellow and red colors are those of the flag of Spain, which ruled New Mexico for centuries. [Fig. 6] Crown caps for Big Chief Beverages, using colors to match the soda flavors. Bottlers often put as much artistry into their caps as they did their bottles.
ACL beneath a stylized sun on the neck. The symbol originated in ancient times at Zia Pueblo and represents the four points of the compass and the year’s four seasons. It is New Mexico’s official state symbol and appears on our flag and license plates. Duke City is the nickname of Albuquerque, after Francisco Fernandez de la Cueva, the Tenth Duke of Albuquerque (different spelling), who founded the city in 1706 while ruling as Viceroy of New Spain. Incidentally, locals refer to the city as “Burque” (pronounced “Boor-kay”). (Figs. 2, 3 & 4) “Big Chief Beverages” was a Coca-Cola franchise that produced soda in many cities across the West, South and Midwest during the 1940s. It is a popular category of ACL bottles to collect because the franchisees used many different Indian vignettes. New Mexico bottlers used two vignettes put up by the Coca-Cola Bottling Companies of Raton, New Mexico, and Las Vegas, New Mexico. One of the vignettes is distinctively New Mexican because the portrait of the chief is located within an outline of a New Mexico map that also contains two little Zia sun symbols. The example shown here is from Raton (at the northern end of the state near the Colorado border) and contained 6-½ ounces of product. (Fig. 5) There are three New Mexico Big Chiefs with this same ACL, and all are uncommon but not pricey, ranging from about $25 for the small size to $80 for a nine-ounce size. A fourth Big Chief soda from Las Vegas used a different Indian portrait and is extremely rare, and I’ve never seen one for sale. (Fig. 6)
“Yucca Beverages” is an unusual 12-ounce ACL soda bottle [Fig. 4] Flowering yuccas outside the author’s home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The plant is from Clovis, New Mexico, located on the east side ubiquitous throughout the West. January – February 2024
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of the state near Texas. Put up in 1941, the front ACL shows a blooming yucca, a perennial plant that grows throughout the American West and has over fifty different species. (Figs. 7 & 8) The yucca flower depicted on the bottle is New Mexico’s state flower. Clovis was founded in 1906 to service Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway trains and equipment and was originally named “Riley’s Switch.” It was renamed Clovis a few years later at the suggestion of the station master’s daughter, whose class at the time was studying King Clovis, the first Christian ruler of the Franks. Really, can you make up this stuff? Clovis Man believed to be the first human inhabitant of the prehistoric New World, is named for the town based on the archaeological sites from his culture that were found nearby. Yucca Beverages is a scarce bottle that is always in demand, and a nice clean example sold on eBay in June 2023 for $125. “Sparkle Up” is a soda bottle that makes a dramatic, eye-catching statement on the shelf, with its red-and-white ACL painted onto green glass. (Fig. 9) It was put up by the Sparkle Bottling Company of Las Vegas, New Mexico in 1966. The back of the bottle claims that the bottle is “BIG, BIG” although it contained just eight ounces of liquid. The company also produced two earlier but less flashy versions using clear glass. The earlier bottles made the dubious claim that “Sparkle Beverages are Wholesome Food.” They informed consumers to return the empty bottles to one of two “dealers” to obtain a deposit refund, one dealer located in Las Vegas, where the soda was made, but the other in far-away Gallup, approximately 260 miles from Las Vegas. Again, these bottles are inexpensive, notwithstanding their scarcity, and I bought mint examples of all three versions for a total price of $40. (Fig. 10) A strange ACL soda bottle from New Mexico is “Gholson Brothers Beverages” from Albuquerque. (Fig. 10) I say “strange” because the ACL depicts a bridge that has nothing to do with Albuquerque or New Mexico. My research shows that the bridge is the Union Pacific Bridge constructed across the Missouri River in 1872 as part of the transcontinental railroad, connecting Council Bluffs, Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska. The identical ACL of the bridge is depicted on an earlier ACL soda bottle from Council Bluffs, Iowa, called Twin City Beverages. How and why the ACL came to be used on the Albuquerque bottle (produced three years after Twin City Beverages) is anybody’s guess. The Albuquerque soda was made by two brothers doing business as the Gholson Brothers Candy Company. (Fig. 11)
[Fig. 9] Sparkle Up, Las Vegas, New Mexico, 1966. Although Las Vegas was a sleepy little city by the time the soda was bottled, Las Vegas in the 1880s was one of the most lawless places in the Old West and harbored outlaws including Billy the Kid, Jesse James, the Durango Kid, Doc Holiday and Big Nose Kate.
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One of the quintessential New Mexico ACL soda bottles is “Navajo Land Beverages” from Gallup, New Mexico, which borders the eastern end of the vast Navajo Nation located in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. The
[Fig. 10] Gholson Brothers Beverages, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1952
10-ounce bottle was put up by the Gallup Mercantile Company in the 1940s and bears a detailed, realistic portrait of a Navajo man. (Fig. 12) A second variety of the bottle exists, showing a different perspective of the man from the rear. The company began as a classic Indian Trading Post in the late 1800s but eventually expanded to include the manufacturing of foods and beverages and was formally incorporated in 1908. It was dissolved more than half a century later in 1960. During its life, the company produced its own brand of ice cream “Delicia” as well as two brands of soda pop, “Pippo,” the earliest and rarest of the New Mexico ACL soda bottles (Fig. 13) and the “Navajo Land.” Although there are a fair number of Navajo Land bottles around, many of them are in worn condition from repeated refillings and the fact that the Navajos themselves liked and often re-purposed the bottles. These bottles always bring good prices, typically between $200 and $500 depending on condition. (Figs. 14, 15 & 16)
Finally, there is the 6-1/2 ounce, red-and-white “Minnesota” from the Stevens Bottling Company of Bemidji, Minnesota, dated 1952 and touted on the bottle as “Paul Bunyan’s Playground.” (Fig. 17) Obviously, this interesting, attractive bottle has nothing to do with New Mexico, but I’ve included it to make a point: ACL soda bottles come from every one of the fifty states. We all harbor great affection for the state in which we were born and raised, where we went to college or were stationed while serving in the armed forces, or where we moved to make a life for ourselves. If you’ve been thinking about dipping your toe into the waters of ACL soda bottle collecting, why not start by obtaining a bottle or two from a state you love? The author welcomes comments, questions and suggestions at mikedickman@yahoo.com BIBLIOGRAPHY: My good friend Mike Parish, who knows all there is to know about New Mexico bottles, provided valuable information for this article. McBurney, Taylor, ACL Soda Bottles of Rhode Island, Stillwater River Publications, 2022. Sweeney, Rick, Collecting Applied Color Label Soda Bottles, 3d. edition 2002, PSBCA. Tim A.C.L.-Miller, a FaceBook page showing hundreds of rare ACL sodas from Tim’s collection. VintageSodaCollector.com by FOHBC member Tom Petitt, a great resource containing hundreds of color photographs as well as interesting, useful articles about all things ACL. Weide’s Soda Page, ca-yd.com, by Chris and Catherine Weide, another great resource. Wikipedia entries for Clovis; Council Bluffs; New Mexico; Yucca; Zia Pueblo.
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I HEAR A TRAIN A ‘COMIN.’ By Steve Abbott
IT’S COMIN ROUND THE
BUT THE CABOOSE IS DRIVING IT!
Why did Fred Raschen, Sacramento whiskey dealer (1890-1918), a prominent businessman of liberal spirit and progress, post bail bond for Harry Mitchell, proprietor of Harry Mitchell’s Saloon (1910-1910), a rendezvous for highwaymen, thugs, panders, cutthroats, attempted murderers, a rotten hole and disgraceful blot on the city (1910-1910)? Moreover, why did Fred refuse to forfeit Mitchell’s bond ($16,000 in today’s money) even after Mitchell, an accessory after the fact of robbery of McIssac’s Saloon down Front Street from Harry’s Saloon, and his buddies were convicted of the robbery and serving time in Folsom and San Quinten prisons?
