Author Topic: Old Glass bottles?  (Read 1672 times)

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Offline AlbinoAlligator

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Old Glass bottles?
« on: May 27, 2007, 05:32:16 AM »
I have some land that is an old homestead. I do not have a metal detector, but I may get one just because of the  potential on my property. But I have found several piles of old glass bottles out in the woods. I have looked through them in the past, but I left them undisturbed. I wonder if anyone hear could give me some advice on what to do with them and how to know if there are worth anything. I know they are very fragile. I once  picked one up and tipped it upside-down to dump the water out, and it fell apart. Thanks in advance.
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: Old Glass bottles?
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2007, 10:06:47 AM »
There are books on glass collecting and you see a lot in most antique shops around this area. Mostly tho around here in antique shops they don't sell very well. You need to ID what they are or were to really determine a value I think. I pick up old bottles from time to time out in the woods. I found a few way back near my back property line and brought them to the house and cleaned them up to display on shelves.

Colored bottles I think are the most collectable in general with most anything blue or green having added value from what I've noticed. If they have water in them and it freezes in your area that likely has damaged them and that's most likely why that one fell apart.

I have no clue what exactly has value and how much but if you have a LOT and they are in pretty good condition I'd definitely look into a book on the subject and perhaps do some checking online for places that specialize in selling them.

I have a somewhat mild interest in such personally but it's limited to just picking up the old ones I find out in the woods and bringing them home. I've never paid for one altho some of the ones I've seen in antique shops have tempted me but their outrageous prices removed that temptation.


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Offline GRIMJIM

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Re: Old Glass bottles?
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2007, 02:21:58 PM »
Graybeard I'm with you, I've found bottles in the woods before and just display them on a shelf by a window in the living room. I think they have to have the original cork or cap and label to really be worth anything. I ain't no expert though.

Also I hunt on some private land and came across a couple of old glass bottles in a dried up creek bed. I took them home and cleaned them up and gave them to the farmer that lets me hunt his land.

He (well his wife) was very appreciative.
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Offline jdt48653

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Re: Old Glass bottles?
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2007, 04:07:52 PM »
did you see that gold &treasure show the other day,its on the travel channel.
they were locating old out house holes.in the old days people use to throw their bottles down them.
they used lime to dissolve the solid waste and it preserved the bottles.the guy on the show could
tell were the old sites were.they got a lot of different colored ones.

Offline AlbinoAlligator

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Re: Old Glass bottles?
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2007, 01:13:44 PM »
Yes, I seen that show to! I don't know if I want to work that hard for glass bottles, but it was a VERY interesting show for sure!!
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