Thirty years ago we purchased a 1903 farmhouse and start what would become the never-ending journey towards restoration. Little did we realize that as we worked our way through this process we would discover pieces of our home’s history. We found early 1900s newspapers in the attic, half or a late 1800s child’s shoe wedged in a tree and as we excavated the yard to build our garage, a large number of old bottles.
Antique bottles from 1850-1930 abound in the yards and fields of Indiana. Some are commonplace and worth only a few dollars while others can be worth hundreds, but all of them are a small piece of history that you won’t want to overlook.
Collectible bottles break down into four basic categories: Machine-made bottles (these are easy to spot as the seam will run all the way up the bottle and over the lip), mouth blown bottles, which will have a pontil mark on the bottom where it was attached to the glass blower’s pontil rod, and two forms of molded bottles: 3-mold and blown-in-mold.
The weight, shape, and density of a bottle hold many clues to its original use. For example, perfume bottles were intended for one-time use and will be made of thinner glass than soda or mineral water bottles that were intended for reuse. It is not unusual to find very old bottles that have held soda pop, mineral water and beer during their lifetime. Some of these were marked “THIS BOTTLE IS NEVER SOLD” to clarify to the “renter” that he was purchasing the content, but the bottle was considered the property of the manufacturer.
A bottle’s color can greatly affect its value. While clear-colored bottles are considered common and of minimal value, if you happen upon a clear embossed poison bottle, you are holding a rare specimen. Somewhere in the basement most of us have a few clear or aqua canning jars. But check again, because if you have a purple, amber or black jar, it can be of considerable value. Historic flasks are a nice find and an aqua one in good condition is worth $40-$60. Find the same flask in amber or cobalt blue and you may be looking at a bottle worth $500+.
Figural bottles from violins to pigs are highly sought by collectors. Be on the lookout for figural whiskey bottles (“nips”) from the early 1900s. Purchased from the Sears and Roebuck Catalog, these were given out for promotional purposes filled with 3-4 shots of drink at local taverns. They will be 2-3 inches wide and 3-7 inches high, although some multi-color 10 inch examples have surfaced.
Bottles are collected by their manufacturer, area of origin, color and a number of categories including: dairy bottles, soda bottles, ink or perfume bottles, medicine bottles, liquor and beer bottles, and snuff bottles. Whatever your passion, there are eight points to consider in determining value: rarity, condition, age, color, esthetic appeal, embossing, size and historic significance.
Beware of reproduction bottles flooding the market. At first glance these can confuse even a seasoned collector with their hand-finished surfaces, “aged” labels and simulated early 1900s script. To make certain an antique bottle you are considering for purchase is authentic, always work with a reputable dealer who is trained in this area of collecting. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com