Labeled Fifth, (Monogram) Silver Sheaf High Grade Whiskey, Fred Raschen Co., Sacramento, Cal.
Fred Raschen shared the bail bond with Henry Seymour, president of Buffalo Brewing Company, the largest Brewery in the pre-prohibition West. Henry said he would concede his share of the bond, probably for public relations reasons and because, in his mind, he could see the ghost train of major financial interests getting ready to come around the bend to defend their rights to do whatever they wanted. Henry knew that this train was really powered by the cigar smokers in their Pullman private caboose of big money, not by some puny elected officials waving out of the engine cab. Fred Raschen did not concede his share of the bond because he could hear the “whistle blowin’,” was probably certain he wouldn’t have
Monogram Trade Mark, H. Weinreich & Co. 46
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Front & Back, Embossed & Labeled Fifth
BEND,
Embossed Fifth, Set in circular plate, (Monogram FR) “Fred Raschen Co. Sacramento, Cal.”
Embossed Fifth, Set in circular plate, (Monogram FR Co) “Fred Raschen Co. Sacramento, Cal.” Monogram Trade Mark, Fred Raschen Company
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Billhead, H. Weinreich and Fred Raschen, H. Weinreich & Co. Importers & Jobbers of Wines & Liquors Silver Sheaf and Golden State Bourbon Whiskies, Sacramento, Cal. Jan 4, 1894 to forfeit the bond anyway, and needed some time for private business interests to bully elected officials into betraying their oaths to follow the law. After all, a saloon license had never been rescinded in the history of the city. There had been a lot of saloons from the Gold Rush to 1910; Mark Twain calling Sacramento “The City of Saloons” in 1866. In 1910, there were about 200 saloons serving a population of 44,000, including men, women, and children. No disorderly types? Not a single license rescission? On one side of the dispute were the city trustees. On the other side were the Sacramento Whiskey Dealers Association and major shareholders of Buffalo Brewing Company: a major cattleman, a vice-president of a railroad, both the president and the treasurer of a large bank, general manager of a brewery, a former California governor and U.S. Senator, and another brewery owner. This power ratio was lopsided on the side of money. What was in legal contention was the nature of the restriction of the bond. It was clear to the trustees that Harry was not to keep a disorderly house of business and had violated those terms. The trustees were shocked to hear in June 1910 that the bond had not been forfeited and directed their attorney to file suit to collect it. Their attorney “suggested” that the board turn over its case to the city attorney J. V. Hart (tenure 1910-12, a conveniently timed appointment), and it did, the only “nay” being Ancil Hoffman, owner of saloons and the biggest Schlitz Beer distributor in Northern California. The case wasn’t really about the bond money but whether the bond was violated by the proprietor, Harry Mitchell, or by the saloon it48
Billhead Art, Golden State Bourbon, Silver Sheaf Bourbon, Tippecanoe, Kentucky’s Wm. Millard Whiskey
Shot glass, Golden State Bourbon Trade Mark (Monogram) Fred Raschen Co. Sacramento, Cal.
Shot glass, “Tippecanoe ”Double Fire Copper Tippecanoe Trade Mark Whiskey, Fred Raschen
self. The trustees’ concern was the disgraceful saloon. Harry had been convicted of a felony and was in prison. There was no doubt about that. But the legal quibble was whether the bond was for Harry and/or Harry’s Saloon, whose underlying owners were the moneyed interests of brewery stockholders and anyone else who may have been owed money by the saloon. Fred Raschen fell into both categories, having provided “wet goods” to the saloon and owning shares in Buffalo Brewing. For two months, the brew stewed. Then, the city attorney made his case to the trustees. He concluded that the forfeiture only applied to the incarcerated Harry Mitchell, not the saloon itself. He went on to say that there was no legal evidence that the saloon was disorderly and that “a saloon keeper might resort with and shield all the robbers he wanted,” and that would not constitute a disorderly saloon. Then Hart recommended that the motion to forfeit the bond be rescinded. The trustees said they had made an awful mistake and meekly agreed to drop the license forfeiture. A reasonable motive to infer from this 180-degree switch was that liquor distributors and brewery stockholders wanted their retail-
Stoneware Jugs, Fred Raschen Co. 514 J Street Sacramento, Cal., three sizes.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Envelope Advertising, Golden State, Silver Sheaf Mayfield, Wm. Millard Whiskies.
Framed Calendar, Fred Raschen, Wholesale Liquor Dealer, Silver Sheaf Whiskey, circa 1910.
Display, Tippecanoe bar bottle, glass sign, and shot glass
Labeled Bottles, Calaport and Crystallized Rock and Rye Cordial, Fred. Raschen Co., Sacramento, Cal. January – February 2024
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ers to know that “they had their backs” legally or illegally. “Don’t tread on me” was alive and well in Sacramento. Fred, a German immigrant, said he arrived in Sacramento in 1870 with $2.75. He went to work as a clerk for Heinreich Weinreich, an established liquor dealer. By at least 1890, Weinreich had made Raschen a partner. When Weinreich died, Raschen bought the business and continued growing it until 1918. He carried forward Weinreich’s popular brands and added more of his own. Along the way, Fred Raschen invested in Buffalo Brewing, Live Oak Consolidated Gold Mining Company, Ruby King Mineral Paint Company, Midland Farms, and Liberty Bonds. He then went into agriculture in nearby Yuba County, clearing as many as 200 acres of native trees and turning them into charcoal. Next, he planted 13,000 peach trees, grew beans and hay, had three tractors and all of the farm equipment, and held promissory notes. His estate in 1924 was worth $168,000—about $3,000,000 today.
Cigar Lighter, Fred Raschen Co. Sacramento noting brands Silver Sheaf, Golden State, Wm. Millard, Mayfield Whiskies.
Back Bar Bottles, Golden State and Silver Sheaf, Fred Raschen, Sacramento, Cal.
Raschen started a hunting club, owned racehorses, and was known for driving a “natty” rig. He was a good shot, one time winning a competition by downing 15 doves with 18 shots. He had a soft spot for orphans and disabled war veterans, leaving large amounts in his will to both. After poor health for six months, Fred anticipated suicide by leaving a note to his friend John Skelton, the Sacramento Coroner. The hand-written instructions asked the coroner to take charge of his body, have it cremated, and sent to his Bay Area brother for burial in the San Francisco family plot. He wanted no ceremony of any kind. Then, on a quiet spring night, May 19, 1924, he put a pistol into his mouth, fired, and ended a financially successful but lonely life. Thanks for help with this article: Jack Sullivan for his online article on Raschen; James Scott (Sacramento Room of the Sacramento Library); Sabrina Holecko and Nicholas Piontek (Center for Sacramento History); newspaper archives: The Sacramento Bee, The Sacramento Union, The Sacramento Star; Robin Preston (pre-pro. com); the Ken Schwartz collection.
Shot glass, Silver Sheaf (Trade Mark) Fred Raschen.
