What's the deal, why all but worthless?!

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jblaylock

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Like others have said, supply and demand. Outside small circles, old bottles aren't in high demand.

For example. That green Epping. I am an Epping collector, but I only know of a few other people who collect Epping bottles. Also, that one is fairly common, though not as common as the clear or aqua. It's a $5-10 bottle to the right person, but trying to find that person is hard.

Collectors are odd, maybe they collect a brand, type, color, a location, or bottler....

Any of those Grand-Pop bottles from Cincinnati?
 

SODABOB

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I have been following this thread with interest and (based on the numerous comments) it seems to boil down to the simple fact that soda bottle collectors collect the bottles they like best whether they are Hutchinson's, Blobs, Straight-sided, Decos, ACLs, etc. And within those categories there are sub-categories such as local or regional bottles. And what interest one collector may not necessarily interest another collector, especially when it comes to actually buying them. For example; I live in the San Diego area and the most valuable and sought after soda bottle is the "30 Below" pictured below (pun intended). I have never seen one in mint condition but I know local collectors who would gladly pay up to $1,000 for one in that condition. However, if someone from, say, Vermont, saw one of the 30 Below's in an Antique shop and was not familiar with it, they may not have any interest in it whatsoever even if it was priced as low as $5.00. Of course its almost impossible to know the value of every soda bottle ever made, but if you are a Deco collector and only a Deco collector, then it doesn't matter what the price of certain ACLs might be if you are not interested in them. So the bottom line for me has very little to do with rarity, supply, demand, etc. But it has a great deal to do with what interest me. So collect what interest you and don't mess with "Mr. In Between"

Footnote: I used to have one of these "30 Below" bottles that had 50% label loss that I paid $75.00 for and a year later sold for $150.00. But who in their right mind would pay $150.00 for a bottle in junk condition if it did not interest them?

30 Below Soda Bottle San Diego.jpg

30 Below Soda Bottle San Diego close up.jpg
 

new2bottles

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Finally, I was forced to pay some real money, $125 for this one, probably because it's carnival glass. I would have paid $100+ for the mint Art Deco on the left, but didn't have to. Just $50, shipped. Honestly, while I probably would pay more in a lot of cases, glad I don't have to as there seems to be plenty of ways to spend.
 

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CanadianBottles

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Wow that carnival glass bottle is fantastic, I didn't know that such things even existed. I can see why those would be pricey. I've seen fairly plain Canada Dry bottles in carnival glass but that's it.
 

SODABOB

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new2bottles

If you keep going like you are, pretty soon you'll have to change your name to "new100bottles"

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but your carnival glass bottle appears to be a "Sun Punch" made by the "Monument Bottling Company" of Indianapolis, Indiana. If so, there might be a date code and/or Patent number on the base. I took a quick look around and it appears the Monument Bottling Company began operation in 1921 and was formed by the Domont family. I'm not sure of the exact dates, but during 1919 and 1920 it appears they went by the name "Monument Beverage Company" and then changed it to Bottling in 1921.
 

logueb

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Great collection. I have been collecting bottles for 50+ years. I have dug many deco sodas, but I still buy some when I find them at a reasonable price. A few years back I did a Google patent search for as many of the sodas patented between 1915 and the 1930's that I could locate. That was quite a project. I am sure that many of these were never put into production. I have seen the patents on some of your collection. This was an added part of the collecting for me. Finding who patented the bottle and the year it was patented, made the collecting more fun for me. Your soda collecting is awesome. Buster
 

new2bottles

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Thank you for all the informative, encouraging replies. Terrific bunch of guys! Please enjoy another small group and three nice quarts.
 

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CanadianBottles

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Does that Hawaiian Punch bottle have a city on the bottom? I've got one from Victoria BC but mine is in aqua.
 

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