Questions - American Bottle Auctions

The following section has questions from our readers that maybe other readers can answer. Please use the form at the bottom of this page to ask, or respond to, a question.

the bottle has MINERAL BRUNNEN OUNDER EIFEL BIRRESBORN ON IT with a fancy N by the handle and it is clay and is handmade. Brown in color and the handle looks hand formed. Do you know about these bottles and are you interested in it?? Yellow bottle that looks like a cob of corn. Interested?? KIM

dear sirs I have a bottle here that looks like a beer bottle threaded top says george killionl litt the other side has est)d 1864 a number 23 on the bottom what is this worth

Hi . We have 3 old bottles. 2 look like whiskey and the other is an Old Style Lager embossed lettering bottle with the cork still in the bottom of the bottle. Can you please email me back and I will send you pictures of these to see if they are of any value. My boyfriend is a heavy equipment operator and he dug them up in Chicago where the old lumber yard used to be, Thanks Jill

I am visiting my mom and stepfather in Oklahoma and I am trying to help my Stepfather find the value of a bottle. It says Indianapolis Sesquicentennial, 500 Main Gate Indianaplis Motor Speedway, Clowes Hall; In a circle it reads "INDIANAPOLIS.1971.SESQUICENTENNIAL.1821; a label on the bottom front of the bottle, reads the following: Genuine REGAL CHINA HANDCRAFTED; BEAM 100 Months Old, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 4/5quart 86 Proof Bottled by James B Beam Distilling Co Clemont Beam Kentucky. The bottle itself is very odd shaped with a cork type cap that has not been opened and sealed with a red label reading Internal Revenue with the number - 428347769. The back of the bottle has a 3d image of the city and description. The description reads: INDIANAPOLIS!! Once a single log cabin marked its location. today, the 10th largest city in the nation, it is not only the seat of Indiana government, but the cultural and economic capitol as well. To commemorate its 150th year of progress, a year long, city wide celebration has been planned. Events range from a musical review of the city's history a mammoth 4th of july affair to a September celebration of the famed Indianapolis Motor Sp[eedway. Included in May will be the internationally significant International Conference on Cities attended by Mayors of the United States and Europe. Indianaplis Sesquicentennial Commission Any help with this bottle would be greatly appreciated. If someone could email me back at the following address. Thank you. uniharley3@verizon.net

I was wondering if you could let me know how old a bottle is that I found and how much it might be worth. The bottle was found in a lake, it is a clear solid glass bottle it has a circular imprint in the glass that says frigate rum. The bottle also has imprinted on the front of it "this bottle always remains the proprty of john walker and sons LTD. On the bottom of the bottle it has the imprint of a sqaure with a G and below it is a M it also has the marking 1S18 with an 8 below it. It does not have a screw top lid and the glass is very thick.

I have a bottle that was dug up in an excavation in Louisville, Ky. It has the name DODGE, can you tell me anything about it? Thanks
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I have a clear Whiskey Bottle with the words Lincoln Inn printed all over it. In the center of the bottle, it shows a man, on a horse, in front of an inn and a gentleman in the doorway. I would like to know if it is worth anything? Thanks. rsmrybtlr@aol.com

I have a bottle with the raised letters Hallenbeck & Messier Albany NY It also has a logo of a bird on a tree branch raised on the front. Can anyone tell me what this company was or who the Hallenbecks were that were associated with this company Thank you for any info you can provide WhtWolfWm@aol.com

I have found an unusual bottle, light blue in color. it is 7 3/4 inches high, has a diameter of 2 inches on the bottom, bottle comes up round from bottom approximately 3 3/4 inches than is pinched in to make a rectangle opening inside, then open up to a round area with a marble in it, the top has been molded at attached to bottle, it has what appears to be a metal washer inside of top, top is rounded, no stopper with it, there is a mark on the bottom of a star with a "t" inside it, appreciate any help in identification of this item email me at revjay@paulbunyan.net, thanks

I have a SCA callabash Chamberlain's ready relief bottle. I can't seem to find it listed in my medicine bottle books. I would like to know if is common or what.

I have a old whiskey bottle. On the label it says "Whiskey Antique Spring of 1917" 1 pint, bottled at the Frankfort Distillery, Ky. Still had the gov't. seal and the liquid is still in the bottle. How can I find out the value of this bottle?

I am informed that there is an antique bottle fair at the Solano Fair grounds once a year. This is the bottle fair that was held at the Antioch fairgrounds in the past. Do you know anything about it and perhaps the dates? Thank you.