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visit
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Julius Squeezer By Peter Maas
One of the many joys of collecting is that some bottles in a collection have memories attached to them, like a photo album. This beer bottle reminds me of a story from my early days of collecting. It happened many years ago during my summer break from college. I was living in an apartment on a lake in Wisconsin and was obsessed with scuba diving for bottles. My collection was proudly displayed on an eight-foot two-by-four supported by two vertical posts. It consisted mostly of blob beers and Hutch soda bottles that I’d found. Standing head and shoulders above the rest was the crown jewel of my collection—a Jacob Obermann quart beer with a “J O B Co” monogram in the slug plate. This was made more appealing by the “WIS G CO MILW” embossed on the bottom. That’s Wisconsin Glass Company (1881 to 1886). This attic-mint gem was my first big bottle show purchase. Julius Squeezer, my pet Boa Constrictor, lived in an aquarium with a screen lid weighted down by books. He’d grown stronger over time and, one day, he decided to have a look around the apartment. It was a new behavior for him. He muscled up the lid, made his escape and found his way into the bottle room. Then he went up a post. What followed was a slow-motion train wreck. He somehow got onto the shelf and inched his way along, nosing bottles out of his way. Most bounced harmlessly off the carpet. Others were not so lucky. Unfortunately, the prized Obermann sat midshelf, directly above the radiator. It was completely shattered. Julius must have been startled by the sound because he apparently fell off the shelf, saving the rest of the collection. As if remorseful for the atrocity he had committed, Julius went into hiding. When I got home and pieced together what had happened, I was not happy. I searched for him, but he was just gone and didn’t turn up for several days. That was probably a good thing. It took years, but I eventually managed to find a replacement for the Obermann in a similar condition. It’s now almost fifty years later and, these days, my collection no longer fits on a two-by-four. As a Wisconsin bottle omnivore, I have many categories of bottles, and the Obermann doesn’t even make the top ten in the “quart beers” category. But it’s still one of my favorites because that empty bottle is full of memories—of summers at the lake apartment, bottle diving, building a collection, and Julius. 52
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Saltsburg Glass Company, 1880, Saltsburg, Pa. Postcard made from an early photograph of the glass works. Note the single furnace chimney.
Postcard correspondence from the Saltsburg Bottle Works Co., Limited dated 1902.
THE SALTSBURG GLASS WORKS by Jay W. Hawkins Tucked into the hills of western Pennsylvania is the small
town of Saltsburg, with a population of under 1,000 people. It would not surprise me if most readers have never heard of the town, much less know that it once had a fairly prosperous glass-making operation. Saltsburg, Pennsylvania is located in Indiana County along the Kiskiminetas River in the southwestern part of the state. The town lots were laid out and sold starting in 1817. The primary population was initially Scots-Irish, who came to the area in the late 1700s seeking new opportunities. The town derived its name from the salt-rich water found in springs and shallow wells in the area. The area’s main industry quickly became the production of salt derived from evaporating water pumped from local wells. In a short time, Saltsburg became a major salt producer in western Pennsylvania. In 1829, the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal came through Saltsburg on its way from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. The completion of the canal facilitated the transportation of the salt to Pittsburgh and other cities farther downriver. The canal remained operational from that point until the Western Pennsylvania Railroad Company completed tracks through the town in September 1864.
The fuel for the glassworks was natural gas (Walkenshaw, 1939), but it is unclear if they started as a gas-fired glassworks or were converted later. By 1885, the factory was converted to a black glass factory. They reportedly used a slate or “steatite” instead of sand to manufacture the black glass (Crockery & Glass Journal, June 25, 1885). The factory was put up for sale in January 1888. In 1889, James P. Watson became the main stockholder, leading director and treasurer in the new Saltsburg Glass Co. Watson and others bought the old Saltsburg Glass Co. and glass works in November of that year (Wiley, 1891). James Watson immediately enlarged the glassworks and made several other significant improvements to increase productivity. With Watson’s involvement, the Saltsburg Glass Co. began producing large volumes of prescription ware and a broad array of flint prescription bottles and ware with 75 employees. The glassworks employed 80 hands within one year, 21 of whom were skilled glassblowers (Leach, 1989).
In 1890, the name of the company operating the glassworks was called the Saltsburg Bottle Works Co., Ltd., and was listed as employing about 60 hands. The glassworks consisted of a single-furnace factory that fired a maximum of 10 pots. They also Handblown Saltsburg Nurser bottle. maintained Pittsburgh offices from at least 1890 In 1880, a new glass operation was started called through 1902. The name was changed again on the Saltsburg Glass Company, Ltd., which lasted September 11, 1903, with the incorporation of the Saltsburg Flint until 1890. About 1890, the company name changed to the SaltsBottle Co. At that time, they were employing 50 glass blowers. burg Bottle Works Company, Ltd., and remained so until 1903, when they became the Saltsburg Flint Glass Company. This name The factory was idled in 1906 and remained as such until 1907. The Tibby Brothers of Sharpsburg, near Pittsburgh, began operstayed as such until the Tibby Brothers from nearby Sharpsburg ating the factory in 1907 (Stephenson, 1989). It appears that the started operating the glass works. Tibby Brothers only briefly operated this factory, probably for less than one year. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector 54
[Above] SALTSBURG GLASS CO. LIMITED SALTSBURG PA. PATD SEPT 25TH 1883 embossed on the bottom of a black glass straight-sided bowl made from using slate in the glass batch. [Left] Saltsburg historical marker.
The Saltsburg glassworks specialized in the manufacture of flint glass prescription bottles. However, an updated catalog and price list for the Saltsburg Flint Bottle Co. showed that they also made cologne, perfume, toilet water and nursing bottles in flint glass. At one time, they also made condiment bottles, such as sauces and ketchups, and pressed utilitarian items in colored glass. They made a nursing bottle embossed the “SALTSBURG NURSER” on one side with volume graduations on the reverse. In January 1896, the Saltsburg Bottle Works Co. acquired the factory of Keystone Window Glass in Avonmore in addition to their Saltsburg operations. In 1900, they were listed as having a 14-pot flint bottle factory in McDonald, Pennsylvania, in addition to the 10-pot glass works in Saltsburg. By 1902, only the McDonald glassworks were still advertised in operation. The McDonald glassworks were operating through at least 1903. City directory listings for the operators were limited, but they were as follows listed for a four-year period: 1890: Saltsburg Bottling Works Co. Lim, office 97 Fourth Ave. rm. 15. , 1891: 97 Fourth Ave. rm. 9, 1892–1893: 121 Third Ave, rm. 517. The listings were under Vials and Bottles in 1890 and Flint Prescription glass 1890 to 1893.
Billhead for the Saltsburg Bottle Works Co., Limited from 1890.
S.B.W. mark is attributed to the Saltsburg Bottle Works. Photograph taken of the bottom of a rectangular druggist’s bottle.
January – February 2024
S.B.W. Co. for Saltsburg Bottle Works Co. embossed on base
Selected References: Crockery & Glass Journal, June 25, 1885. Hawkins, J. W., Glasshouses and Glass Manufacturers of the Pittsburgh Region 1795–1910, IUniverse Inc., Bloomington, IN, 584 p. Leach, S.A. ed., 1989, Two Historic Pennsylvania Canal Towns: Alexandria and Saltsburg, National Park Service, 263 p. Stephenson, C. D., 1989, Indiana County 175th Anniversary History, Volume II 1866–1888, The A.G. Halldin Publishing Co. Inc., Indiana, PA, 809 p. Walkinshaw, L. C., 1939, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Volume III, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY, 528 p. Wiley, S. T., 1891, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania, John M. Gresham & Co., Philadelphia, 636 p.
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FOHBC 2024 CLUB & MEMBER CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT
HOUSTON 2024
NATIONAL ANTIQUE BOTTLE & GLASS EXPO
Announced at the FOHBC Houston 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition!
AWA R D S
C - Newsletter Contest A T - Show Poster / Flyer Contest E G - Writer’s Contest O R I - Club Website Contest E S - Club Social Media Contest January – February 2024
Submission deadline is 01 June 2024 Get more information by contacting Elizabeth Meyer 713.504.0628 or fohbcmembers@gmail.com Download the applications by visiting FOHBC.org, scroll across the top to “Members,” scroll down to “FOHBC Club Contests” and left click. All winners and awards will be announced during the “Dine with the Dinosaurs Banquet” in the HMNS Hall of Paleontology at the FOHBC Houston 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition this coming 02 August 2024. You do not have to be present to win. Thanks and Good Luck!
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*Cry me a river? No, silly, Crimea-a-flask! Historical and off-the-wall notes by Ralph Finch
Beat the drums and wave the victory flags as we salute collector
John Ault, a happy warrior. John of Gravesend, England, is one of Europe’s major collectors of historic bottles. Always on the alert for a great find (or a new auction skirmish), in late November (a year or two ago), he claimed a new battle-field souvenir—with the only damage to his checking account. He sent this spirited report and photos from the front: “Another item ticked off my ‘wanted’ list, a Crimea War flask made at one of the London potteries and supplied by William Wenham, landlord of The Gun Tavern, 37 (now 83) Church Street, Croydon, Surrey, circa 1857.
be expensive, £3,214 including add-ons ($4,003 in U.S.), but cheaper than the last example that sold for £3,600 back in 2003. It is probably the UK’s most desirable stoneware flask, appeals to both bottle and militaria collectors.”
