Augusta, Georgia "Big Dig" PICTURES

[div2roty]

I have no more "Dig" pictures to post, but I can take pictures of the bottles I have if someone would direct me to the appropriate forum for such.

Drop it in the Buy and Sell part if you have prices in mind, or if you are looking for some info, you could try the What it is After 1900 section. You could also throw them on the digging section.

 

[surfaceone]

Anyone interested in Straight Sided Center Script Coca-Cola bottles from Augusta, Georgia? They're sitting in a bucket of diluted muriatic acid right now. I have no more "Dig" pictures to post, but I can take pictures of the bottles I have if someone would direct me to the appropriate forum for such.

Hey Steven,

The Soda Section, down a few floors from this one, would be the best place on sodas.

I see that I posted an earlier buncha digger questions while you were posting some photos. You have favored us with some great photos, so far.

The depth of that dump and the visible quantity of stuff, is a digger's wonderland from my perspective. I'm about to ask for any outtake pictures, too.

The digger's seem a convivial bunch. How'd your brother hook up with them? Did Mr. Baab find y'all?

 

[surfaceone]

I am leaning towards listing items available on this web site in June prior to posting anything on ebay. That is, I see no reason to not allow "first dibs" here, in exchange for estimation of Buy-It-Now prices that should placed on any bottles that no one here wants. That's my thinking right now anyway. I still have a lot to learn about this category of collectibles.

Hey Steven,

You're an up front guy, sir. More power to you. I'll say again, how much I appreciate you sharing all the photos and commentary with us. I'll throw this crazy notion in gratis. If there is another series of digs. you might consider raffling off a digging spot, or two, with perhaps a small stipend to benefit these Blue Pages...

 

[IloiloKano]

ORIGINAL: KBbottles

Love the stratigraphy in some of the pictures! Its amazing how beautiful trash of the past can be! Thank you very much for sharing. With such a huge site like that, the possibilities are endless! Good luck to the team!!!

P.S. There ARE people out there that drive hours to hop fences and dig in the dark even in crazy places like this but with a site like that filled in every day, i wouldnt be that stupid to attempt it, but it wouldnt surprise me if someone did

I sent off an email to Bill Baab asking him to refresh my memory about the magazine in which will be published his documentation of the "Big Dig" up through the end of 2011. When he responds, I'll pass the information along for everyone here. I'll also look through my photographs for any that I didn't post and consider adding them tomorrow or the next day, but I think what I've already posted is pretty much representative of all the pictures I took.

One thing I found interesting is the "burnt trash" aroma that permeated the air around the dig 100 years later. You can see evidence of multiple dump fires over the years in the strata.

As I stated, I am primarily a coin collector, but I am trying to learn bottle collecting.
Here is a link to the PCGS Registry Set for my narrowly focused coin collection.
IloiloKano's US-PI One Centavo Circulation Strikes

 

[glass man]

OH how I wish I was part of this!!
BILL BAAB ,along with other GA. collectors have helped me over the years with helping me know about GA. bottles I had no knowledge of.Bill has always been very kind to me and telling me about any questions I have had.

Man if there is a CEDARTOWN HUTCH in there I would love to have it...trouble is no money...I would just love to have the culls and some of the better broke ones!
If a med. from Quitman GA. "INDIAN FIG SYRUP" pops up it is rare and I sold one to TOM HICKS in the 70s for 100 bucks...may be more common now.

WHAT A DREAM DIG!!!THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR POSTING!!

DANG WISH I WAS THERE!!

Does it go as far back as pontil age?Didn't read all this so that may have already been covered...JAMIE

 

[glass man]

ORIGINAL: IloiloKano

ORIGINAL: bottlekid76

Wow, lotsa bottles in there! Too bad about the River Swamp but finding one is great! Makes ya wonder if there was possibly more in there...

Was the mini jug from Augusta the only one you guys found?