I found a bottle that had the label Dr Kings New discovery for consumption. Can anyone tell me the value of this bottle, and what years this was produced. On one side of the bottle is has Chicago, Ill and the other side had the manufacturing company. I can tell that it is a cork top bottle. It is in perfect condition. It just does not have the cork in it. I was wanting as much information about this as I could. Thanks

I AM LOOKING FOR DR. HARTERS IRON TONIC AND JEFFERSON AND WINNIE DAVIS TRADE CARDS. THANKS BOB

How can something be "almost mint" or "about mint". It's either "mint" or it isn't. That's like saying "almost pregnant" or "about pregnant". -Dave J.

Dave-
So what would you suggest? If it's close to being Mint, but isn't, then we call it Near Mint. A better condition bottle we call Almost or About Mint. I don't believe there are virtually any bottles, or extremely few, that you can call Mint. Someone, somewhere will find a scratch or slight blemish if they look hard enough. Some bottles in the sale I could, and many people would, call Mint. However, a more honest approach is to call it Almost Mint since it would have to virtually sit in an attic or basement untouched for it's entire lifetime to be called Mint. Not to mention factory flaws done when the piece was made. We feel it's better to call a bottle Near Mint or Almost Mint since we see so few bottles that are Mint. In this case I guess she's kinda pregnant. -Jeff
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Jeff responded that the bottles weren't very valuable and wouldn't do well at auction.

I DO say what I am looking for. Check out our website menu. I can't make a silk purse out of a pigs ear and instead of giving me c*?p, why don't you thank me for giving you a free appraisal. We put the information on what we are looking for on purpose, so people don't spend a lot of time before they practically "tell us" to sell it for them. I didn't ask you to spend the time you did. I've got an idea, why don't you run a bottle auction website and I'll put some mediocre bottles on it? -Jeff

Hi my name is Bill. On ebay, I ran across a G lomax soda iron pontil cobalt blue, in near mint shape. I hoped you would know something about it. maybe a dollar amount. or how hard they are to find? thank you for your time. Bill wtaylor12@cox.net

While diving in the tailrace cannel in Moncks Corner SC... one of the divers found a clear bottle with a girl and the words "LIKE ME" embossed on it.... any ideas about where it came from or age or value.... Thanks, Shawn Jones, Chasn Co Rescue Squad

When I lived in Sedona, Arizona, in the 1970's, I lived behind an old home with a dump behind it. Of course, being a bottle nut, I began to dig in my spare time. I dug up several Milk of Magnesia, cobalt blue, bottles. This person must have had terrible abdominal issues! I was thrilled because of the cobalt, but what I really was fascinated by was the misprint on many of the bottles. The printing, which was embossed into the bottle, was never the same, and some were even printed backwards! What is the value of these bottles? And, when do you think these were manufactured? Thank you, Kate Cassidy, Cincinnati, Ohio, captkate@msn.com
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I live in Lima, Peru, South American. It is possible to buy old Peruvian Bitters bottles, manufactured in USA?. Where?. I am not a collector. I investigate of old Peruvian cocktails. Thank you. Jose A. Schiaffino

I have two English antique medicine bottles. One is a Noture of Iodine bottle containing a cork and small brush attached to the cork. The other bottle has the name Woodward Chemist Nottingham down the front of it. I'm
just curious about what they may be worth.

I have several different types of bottles and a powder flask. The powder flask is approx. 12 1/2" high and 18 1/2" round. It has a handle on it. On the bottom it says: SAFETY FIRST C and T POWDER FLASK. Does anyone have any ideas where I can find out some information on the value of this flask? The color is brown. Thank you, Carol
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I have inherited many old bottles and jars; some of which I think might be worth a little money; blue glass, amber glass, and bottles that are really very interesting. I don't want to just throw them away, or stick them in a
garage sale. Do you have any idea where I might have them appraised? Is there a book that I can get that will help me? Thank you, Betty

I inherited a bottle collection that among other wonderful bottles, contains three bottles with their boxes. They each have two tax stamps, one dated 1917 and the other dated 1933. The boxes contain the words \"for medicinal purposes only\". I believe our great uncle saved these himself as he was a bartender in Chicago around the twenties. He went on to collect many other bottles from worldly travels including some from Havana Cuba. One is dated 1919, another 1933. Do you have any idea how I can sell this collection?

Bottle found in Ridgewood, NJ. Light aqua with the following embossing: E.J. GARRISON PATERSON N.J. REGISTERED. On back: THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD On bottom: looks like 1977? No threads/very solid and heavy/part of cork/stopper remaining with metal pull. Thanks for any information!

I have a Thomas & Evans Porth glass bottle and would like to know if it valuable?

I am a graphic designer and website designer who lives in Truro, Cornwall, South West England, UK. www.ablazegraphics.co.uk is the website of the Cornish Website Design Company I work for. I live near the grounds of an ancient dump, sometimes rabbits, rain etc dig out bottles. Some with screw threads others with just a lip on the top of the bottle. The extremely old bottles (most of which are broken bottles) are made from either a cloudy and very thick bottle glass to one with bubbles and imperfections, most have writing of some sort on them. Does anyone know whether these bottles are worth anything?