*Cry Me a River was written by Arthur Hamilton in 1953, popularized by Julie London in 1955, and recorded by many performers. And for Americans, a bit light in Crimea’s violent history: Florence Nightingale made her mark serving in this battle. And in The Charge of the Light Brigade, a 1936 film, Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland battled for fame.
“The Gun Tavern pub is now a restaurant, but in the past lived up to its name with several firearm-related incidents involving gangs. These spirit flasks were produced to mark the beginning and end of hostilities in the Crimean War and rarely appear on the open market. In fact, I’ve only seen three for sale in the last 30-plus years. This example is in superb condition, with clearly-struck lettering and deep moulding. Both sides depict soldiers of the alliance formed by the United Kingdom, France, Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia to defeat Russia.” Then, John said: “The immediate cause of the war involved the rights of Christian minorities in Palestine, which was part of the Ottoman Empire. The French promoted the rights of Roman Catholics, and Russia promoted those of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Longer-term causes involved the decline of the Ottoman Empire, the expansion of the Russian Empire in the preceding Russo-Turkish Wars, and the British and French preference to preserve the Ottoman Empire to maintain the balance of power in Europe and consolidate borders.” “Sadly, right up to the present time, the Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea is still subject to political tensions. The war was the first major conflict recorded by photography; probably the best known of the photographers was Roger Fenton, whose images are well documented and can be accessed on Google.” Later, John kindly added this information: “I knew it would 58
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[Right] On New Year’s Day in 1863, Private Charles W. Merrill hunkered down in his tent near Falmouth, Virginia, doing what soldiers do when not on duty: waiting. Outside, the weather was pleasant though cold; the wind blew raw. A soldier in the 19th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Merrill sat alone, pen in hand, writing to his brother. “Our fireplace is one of the greatest luxuries imaginable,” he said. “It is both company and comfort.” The Union regiment had not moved in three days, and the men had only three days of rations left. Merrill felt lonely, dreaming of home in West Newbury, Massachusetts, and wishing he could give each family member a “New Year’s present, even if it were a small one.” Merrill’s coat pocket held a New Testament Bible given to him by his pastor, the Reverend Davis Foster, on August 12, 1862, the day he departed to join the Union Army. He didn’t know it at the time, but the Bible would literally save his life, stopping a bullet from striking him and earning him the admiration of President Abraham Lincoln. – Smithsonian Magazine
[Right] “C. Alfs Charleston”
I don’t buy bottles. To me it’s not the same. It means so much for me to have done the research on the property, gotten the permission and finding the privy. I have only dug about a third of this privy and I have so much more to dig tomorrow and Saturday. When I am done, I am making it into a water feature for the owner. I will send some pictures of the finds – Mat Lomas
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[Above] While venturing through the remote jungle in the West Sumatra region
of Indonesia, conservationists discovered the largest flower bloom in the world. The species of flower is Rafflesia tuan-mudae, which is known for its massive, elusive blossoms that bloom for just one week at the end of the plant’s life span. It smells like a rotton corpse and attracts victims. – BBC
[Left Below] When archaeologist
Dr. Johan Reinhard discovered a cloth bundle high in the Peruvian Andes 28 years ago, he lifted the fabric and saw the “Ice Maiden.” The mummified remains of an Inca teenager, sacrificed and left near the summit of the dormant volcano Ampato about 500 years ago, were incredibly well-preserved by the mountain’s frigid conditions. Now, a team of archaeologists has used 3D scanning techniques and scientific analysis to recreate what she looked like before her untimely death. The reconstruction is part of a new exhibit at the Andean Sanctuaries Museum in Arequipa, Peru, that features what researchers currently know about the Ice Maiden and the symbolic artifacts buried with her remains. – National Geographic
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Lost & Found Houston 24 Expo
Read and see more in the FOHBC Virtual Museum.
[Right] Scientists say they’ve finally found remnants of Theia, an ancient planet
that collided with Earth to form the moon. Seismologists have recognized since the 1970s that two mysterious continent-sized blobs reside in the deepest part of Earth’s mantle, one under Africa and the other under the South Pacific region. These blobs, denser than the material surrounding them, may be relics from a cataclysm early in our planet’s history hypothesized to have spawned the moon. This giant impact, which recent research determined occurred more than 4.46 billion years ago, blasted molten rock into space that orbited Earth and coalesced into the moon. But chunks of Theia may have remained inside Earth, sinking to a location just above our planet’s wickedly hot spherical core of iron and nickel. – Photo by Reuters
[Left] Ancient gold objects dating back about 1,500
[Right] In 2019, a “Witch Bottle” was discovered in Watford, England. Contractors were demolishing a former pub and stumbled upon an unusual discovery in the chimney section of the building. This creepy, folklore surprise was an ink bottle, stuffed with an unidentified liquid, teeth, and small objects. The bottle was thought to date back to the 1800s. – Investing.com
years, which make up one of the biggest, most valuable, and most beautiful treasures in the history of Denmark, were recently discovered in the northern European country, the Museum Association of the City of Vejle announced. According to DPA, an amateur archaeologist discovered the 22 objects—most likely dating from the 5th century and weighing a total of 945 grams using a metal detector. The discovery was made near Jelling, which was once a thriving human settlement, and is now a major archaeological site in Denmark. The gold discovered consists mainly of beautifully decorated medallions but also includes some Roman coins, transformed into jewelry. Some pieces of ancient jewelry have runic motifs and inscriptions, which may refer to the rulers of the time, but also contain elements from Norse mythology. – VejleMuseerne
[Below] Among the bottles shared by Ken Edward at a recent 49er
Historical Bottle Club outing was a “T. B. Smith and Co.” Cathedral Pickle attributed to Mark Twain and dug from a property Twain rented in Sacramento after Twain moved. – Photo by Craig Cassetta
January – February 2024
[Right] Another “Witch Bottle” found in the same chimney with teeth, hair, urine remnants, bones and other objects. – Investing.com
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Member Photos
Read and see more in the FOHBC Virtual Museum.
A collection of spectacular and inspiring photographs from around the world and around the web. Please feel free to submit your images for consideration.