~Tim

I am not an official party to the dig. My brother has a refurbishment company on the property, and a couple years ago after a severe storm blew over trees on the property and the roots were loaded with bottles, the diggers offered to pay him for an opportunity to dig. My brother originally refused, as it does cause a bit of a disruption to his business, but he relented after striking a deal for a share of the take, which he then offers back to the diggers if they wish to buy. I was there on vacation, and I spent a day with the diggers taking pictures, and I also found their company to be enjoyable. Since I have sold various items through ebay over the years, and since I have a good online reputation for coins, rare books and prints, as well as the odd collectible here and there, my brother suggested that I might sell his bottles from the next pick, which is scheduled for June. When he sold most of his bottles to the diggers from his last pick this past December, in many cases they couldn't offer even half market value, since they would have to sell them over time themselves. So my brother suggested that I could keep whatever I net after he gets half the sale price, which I figure should average better than a third of the sale price after my expenses, such as shipping costs cross-country from Augusta, Georgia to Southern California.

So I can't say whether another such mini jug has been or will be found, but I estimate less than a third of the property available for excavating has been dug, so chances are very good another will be found, as well as possibly 2 or 3 whole River Swamp Chill And Fever Cure bottles. And I saw two unbroken Frog Ponds already on the pick tables while I was there.

I am leaning towards listing items available on this web site in June prior to posting anything on ebay. That is, I see no reason to not allow "first dibs" here, in exchange for estimation of Buy-It-Now prices that should placed on any bottles that no one here wants. That's my thinking right now anyway. I still have a lot to learn about this category of collectibles.

A couple days ago I informed my brother the 23 SS Coke bottles arrived, and during the conversation he said he would ship the rest of his unsold bottles from the December pick as he has time. Translation: He has a business to run, but eventually he'll get around to it.

Anyone interested in Straight Sided Center Script Coca-Cola bottles from Augusta, Georgia? They're sitting in a bucket of diluted muriatic acid right now. I have no more "Dig" pictures to post, but I can take pictures of the bottles I have if someone would direct me to the appropriate forum for such.

What average price are you asking for an Auguata ss?Please remember the Cedartown GA. hutch if one is found...THANK YOU!!JAMIE

 

[edndlm]

I'm glad that the site is being dug and many whole bottles will eventually wind up in collections , one way or another . I wonder how many of the 90% damaged bottles were whole before being ripped apart by the backhoe . Hopefully very few . As far as value for the Small Size River Swamps , I think a range of $1,800 to $2,500 would be appropriate depending on the embossing , crudity & color . The Large Size River Swamp from GWA has a very nice home next to 2 smaller ones !

 

[David Fertig]

FIRST - please continue to post pics and info as they are available!!! Thank you!

ORIGINAL: IloiloKano
There is a security fence along with rather frequent traffic nearby, and the holes are always filled in before they leave. Most people don't wish to travel to an industrial area near a major city late at night in order to jump a fence and dig holes in the dark.

Ummm. Some of us are diggers. Some of us are FeeBay collectors and some go to shows. Some do two and some actually do all three - and probably some other ways to acquire items for their collection that are best left unsaid. As to the diggers - real hard-core diggers have usually gotten past a fence or two and worked by headlamp. Some have been run off more then one property (sometimes the same property more then once) and some have been cited for tresspass.

ORIGINAL: epackage

Seeing that "swamp med" being broken would make me a bit squimish about using a backhoe, that could be the reason that bottle came out in pieces.... I guess the need to move alot of dirt quickly plays into it since it's the site of an operating business, but at what cost to those looking to get these bottles out and make money off of them? A real Catch-22 situation indeed[:-]

Looks like an old break to me. I've broken my share with a probe or rake!

ORIGINAL: IloiloKano
When he sold most of his bottles to the diggers from his last pick this past December, in many cases they couldn't offer even half market value, since they would have to sell them over time themselves.

Yeah. Diggers are poor. FeeBay collectors have $ and armchair time. Personally I collect local bottles. I will pay a very GOOD price for bottles that I don't have, but I want to know that if I ever need to liquidate (for whatever reason), I can get most of my money back fairly quick.