I have a "bottle" made of copper. The walls of the bottle would seem to be about 3/16" thick. It stands 11 inches tall and is 3" wide. It looks in every way like an nineteenth century canister shaped glass wine bottle,
except that it is copper and has a threaded brass stopper on the mouth. It also has a brass diamond shaped bale attached on two sides of the stopper. The inside is coated in a copper oxidation type encrustation and has the appearance of being used for many years to carry liquids. It has no markings. It has an open classic bottle pontil indentation over an inch in depth on the bottom. I would appreciate knowing the origin and history of this "bottle". Thanks for any information.

I have an old bottle of Russian Vodka with 3 ships on the label along with a crest picturing a man on a horse with mountains behind him. The only English writing on the bottle is "Russian Vodka", the rest is in Russian. It's a clear bluish bottle with a silver cap, also picturing the man on the horse; the bottle has never been opened. Is it worth anything? If not, can I still drink it? The bottle looks very old. I also have a bottle Haitian Rum, unopened. The brand is called "Barbancourt". There is a picture of a shining blue star with a woman holding what appears to be a staff. There is also a stamp on the bottle initialed" H.T.A". Is this bottle worth anything? And if not, is it safe to drink? Mike

My friend has a cobalt blue bottle with cork stopper. Gold leafing over embossed bottle. on bottom says Jim Beam 1963 and the number 145. How much is it worth? Does have some gold leafing coming off.

Recently dug a golden amber smooth base Gold (figure of lion) Lion Iron Tonic/ Dr. Thenard in 1890 privy. Any history or price info? Willie

On the beach in Ocean City, MD my wife found the bottom of a bottle. It is oval in shape and the only markings are a T over top the number 50 inside a circle. The color is a light blue or maybe even clear. If anybody knows what kind it is I would greatly appreciated it. Thanks.

I am in possession of a approx 5 gal bottle in green with has and Illinois Glass Company mark and is raised stamped with 1929. It appears to have a pontil but has seams. Advertising raised on outside is John Graf Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the Saying in their logo THe Best What Gives. There is also 66 with a 1 below it on the bottom. Any help would be most appreciated.

Clear, large cb seely and son west 15th st nyc. It has a scene on the backside embossed of a bartender and the interior of a bar. I found it...any worth?...Thanks..I read your stuff all the time. Peter from Maine

What do you mean by a "left bid" or a "top bid"? A "left bid", also called a "top bid", refers to an option you have when bidding on an item. If you "leave a left (or top) bid" on an item, the computer will bid on that item (when necessary) for you, up to the amount of the left bid. This frees you from monitoring each new bid and raising it until you reach your limit. The computer will bid the next incremental amount when your lead bid is challenged by a higher bid. The computer will raise your bid only when someone bids higher than your last leading bid. It's the same as asking a friend to attend an auction for you. You tell him that you want him to bid the smallest amount possible required to win a particular item, and that you will only spend up to X amount of dollars. If the item reaches X amount, then he should not bid for you any longer on that item.

As an example, lets say that a bottle currently has a bid of $100. You're willing to take the lead with a bid $110 and are willing to bid up to $200 to win it. If it goes all the way up to $200, you wouldn't be interested, or, you might have to rethink whether or not you want to bid higher. You're going out to dinner, or you're too busy to keep increasing your bids manually. You could then bid $110, with a left bid of $200, and go on with your life. You left it in the hands of the computer. If someone bids $120, the computer will bid $130 for you. Then, if someone bids $140, the computer will bid $150 for you.... and so on, until the bid reaches $210, at which time the computer will no longer bid for you (because the bid is greater than your left bid). If no one was willing to bid more than your $130 bid, you will win the bottle for $130. If you leave a left bid, you always win the bottle for your lowest, unchallenged bid.

This can be a helpful tool when you're busy, away, know what your high limit is, or you want to combat "snipers" at the end of an auction.

What is a sniper? Is it legal? Snipers are bidders that wait until the very last moment to bid on an item. They hope to "snipe" the item from someone who assumes that they will win it because they have the leading bid and the auction is just about over. With just minutes, or even seconds, to go, the sniper makes a higher bid and wins the bottle. At American Bottle Auctions, during the last ten minutes of each auction, we have a computer program that extends the bidding time on a particular item by ten minutes whenever ANY bid is made. So, when a sniper makes his last minute bid, the clock resets and allows bids for another ten minutes. This goes on until there are no bids within a ten minute period. If the high bidders track the item right to the end of the auction, or leave a left bid, it makes life difficult for a sniper.

Is sniping legal? Well, there's basically no way to prevent it from happening. Needless to say, bidders in general, have a less than fuzzy, warm feeling for snipers.

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