Houston 24 Expo
Pontiled Western Sodas – Clint Powell
Demijohns – Brian Bingham
Tennessee – Stanley Word
Bellarmine jug collection – John Ault
Some of the early American-made demijohns in various forms and colors. All have pontil bases. Circa 1840s to 1850s. – Dale Santos 64
Rookwood Pottery vase – Jerry McCann Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Member Photos
My lovely ladies – Mike Dickman
Dupont Masons – Anna Dodge
Mason’s cross – Anna Dodge
Citron green – Anna Dodge
Some blue glass “freshly caught” bottles – Mark Cavallaro
Display – John O’Neill Alloa Glass Works – Ralph & Janet Finch
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Classified Ads
ADVERTISE FOR FREE: Free advertising in each issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (AB&GC). One free “WANTED” or “FOR SALE” ad in AB&GC per year each renewal. See page 72 for more info. DEALERS: Sell your bottles in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector. Change the bottles each issue. Include your website in your ad to increase traffic to your site. Send all advertisement info to FOHBC Business Manager, Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423 or best, email to: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
FOR SALE FOR SALE: Mint: 1) Warner’s Safe Nervine half pt. slugplate. Light amber, $300 2) Warner’s Safe Cure London, half pint, green, $300 3) Warner’s Safe Kidney & Liver Cure. Pint, slugplate, A & D.H.C. on bottom, $250 4) Warner’s Diabetes Cure, pint. Melbourne, $150 5) Dr. Von Hopfs Curacoa Bitters, Chamberlain & Co., Des Moines, Iowa, yellow, $175. I have a lot more Warner’s for sale. Will trade for mini whiskey jugs. Stencil or scratch with maker and town and city on them. Jack Brower, 319.330.1237, DadJLBrow@gmail.com 01/24 For Sale: “F.A. Conants Mineral Water New Orleans.” Aqua, donut top, tubular pontil. Excellent condition. $5,500 or will trade for “W. & Co. N.Y.” green figural Pineapple Bitters or blue “J. Dinets Chicago,” six-sided ten-pin soda. Condition must be the same. tsaugustyn@ gmail.com or call 352.368.2129. Tony 01/24 FOR SALE: Book: A History of the Des Moines Potteries, with additional information on Boonesboro, Carlisle, Hartford, and Palmyra. 214 pages, 65 color. Cost $23 plus shipping, media mail add $4.50, priority add $6. Mail to Mark C. Wiseman, 3505 Sheridan Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50310, 515.344.8333 01/24 FOR SALE: Quality bottles largely from the US, meticulously described and well-priced. Listings with images available on my High Desert Historic Bottle website at historicbottles.com. My email for contact noted on the website. Bill Lindsey, Chiloquin, Oregon. 11/26 FOR SALE: By author. New book © 2023. Bottles & Jugs of Central Montana. ISBN# 978-0-692-03800-0 includes Great Falls, Arlington, Belt, Bynum, Choteau, Conrad, Cut Bank, Monarch, Sand Coulee, Stanford, Shelby and Vaughn. Spiral Bound, 234 pages includes rarity ratings and index. 194 photos
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and stories on every bottle and jug. Published by Advanced Litho., Great Falls. $90 plus $10 postage. If purchased concurrently with Marvin Michelotti’s book Montana Milk Bottles © 2,000, price is $100 plus $10 postage. If you only desire Marvin’s book it is $17 plus $10 postage for a total of $27. Send check to Henry Thies, PO Box 1363, Cut Bank, Montana 59427, email bottlerx@ gmail.com, phone 406.873.2811. 03/24
WANTED WANTED: BLACK HAWK, COLORADO Th. Crook Sky Light whiskey flask. I will pay $10,000 for a half-pint coffin or a pint coffin or a pint shoofly. Flask must be in mint condition and delivered to Colorado. Other Black Hawk bottles might be of interest if not already owned. Contact: David D. Spellman at spellmand@centurylink.net 01/24 WANTED: Harley bottles of West Chester, Pa. and Philadelphia, Pa. The West Chester bottles (4) display either J. Harley, James Harley, Jas. Harley or E.M. Harley. The Phila. Bottles (4) display Edwd. Harley, Schul (Schuylkill) 4th & Market St., Philada. or E. Harley, 802 Market St. or E. Harley, West Market St. or Edw. Harley, 1838 Market St., Phila. Bob Harley, Phone 215.721.1107. Email: rwh220@Yahoo.com 11/24 WANTED: Colored Figural Bitters. Also other bitters that are unusually shaped or unusually colored, for their grouping! Mint specimens only please! Randolph Haumann, 10410 Gold Arrow Drive, Reno, Nevada 89521-5190 or cell 415.518.4124 (leave message) or email: hawkeye751@ outlook.com, Call Now! So you are not sorry...Later! 11/24 WANTED: Hobble skirt embossed Coca-Cola bottles: 1915s, 1923s, D-Patent’s 6 oz and 6 1/2 oz. Collector will buy or trade. Jim Georges, georges77@twcny.rr.com or 315.662.7729. 07/24 WANTED: OWL DRUG bottles, tins, boxes, paper, anything from the Owl Drug Company. Marc Lutsko, letsgo@montanasky.net, 406.291.0861, Box 97, Libby, Montana 59923 TOP DOLLAR paid. 01/24
WANTED: Exposition Brewing Co. Delray (Detroit) Mich Beer, blob tops 12 oz amber or aqua or quart size amber – American Brewing Co. Delray Mich, blob tops 12 oz. amber, aqua or clear or quart size amber. Also Geo. H. Schmitt Delray Hutchinsons, quarts, blob tops or crown tops – Geo. H. Schmitt Delray Seltzer Water clear. Rick Myers, 313.742.8668. 1/24
WELCOME TO THE FOHBC We welcome the following new members to the FOHBC: Philip Betancourt, Chris Bonner, David J. Correira, Mark Davis, Jeff Doyle, Clarence & Beth Francis, Adam German, Michael Larson, Kevin Meads, Willard Miller, Ron Neep III, Alan Sargeant, Jeff Schlager, Jon St. Clair, Robert Susbury, Roger Thompson Jr., Nicole Tuck, Jeff Walston, Kenneth Werner and Catherine Woodard.
VOLUNTEERS The FOHBC is looking for help and volunteer work for the many projects and initiatives of the organization. This includes a mid-atlantic imager for the Virtual Museum, a Merchandise Director, researchers for the Virtual Museum, Houston 24 volunteers, local and regional show reporters, help with advertising and sales, online Zoom Webinar presenters and AB&GC writers.
American Antique Glass Masterpieces E X H I B I T I O N In conjunction with the
FOH BC 2024 H OU ST ON
National Antique Bottle & Glass Expo
01-04 August 2024
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A major, museum exhibition showcasing the Sandor P. Fuss collection plus “Special” Appearances from three major collections! Exhibition Catalogue Available.
A MER ICA N A N T IQUE G LA SS MASTERPIECES A major museum exhibition showcasing the Sandor P. Fuss Collection
INFO FOHBC.org
See the famous three blue figural bitters bottles “Together Again” at Houston 2024. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Searching for this beer bottle!
WANTED: Anything to do with
J.B. HANKINSON / U.N.X.L.D. / BOTTLER / FREEHOLD, N.J.
Dr. E. R. Clarke from Sharon, Mass.
This bottle has sentimental value to my partner. He’s not much of a bottle collector, but he found this bottle buried in the backyard of his childhood home, with his father, who has since gone to heaven. His last name is Hankinson, so it was a very interesting coincidence. It would be a wonderful gift to him, as the bottle has so much sentimental value. The original one he had was broken in a move, and he is still sad about it to this day. I was hoping that someone would sell an example to me.
All bottle sizes and variants, labeled or unlabeled, pontiled or unpontiled plus any related ephemera such as advertising, billheads and historical information. Charlie Martin Jr. 781.248.8620 cemartinjr@comcast.net
KAITLYN HENDERSON khenderson567@gmail.com
January – February 2024
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Sho-Biz Calendar of Shows FOHBC Sho - Biz is published in the interest of the hobby. Federation-affiliated clubs are indicated in red. Information on upcoming collecting events is welcome, but space is limited. Please send at least three months in advance, including telephone number to: FOHBC Sho-Biz, c/o Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; phone: 713.504.0628; email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Show schedules are subject to change. Please call before traveling long distances. All listings published here will also be published on the FOHBC.org website.
