Glenn Poch's Bottle Collecting Newsletter 2

                                           March 1, 1995

We have our own usenet now, for the discussion of bottles and glass.  It
can be found under alt.ccds    (choice collecting & diggers society)


COLLECTORS BEWARE OF THE FOLLOWING BOTTLES:

Dutch Onion Bottles (olive-green) short squat wine bottles, usually made
between 1650-1750 with pontil.  These are now being reproduced, they look
new, any bottle in pristine condition beware of, I hear they are pretty
good reproductions.

Fruit Jars: plain jars are being color "inhanced" by Gamma Ray's -
turning ordinary ball jars in aqua $2 to blue jars $200+, this is being
done by a person who labels them color enhanced but these labels are
usually removed.  The colors all vary -as they don't know what color
the jars will turn out when finsihed.  These are extremely difficult to
tell since they were orginal old jars, best advice: if the color just
dosn't look right and the price is too cheap beware.


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Uncommon Bottles: (don't pass em' up)-

Fire Grenades: these bottles were designed to be destroyed in the case of
a fire, most common colors are cobalt, greens, amber, and clears.  They
usually have bands or quilting on them and are embossed with the
manufactures name (i.e. Harden's (star) hand fire extinguisher) this by
the way is the easiest to find and sells for about $75-+ with the rare
colors in the hundreds.  They are usually about 6-8" high with a narrow
neck and a round (rect) body, can be filled and sealed or empty.  Good
grenades can cost upwards of $2000-

Witch Balls: unlike floats these glass balls have a opening at the top
from 1/4" to 1 1/4" wide, they come in a variety of single colors, or
may have white loopings, swirls, speckels etc. usually around 3"-5"
circum.  Sell for as little as $25- to $1,000 (best specimin)        

Target Balls: like a witch ball, only smaller and has a little opening
with a small neck, they usually are colored - blue, green, lavender,
amber, and rarely clear.  have raised crisscross or bands with embossing
of manufacture. $65-2000+, used as target practice they were made to be
destroyed.

 had a question concerning Ravenna,

RAVENNA GLASS WORKS: (1857(51)-1880)
this glassmaking factory may have begun as early as 1851, the company
purchased three pieces of land that comprised more than four acres.  The
location was in the township of Franklin Ohio, now (Kent). Because of
lawsuits the factory was sold to many owners between 1860-1863 John and
George Forder, George Massenger and then incorporated in the late 1860's by
F.W.Coffin, George Robinson, D.C. Coolman, H.H. Stevens and J.B. Horton. and
then purchased by the Diamond Glass Works.  The company at this time
produced bottles, window glass and made the double-stength windows for
the Ohio building in the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. 
According to Van Rensselaer the sand used was taken from Sandy Lake (3
miles SE of Ravenna and hauled by wagons), only a few flasks were marked
by this glass company: american eagle-ancor, traveler's companion, plain
"Ravenna/Glass/Works":attributed bottles: jenny lind, pike's peak,
hunter-pikes' peak with embossing "E.Kauffeld".  A worker within the
factory was quoted for remembering packing:washington-taylor pint's,
calabash bottles with crossed pitchfork and rake, sheaf of rye and jenny
lind, union flasks and others!  This company may have started as the Seth
Day Glass Company.

Where to dig/find bottles:
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bottles turn up all over - farm houses, local auctions, under porches,
behind walls, basements, attics, old homes, flea markets, antique shops,
thrift shops, antique bottle shows (best spot to find them), and in the
ground.  When searching for a place to dig look at the surroundings and
ask yourself is this area likely to have been near where people used to
travel or live? is there a house foundation or a trash pit or privy
(outhouse)?  the best place to dig is in the trash pit or privy, it's a
good bet that a depression that sinks in the ground will likely yield
something.  While outhouse digging may seem strange and frightning you
must put it into context this was over a hundred years ago, and the
reward can certainly be worth it.  It was common practice to throw your
garbage into the privy or local trash pit,  the bottles found in the
privy will most likely be on the bottom (4'-15' deep) with the newer
bottles being closer to the surface.  The best diggin is in the east
where most of the glasshouses were first settled, the western states also
had an abundance of good diggin areas because of the gold rush of the
latter 19th century.  The midwest has still a large number of spots to
dig but the quality of the bottles are usually less valuable.

FOR SALE/WANT ADS:

Idaho bottles wanted!
Also, any western state bottles including WA, OR, NV, CO, NM, and Alaska.
We have many bottles to trade and some western bottles for sale as well.
E-mail to Dan Marks at dlmarks@u.washington.edu, or snail mail to Jay Marks
22904 53rd ave SE/ Bothell WA 98021.

For Sale: Philidelphia squat soda bottles, blue-green - emerald colors,
twichell, russell, g.m.f, and others (some pontil), cardinal ink
bottle igloo, amber cigar whiskey.  E-mail Glenn at
pochg@phk.nslsilus.org for more info.
  
Looking for: Figural Bitter Bottles, inks, perfumes (pontil), glass
whimseys (turtles,witch balls,pens), glass pigs - Glenn
    
Special: if anyone is interstead in bitter bottles, you can purchase my
book The collectors price guide to bitter bottles a to z, which is the
most comphrensive price guide to bitter bottles.  Pub price $24.95, will
sell to newsletter members for $12- + S.H. (2.00) 


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