Common Antique Bottles
This page lists some of the common bottles that we receive so many
questions about.
In some cases, there is a link to more info about the bottles.
When we state a bottle is worthless, what we mean is that the bottle
is deemed by bottle collectors to be either too common and/or undesirable,
such that we could put it for sale at $1 at a bottle show and noone would
buy it.
The bottles listed below fall under the "worthless" category except
where noted:
- Aspirin
- Atwood's Jaundice Bitters, though labeled examples and sample
sizes have some value.
- Avon
- Bromo-Seltzer
- Dr. W.B. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin
- California Fig Syrup
- Capudine
- Carbona
- Celery-Caffein
- Certo
- Chamberlain Colic Cholera and Diarrhea Remedy
- Clorox
- Citrate of Magnesia
- Dalby's Carminative
- Duffy Whiskey
- Edison Battery Oil
- Father John's Medicine, Lowell, Mass
- Frostilla
- Grolsch Beer
- I.W. Harper (whiskey)
- Heinz
- Hick's Capudine (a Raleigh NC product)
- Hoyt's Cologne
- Javex
- Jim Beam (click link for more info)
- Dr. Kennedy's Favorite Remedy
- Dr King's New Discovery for Colds
- Lea & Perrins
- Listerine
- Lydia Pinkham's Medicine
- Lysol
- Murray & Lanman Florida Water (unless labeled or pontilled)
- Mellin's Food
- Milk of Magnesia (any brand, including Phillip's)
- Minard's Liniment
- Pinex
- Dr. Pitcher's Castoria
- Pond's Extract
- Purex
- Sauer's Extract
- Scott's Emulsion (some bottles embossed with fish)
- Three-In-One Oil
- Vaseline
- Vick's
- Watkin's (usually furniture polish or some other household product)
- Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup (but the pontilled examples
are valuable).
General tips on identifying other common/worthless bottles:
- Any bottle with "WHEATON" on the base is a
reproduction.
- Medicine or whiskey bottles with no embossing and no label
are typically worthless unless they come in an unusual
color like citron or puce.
- Most screw cap bottles are worthless.
Noteable exceptions are White House and Speas Vinegar.