FOHBC Member Clubs: Please request event insurance coverage at least two months before your event. Email fohbcmembers@gmail.com. Put “Show Insurance” in subject line. 05 & 06 January 2024 – Houston, Texas 55 Years Strong! The Houston Bottle, Advertising & Collectibles Show, Saturday, 06 January, 2024, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel, 3000 N Loop W. Freeway, Houston, Texas 77040, 610 North Loop–East. West, TC Jester Exit. Early Admission Friday, 05 January 2024, 1:00 to 8 pm, $10 per person, free admission Saturday, For show and table information, contact Barbara J. Puckett, 907 W. Temple, Houston, Texas 77009, (h) 713.862.1690 or cell 713.409.9940, email: Bpuckett77009@ yahoo.com 07 January 2024 – Taunton, Massachusetts Little Rhody Bottle Club Show, Taunton Inn, formerly Clarion Hotel. Exit#25 off Route #495, 700 Myles Standish Blvd., Early Admission $15 at 8 am. General Admission $4 at 9 am. Times 8 am to 2:00 pm. Contact Bill or Linda Rose, sierramadre@comcast.net or 508.880.4929, FOHBC Member Club 18–20 January 2024 – Muncie, Indiana Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club presents the 2024 Convention! Located at Courtyard by Marriott & Horizons Convention Center (401 S. High St., Muncie, Indiana) 52nd Annual Rendezvous Non-Stop 3-Day Event, Dealers & Collectors Get Together at Hotel. Swapping Jars. Swapping Stories. Culminating at the Show With Over 80 Tables, Thursday, Jan 18. Room-to-Room Sales, Hospitality Suite, Seminars/Tours, Friday, Jan 19, Club Meetings, Show & Tell, Auction, Saturday, Jan 20, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Free Appraisals, $2 Admission, Details at fruitjar.org. Special Hotel Rate is $119 per night. 765.287.8550, $40/First Table & $35 for Additional Table montyfoust@comcast.net 765.635.4626 20 January 2024 – Jackson, Mississippi 39th Annual Mississippi Antique Bottle, Advertising & Collectible Show, Free admission. Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; Mississippi Fairgrounds Trade Mart Building, 1207 Mississippi St., Jackson, Mississippi, Contact Cheryl Comans, 1211 S. Fifth Ave., Cleveland, Mississippi 38732, 601.218.3505, cherylcomans@gmail. com, FOHBC Member Club 26 & 27 January 2024 – Anderson, California 47th Annual Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale. Open to the public Sat. from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. FREE ADMISSION. Dealer set-up Friday afternoon from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Early lookers same time for $10. Shasta District Fairgrounds, Fusaro Hall, Anderson, California. Contact Ralph Hollibaugh (Sales & Information) 530.306.5872 or Mike Rouse (Information Only) 530.249.1708, FOHBC Member Club 04 February 2024 – Waukesha, Wisconsin 51st Annual Milwaukee Antique Bottle and Advertising Show, Sunday, February 4, 2024, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, $6 admission. Early admission at 8:00 a.m. is $20. 140 sales tables of bottles, breweriana, and advertising. Door prizes. Waukesha County Expo Center, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188. Directions: I-94 exit 294 (Hwy J), then south to Northview Road. For
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further information: mabacshow@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 16 & 17 February 2024 – Round Rock, Texas 7th Annual Central Texas Bottle, Jar, Insulator, Pottery/ Stoneware, Breweriana, Advertising and Collectibles Show, Saturday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; Dealer set-up: Friday, 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Early Bird $10 at 3:00 pm Friday. General Admission: Free. Old Settlers Park Events Center, 33oo E Palm Valley Blvd. (E. US 79), Round Rock, Texas 78665. Contact: Brad Weber, 512.909.8551, webe992@gmail.com 16 & 17 February 2024 – Aurora, Oregon Oregon Bottle Collectors Assoc. Bottle, Antique & Collectibles Show & Sale, Friday 12 to 5:00 pm dealer set-up and early bird admission $5, Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm regular public admission by donation, Show Address, American Legion Hall, 21510 Main St. N.E., Aurora, Oregon, Contact Info: Wayne Herring, Show Chairman, 503.864.2009, Bill Bogynska, 503.657.1726, billbogy7@ gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club 16 & 17 February 2024 – Tampa, Florida Suncoast Antique Bottle Collectors Show & Sale at the Sons of Italy Hall, 3315 W. Lemon Street, Tampa, Florida 33609, February 16th Set-up & Early Buyers 1:00 to 6:00 pm, February 17th General Public 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Early Buyers $20, General Public Admission $3, Contact George Dueben, 727.393.8189 (h), 727.804.5957 (c) or Charlie Livingston at 813.244.6898, email mudfishy@aol.com, FOHBC Member Club 18 February 2024 – Columbus, Ohio The Central Ohio Antique Bottle Club’s 53rd Annual Show & Sale, Sunday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; early buyers 7:00 to 9:00 am, $20. Admission is $5, Doubletree Inn, 175 Hutchinson Avenue, Columbus, Ohio (I-270 & Rt. 23); Contact Rojer Moody, 740.703.4913, rtmoody@juno.com, or Brad Funk, 614.264.7846, bradfunk@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 23 & 24 February 2024 – Phoenix, Arizona The Phoenix Antiques, Bottles and Collectibles Club 41st Annual Show and Sale held at the North Phoenix Baptist Church, 5757 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85012. Friday 2:00 to 6:00 pm ($10 admission) and Saturday and 8:30 am to 3:30 pm ($3 admission). For more information contact Betty Hartnett, Show Chair, 602.317.4438, bettchem@cox.net. Visit the club website at phoenixantiquesclub.org, FOHBC Member Club 24 February 2024 – Kent, Washington Washington Bottle & Collectors Association Annual Show and Sale, Kent Commons Community Center, 525 Fourth Avenue N., Kent, Washington 98032. General Public Admission is Free, Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm; Early Admission is $10, 8:00 am to 10:00 am. Washington Bottle & Collectors Association (WBCA), Website: wabottleclub.org, Contact: Lisa Conners, lisa.g.conners@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club 24 February 2024 – Grand Rapids, Michigan The West Michigan Antique Bottle Club presents their 33rd Annual Antique Bottle Show & Sale, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm,
$3 admission cost. No early admission. Set-up 8:00 to 9:30 am. Fonger American Legion Post, 2327 Wilson, S.W., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49534, Contact Steve DeBoode, Show chair, 616.667.0214, thebottleguy@comcast.net, FOHBC Member Club 10 March 2024 – West Friendship, Maryland The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, baltimorebottleclub.org, Howard County Fairgrounds, Main Exhibition Hall, 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship, Maryland 21794, Contact Info: Shawn Peters, Show Director, 240.508.1032, BaltoMd_stoneware@outlook.com. For Contracts: Micah Dolina, mdolina@hotmail.com, FOHBC Member Club 15 & 16 March 2024 – Dalton, Georgia Chattanooga North Georgia Antique Bottles & Advertising Show, Dalton Convention Center, 2211 Tony Ingle Pkwy, Dalton, Georgia 30720 (Exit 333 off I-75). Concessions available. Early Buyers Friday: 1:00 to 6:00 pm and Saturday 8:00 to 9:00 am ($20). Admission Free Saturday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Parking is free. Show Chairmen: Jason Herron 205.913.9748 and Buddy Lasater 423.718.3521. FOHBC Member Club 17 March 2024 – St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis 54th Annual Antique Bottle & Jar Show; Orlando Gardens, 4300 Hoffmeister Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63125. General Admission is $3 from 9 am to 2 pm; Set-up 7 am to 9 am. Children free. Contact: St Louis Antique Bottle Collectors Assn., Pat Jett (show chair), 71 Outlook Drive, Hillsboro, Missouri 63050, 314.570.6917, patsy_jett@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 23 March 2024 – Daphne, Alabama The Mobile Bottle Collectors Club’s 51st Annual Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Daphne Civic Center, 2603 US Hwy 98, Daphne, Alabama 36526. Free Admission and Bottle Appraisals. Dealer Setup is Friday, March 22, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. For more information, contact Rod Vining at 251.957.6725, Email: vinewood@mchsi.com or Facebook: “Mobile Bottle Collector’s Club Show & Sale.” See Sales Table Application and Contract on website, FOHBC Member Club 24 March 2024 – Somers, Connecticut 53rd Annual Somers Antique Bottle Club’s Antique Bottle Show and Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm., Admission $5, Early buyers: 8:00 am – $15. Joanna’s Restaurant, 145 Main St., Rte 190, Somers, Connecticut. Contact: Don Desjardins, 22 Anderson Road, Ware, Massachusetts 01082, 413.967.4431 or 413.687,4808, dondes@comcast.net, FOHBC Member Club 05 & 06 April 2024 – Reddick, Florida The Deland Antique Bottle Show at Turkey Creek, Saturday, 06 April, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Friday, 05 April, Early Buyers $20 and Dealer Set-up 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. FREE admission Saturday, Turkey Creek Auctions Building, 15323 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick, Florida 32686; Contact Ronnie McCormick, 352.262.8672, oldflabottles@ gmail.com or Louise O’Quinn, 386.943.2766, edlouise210@gmail. com, FOHBC Member Club
