Tilling your garden, removing a tree stump or laying the foundation for a garage? Before you start digging, you should know that there may be treasures hidden just below the surface of the ground that can add up to some serious cash.
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 $100’s, 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 it’s 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 effect it’s 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 that may be worth $1,000+.
Condition is a major consideration in valuing antique bottles. The original box, wrapping, label and contents will add to the value of a bottle. On the flip side, your bottle will be greatly decreased in value if chips, cracks or stains are present.
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.
Familiarizing yourself with the four eras of production will help you to determine age. The Open Pontil was made from 1600-1855, the Iron Pontil 1840-1865, Smooth-based bottles were made from just after the Civil War till 1917 and automatic machine bottles (ABM) were produced from 1914-present.
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.
So, are you ready for a little subterranean sleuthing? Grab a shovel and let’s go! Until next time . . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidator specializing in down-sizing for senior and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com