And as to anyone who thinks it ought to be dug this way or that way - IT AIN'T THIER PROPERTY and IT AIN'T THIER DIG! Of course I would love to have a dump like this where I could open up a trench on one end and work it by hand - for the next ten years, but sometimes that is not practical. I've dug more then one privy with a 'hoe or excavator. It was that, or never dig it. I'll take my chances if it's the only shot I've got. And for those of you - yes - I'm gonna say it - shame on you for critiquing anyones dig methods! What are you? Some kind of archi? Should they have their little tooth brushes and dental picks out? Just be glad they have the opportunity to dig.

And to the value/non-value posts. Just be glad these are coming out of the ground and that you might be able to get a chance to add to your collection and that this dig is shared with us. If you say you don't care about values - how would you feel if a dump was opened and hundreds of once rare bottles came out? Think of Jim and his Lewistown bottles. What if 500 of them came out? What if 500 of those swamp cures came out? Think it can't happen? It can. I've got probably two dozen milks that used to be a one known bottle. If you really don't care about the value - how would you feel deep down in side when your prized "Widdow Berry's Brewery and Cat House" bottle is now as common as dirt?

Alright - enough of a rant by me. Pardon the mispellings - I've got to get to work. Thanks for taking the time to post the pics and info that you have and I look forward to more when you get the time.

Here's a privy I dug last year:

 

[IloiloKano]

ORIGINAL: glass man
What average price are you asking for an Auguata ss?Please remember the Cedartown GA. hutch if one is found...THANK YOU!!JAMIE

The only price reference I have was from asking the diggers what they should fetch. I was told $25 to $30 each; however, I saw after cleaning them up a bit that a few had chips missing, two had what appear to be slight blistering from a dump fire, and degree of mineralization varies from light to heavy. Also, I've also noted that most say "This bottle to be returned", while a handful stated "Not to be sold", and one had no statement. There are significant color variations as well; most are greenish, while the "Not to be sold" bottles are nearly clear, except for one, which is a pretty blue. I am keeping four myself; one each of each type and the blue one. I also sold three of them to co-workers (for $20 each, since they are my friends), and I gave a chipped one to my neighbor. I also gave my co-workers their choice.

So subtracting the ones I am keeping and the one sold or given away, I have about 15 bottles left that I plan to sell. I think for about half of them, I'll ask $25 each, with heavier mineralized bottles reduced to $20, and maybe $10 each for the two fire blistered ones.

 

[surfaceone]

Hey Steven,

Here are some values on Augusta Coca-Cola bottles:

"Augusta GA Coca-Cola Bottle Values
SS aqua center script ring neck $30-$40
>
SS aqua center script $30-$40
>
SS aqua shoulder script "Min. Cont's 6 1/2 Ozs" $30-$40
>
SS aqua base script $30-$40
>
SS Soda Water AUGUSTA COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO $30-$40
>
SS amethyst "SODA WATER" $50-$60
>
Contour 1915 $10-$20
>
Contour 1923 $5-$10 .." From.

I should sday that I'm not tuned into the whole "value" equation, but wanted to list some froma source that could be researched. I have no ideas if those values are current in today's "market."

On the "Not to be Sold" language:

"This Bottle Not to Be Sold or Taken (?????)
This Bottle Must be Returned (?????)

On many pre-1900 bottles you will find these words embossed on several
differnt bottles mainly (soda and beer). What is the true meaning to
this strange message? The bottle was indeed sold at the time of purchase
for the contents it contained, so how can this contradictory statement
make sense? Well, the true purpose of this embossing was to discorage
people from taking the bottles and not returning them or even worst
selling the bottles to other bottlers in the local area. Bottles in the
West and Mid-West had few glass houses and needed to import bottles from
east coast glass factories, this in-turn took day's and even weeks in
many cases for the shipment of these glass gems to arrive, this led to
the dimisize of many small time manufactor's and stores. Many times the
bottles were embossed in such a way that it was easily recognizable that
it belonged to a certain company. Some bottles are even marked Stolen
From: ..., without the glass bottle their product was worthless, since
sales would not be possible. So next time you see a bottle marked with
the word's (Stolen, Not to be Sold, Return) you can think of the
intersting history associated with those bottles!" From.

When your bottles come out of their acid bath, you may be able to discern additional information, and/or markings as to the manufacturer...