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Sho-Biz Calendar of Shows
07 April 2024 – Hutchinson, Kansas The 17th Annual Kansas Territory Bottle & Post Card Show & Sale, General Admission: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Kansas State Fairgrounds, Pride of Kansas Building, 2000 N. Poplar Street, Hutchinson, Kansas, Info: Mike McJunkin, 620.728.8304, scarleits@ cox.net or Mark Law, 785.224.4836, kansasbottles@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club 14 April 2024 – Bloomington, Minnesota North Star Historical Bottle Association Presents its 52nd Annual Antique Bottle, Advertising, and Stoneware Show and Sale, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Knights of Columbus Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. West, Bloomington, Minnesota 55420. Info: 651.271-3423, AKonitzer1@gmail.com or 952.221.0915, steve@antiquebottledepot.com, FOHBC Member Club 14 April 2024 – Pickering, Ontario 28th Annual Toronto Bottle and Antique Show and Sale, Chestnut Hill Recreational Complex, 1867 Valley Farm Road, Pickering, Ontario L1V 6K7 (just east of Toronto), Sunday 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, Early admission not available. Set up: 7:00 am to 10 am same day. Cost of admission: $5, Four Seasons Bottle Club on Facebook, Contact: Jon Matheson, Vice President, 251 Rambler Court, Oakville, Ontario L6H 3A6, Tele: 905.875.7778, E-mail: jwmatheson1@gmail.com, Four Seasons Bottle Club 19 & 20 April 2024 – Antioch, California The Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society’s 56th Annual Bottles, Antiques & Collectibles Show & Sale, Early Buyers: Friday 12 pm to 5 pm, $10 Admission; General Admission: Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free. Contra Costa Event Park (Fairgrounds), Sunset Hall, 1201 West 10th Street, Antioch, California 94509. Info: Gary and Darla Antone, 925.373.6758, packrat49er@netscape.net, FOHBC Member Club 20 April 2024 – Columbia, South Carolina The South Carolina Bottle Club’s 51st Annual Show & Sale, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, 172 tables last year with room to grow! Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Donation at the door suggested, Dealer Only Set-Up 7:00 am to 9:00 am, Jamil Shrine Temple, Contact: Marty Vollmer 803.629.8553, martyvollmer@aol.com or Art Gose 803.840.1539, scbottlehunters@ gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club 28 April 2024 – Rochester, New York 53rd Annual Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association’s (GVBCA) Rochester Bottle & Antique Show, Roberts Wesleyan University, Voller Athletic Center, 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, New York 14624, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Admission $5. 17 and Under FREE, Show and Dealer Inquires: Aaron and Pamela Weber, gvbca@frontiernet.net, 585.749.8874. FOHBC Member Club 04 May 2024 – Gray, Tennessee State of Franklin Antique Bottles & Collectible Assoc. 26th Annual Show & Sale, Saturday, May 4th, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Appalachian Fairground, 100 Lakeview Street, Gray, Tennessee 37615, Exit 13 on I-216, No Early Admission. Contact Kenneth Depew, President, 4017 Rick Slaughter Ct., Kingsport, Tennessee 37660,
January – February 2024
423.817.3298, kenshell@chartertn.net, sfabca.com, FOHBC Member Club 05 May 2024 – Morgantown, West Virginia 7th Annual Dunkard Valley Antiques and Collectibles Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; Early buyers 7:30 am, $20. Both inside and outside vendor spaces are available! At Milan Park. Monongalia Center, 270 Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown, WV 26501, Contact: Don Kelley, 724.998.2734, bonzeyekelley@gmail.com 11 May 2024 – Gardendale, Alabama 4th Annual Alabama Bottle & Antique Show, Saturday, May 11, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm; Free Admission and Appraisals. Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main Street, Gardendale, Alabama 35071 (10 minutes north of Birmingham). Info: Keith Quinn: 205.365.1983, klq1812@gmail.com or Steve Holland, 205.492.6864. Visit our Facebook page Alabama Bottle Collectors’ Society. FOHBC Member Club 17 & 18 May 2024 – Bellville, Ohio The National Association of Milk Bottle Collectors (NAMBC) will hold its annual convention for milk bottle enthusiasts from throughout the United States who will gather to buy, sell, and trade bottles and other dairy memorabilia while socializing with fellow collectors. The 2-day event includes exhibits, an auction, an awards banquet, an ice cream social, and several educational seminars. The event has a 40-year history which is testimony to its continuing popularity. This year’s convention will take place on May 17 & 18, 2024 at the Quality Inn & Suites in Bellville, Ohio. 19 May 2024 – Washington, Pennsylvania Washington County Antique Bottle Club 50th Annual Show and Sale, Alpine Star Lodge, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington, Pennsylvania 15301, Admission $3, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Early admission $25 at 7:30 am. Info: Ed Kuskie, 412.405.9061, 352 Pineview Drive, Elizabeth, Pennsylvania 15037, bottlewizard@ comcasat.net, FOHBC Member Club 08 June 2024 – Cambridge City, Indiana 10th Annual Cambridge City Jar & Antique Show, Creitz Park, 150 North Foote Street, Cambridge City, Indiana, Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Set up at 7:00 am. Contact Marty Troxell, 765.478.3800, doublehead@myfrontiermail.com. Also, contact Marty on Facebook Ball Jar Collectors if you prefer. FOHBC Member Club
dealers even if you are not setting up at Hotel ZaZa. $25 gate fee for “Dealer”vehicles only. All guests free. Relax, mingle and wander under the many large pecan trees surrounding the hay field. First come-first choice in dealer location. The temperature on the lower Brazos River plains is typically pleasant during summer hours of the event. Breakfast catered. Please contact Ferdinand Meyer V, fmeyer@fmgdesign.com for information. FOHBC National Event 01 August to 04 August 2024 – Houston, Texas FOHBC 2024 Houston National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition hosted by the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. Brought to you by Peachridge Collections LLC. Host Hotel: Hotel Zaza Museum District. Featuring American Antique Glass Masterpieces and the David P. Wilber and Anthony Gugliotti Collections. Antique Bottle and Glass Show & Sale at Hotel ZaZa. Visit FOHBC.org or contact Ferdinand Meyer V, fmeyer@fmgdesign.com for information. FOHBC National Event 08 September 2024 – Pekin, Illinois Pekin Bottle Collectors Assoc. 54th Antique Bottle Collectors Annual Show & Sale, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Admission $2, Free Appraisals, Moose Lodge, 2605 Broadway Street, Pekin, Illinois, Contact Info: Daryl Weseloh, 309.264.9268, darylweseloh@gmail. com, FOHBC Member Club 25 & 26 October 2024 – Nashville, Tennessee Area Tennessee Bottle Collectors Presents their Nashville Area Antique Bottle & Advertising Show, Wilson County Fairgrounds, 945 E. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087, Behind Expo Center, I-40 Exit 239B, Friday 1:30 to 6:00 pm Early Buyer $15 Admission, Saturday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Free Admission. Dealer Set-up: Friday: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday: 7:00 am. For Show Info or Vendor Contract, Contact Show Chairmen Greg Eaton: at 865.548.3176 or Stanley Word at 615.708.6634, FOHBC Member Club
01 - 04 August 2024
SOUVENIR PROGRAM
19-21 July 2024 – Tonopah, Nevada Second Tonopah Nevada Rock & Bottle Show. 301 Brougher Ave., Tonopah, Nevada 89049. Cost of admission: $1. Early admission: $20. This event is Hosted by the Town of Tonopah. We are in search of vendors. If interested, please contact Chrissy Pope. Tourism & Events Coordinator, Town of Tonopah at 775.277.0804, Chrissy. townoftonopah@gmail.com 31 July 2024 – Brookshire, Texas Houston 24 Peachridge Glass “Glass in the Grass” Sell antique bottles, glass, advertising and related antiques from the back of your vehicle or from under a self-provided tent at “Glass in the Grass.” $25 for “Sellers” with vehicles. Open to all antique bottle
Support the FOHBC by advertising in the FOHBC Houston 2024 Souvenir Program. Contact Ferdinand at fmeyer@fmgdesign.com
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THE AUSTRALIAN
BOTTLE & COLLECTABLES REVIEW
For all the latest THE AUSTRALIAN BOTTLE & Australian news! COLLECTABLES REVIEW
Quarterly publication of 36 pages. Many of the consumable goods in 19th century Australia were supplied by both England and the United States, resulting in some nice bottles of U. S. origin having been found in Australia.
January-March, 2023
$65 per year.
PayPal: abcr@bigpond.com
Email: travisdunn@bigpond.com
ABCR Auctions often offers items of U. S. interest, such as these upcoming items to the left. Also operated by Travis Dunn, this auction can be found at: Untitled-1 1
9/01/2023 9:28:54 PM
www.abcrauctions.com
Auctions run every three months. Email: info@abcrauctions.com Free to register. Low commissions. Reliable condition assessments.
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FOHBC Advert.indd 1
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
23/03/2023 4:49:55 PM
Membership Benefits & Display Advertising Rates The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) is a non-profit organization supporting antique bottle and glass collecting. The goal of the FOHBC is to promote the collection, study, preservation and display of historical bottles and related artifacts and to share this information with other collectors and individuals. Membership is open to any individual, club or institution interested in the enjoyment and study of antique bottles and glass. Membership benefits include: –Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (AB&GC), the official publication of FOHBC and the leading publication for those interested in antique bottle and glass collecting and all associated ephemera. Annual subscription includes 6 issues (bi-monthly) of this all-color, 72-page plus covers publication. (Digital memberships also available.) –Free classified advertising in AB&GC. Ads may be up to 100 words for items of $25 or greater value; and one free ad of 60 words each year For Sale, Wanted, or For Trade. (Restrictions apply and free ads are limited to the first received for available space.) Ads appear on the FOHBC website also. See page 72. –FOHBC.org, a comprehensive website dedicated to the organization and hobby, providing access through the Members Portal to the latest news in the collecting world, Membership Directory, archived magazine issues, indexed articles, Federation meeting minutes and announcements, and a vast assortment of research material. –Virtual Museum of Historical Bottles and Glass, the most comprehensive antique bottle and glass experience on the Internet. Spinning images of museum-quality examples of antique bottles and glass, including well-researched history of the manufacture, distribution, and use of each item. –Auction Price Report, an online resource which includes the sale price and description of anything auctioned by the top antique bottle and glass auction houses in the past decade. Easy to use. Updated annually. (Password protected.) –National Shows and Conventions, featuring displays, educational seminars, membership meetings, social events, and banquet with interesting speakers, all centered around a first-class sale event. Members are eligible for discounts on “Early Admission” or table rental. –Newsletter, digital presentation of periodic postings to keep FOHBC members up to date on current issues affecting the hobby. Affiliated Bottle Club Membership brings these additional benefits to your group: –Federation-sponsored Insurance Program for your show and any other club-sponsored activities. (Application required for each event.) Value of this is many times more than the cost of club membership. –Club Display Ad in AB&GC at discount of 50%. –Free Club Show Ad on the Federation website to increase your show’s exposure. –Free Links to Club Website; Social Media (Facebook) exposure. –Free Federation Ribbons for Best in Show and Most Educational display at your show. For more information, questions, or to join the FOHBC, please contact: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; phone: 713.504.0628 or email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com. Visit us at FOHBC.org January – February 2024
Where there’s a will there’s a way to leave Donations to the FOHBC
Did you know the FOHBC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization? How does that affect you? It allows tax deductions for any and all donations to the FOHBC. You might also consider a bequest in your will to the FOHBC. This could be a certain amount of money or part or all of your bottle collection. The appraised value of your collection would be able to be deducted from your taxes. (This is not legal advice, please consult an attorney.) The same-type wording could be used for bequeathing your collection or part of it; however, before donating your collection (or part of it), you would need the collection appraised by a professional appraiser with knowledge of bottles and their market values. This is the amount that would be tax deductible. Thank you for considering the FOHBC in your donation plans. 71
Membership Application, Classified Advertising & Article Submission
FOHBC Individual Membership Application For Membership, complete the following application or sign up at FOHBC.org (Please Print)
Name_________________________________ Address________________________________ City __________ State___________________ Zip ___________ Country _________________ Telephone_______________________________ Email Address_____________________________ Collecting Interests ________________________ ____________________________________
Do you wish to be listed in the online membership directory?(name, address, phone number, email address and what you collect) { } Yes { } No Would you be interested in serving as an officer? { } Yes { } No
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector Free Ads Category: “WANTED” Maximum - 60 words Limit - One free ad per current membership year. OR Category: “FOR SALE” Maximum - 100 words Limit - 1 ad per issue. (Use extra paper if necessary.)
Would you be interested in contributing your bottle knowledge by writing articles for our magazine? { } Yes { } No Would you be interested in volunteering
Additional Comments _______________________ to help on any FOHBC projects? { } Yes ____________________________________ { } No Membership/Subscription rates for one year (6 issues) (Circle One) (All First Class sent in a protected mailer)
United States
- Standard Mail - Standard Mail w/Associate* - Standard Mail 3 years - Standard Mail 3 years w/Associate* Digital Membership (electronic files only)
$40 $45 $110 $125 $25
1st Class $55 1st Class w/Associate $60 1st Class 3 years $125 1st Class 3 yrs w/Assoc. $140
Canada – First Class $60 Other countries – First Class $80
- Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, includes all benefits of a Standard 1st
Class membership. No promise of a printed magazine for life. - Level 2: $500, includes all benefits of a regular membership but you will not receive a printed magazine, but rather a digital subscription.
Add an Associate Membership* to any of the above at $5 for each Associate for each year.
Associate Member Name(s) __________________________________
*Associate Membership is available to members of the immediate family of any adult holding an Individual Membership. Children age 21 or older must have their own individual membership. Associate Members enjoy all of the rights and privileges of an Individual Membership.
Signature ______________________________ Date _______________ Please make checks or money orders payable to FOHBC and mail to: FOHBC Membership, Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, Phone: 713.504.0628 Email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
Affiliated Club Membership for only $75 with liability insurance for all club-sponsored events, 50% discount on advertising in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, plus so much more, Contact: FOHBC Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, PO Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423, 713.504.0628, fohbcmembers@ gmail.com 72
Clearly Print or Type Your Ad Send to: FOHBC Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, P.O. Box 1825, Brookshire, Texas 77423; phone: 713.504.0628; or better yet, email Elizabeth at: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
Magazine Submission Requirements: We welcome the submission of articles and related pictures pertaining to antique bottle and early glass collecting, our hobby, digging, diving, and finding, as well as other interesting stories.
SUBMISSION POLICY—Articles: All Antique Bottle & Glass Collector articles or material needs to be submitted via an FTP site, email or hard copy. Electronic text files should be in Microsoft Word. Electronic photo files should be in JPEG, TIFF or EPS format. Resolution of 300 dpi at actual publication size is preferred but as low as 150 dpi (at double publication size) is acceptable.
SUBMISSION POLICY—Classified ads: All ad copy should be typewritten, clearly & legibly printed, or sent via e-mail. The FOHBC will not be responsible for errors in an ad due to poor quality, illegible copy. The FOHBC reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Please send articles/images to fmeyer@fmgdesign.com or mail to business manager noted on bottom of previous column.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
“King Tut’s Tomb Discovery Experience” and the “American Antique Glass Masterpieces” Exhibition
01-04 August 2024
INFORMATION
FOHBC.org
FOHBC c/o Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager P.O. Box 1825 Brookshire, Texas 77423
FOHBC Member. Please check your mailing address and subscription status above and notify us of any corrections.
Don’t miss one issue of AB&GC. Keep your FOHBC membership up to date!
Visit us at FOHBC.org