Bottle Hunter board game from the 70s

[Codozalator]

Hi All:

I have an odd rather esoteric board game. I have had it around, well, since the 70s when, as teens, a buddy and I were bottle-hunters. "Bottle Hunt" by CamCar Family Enterprises copyright 1974.

I attached photos. I was thinking of putting it on eBay, but if it is not worth but a few bucks I will just keep it. I would think this would be a rather scare item albeit not necessarily rare (that is, scarce but not in demand)

 

[nhpharm]

That is very cool! I've only seen one other example of that game; I imagine it might be of some value but hard to say. Its from when everyone was a bottle digger! I've heard of the late 1960's and the 1970's and all the digging that went on...definitely much quieter now.

 

[Codozalator]

Yes...back in the 60s and 70s, bottle digging became the IN thing. There was plenty of virgin territory because the old sites had been undisturbed up to this point. I used to see photos in the Old Bottle Magazine of these a**holes getting into outhouse pits and pulling out Drakes Plantation Bitters, Log Cabin Bitters, Rare cures, Blob tops, on and on and on. Dream stuff to a teenage enthusiast. May have been staged...I don't know. I always thought...must have been a wealthy owner of the outhouse to have used all these fancy bitters and proprietary medicines. They were expensive to buy. Maybe a southern plantation outhouse or something...I don't know.

 

[PlaneDiggerCam]

Yes...back in the 60s and 70s, bottle digging became the IN thing. There was plenty of virgin territory because the old sites had been undisturbed up to this point. I used to see photos in the Old Bottle Magazine of these a**holes getting into outhouse pits and pulling out Drakes Plantation Bitters, Log Cabin Bitters, Rare cures, Blob tops, on and on and on. Dream stuff to a teenage enthusiast. May have been staged...I don't know. I always thought...must have been a wealthy owner of the outhouse to have used all these fancy bitters and proprietary medicines. They were expensive to buy. Maybe a southern plantation outhouse or something...I don't know.

There is still plenty left out there! I also have been frustrated when I dig remnants of Drake's bitters knowing that diggers back then had gotten them a lot. Then again if there were many of them around they would be worthless!

 

[RCO]

never heard of such a board game before , bottle collecting was more popular in the 60's and 70's , guess someone though there's be an interest in such a game back then

 

[Drift]

That's awesome! I'm not seeing reference to it anywhere online except this thread. That's a new thing I'll be looking for at every thrift and garage sale.

 

[Codozalator]

Thanks...I would venture to say it is extremely scarce. I bought it new from the folks who made it back in the late 70s. That's about how old it is...40 years or so.
It was made by Camcar Family Enterprises, Inc. the trademark date is 1974
Maybe looking up that company will help. I think it was just a small family-owned in-house business in Bend, Oregon....maybe.

 

[Drift]

Thanks...I would venture to say it is extremely scarce. I bought it new from the folks who made it back in the late 70s. That's about how old it is...40 years or so.
It was made by Camcar Family Enterprises, Inc. the trademark date is 1974
Maybe looking up that company will help. I think it was just a small family-owned in-house business in Bend, Oregon....maybe.

I appreciate the info, thank you!! That led me to one other mention and picture of the game, a sold listing:

"BOTTLE HUNT - Bottle Digging Board Game --- Here's the perfect thing for those days when you can't make it out to hunt for glass. This listing, we offer a very scarce board game. Made in 1974 by Camcar Family Enterprises, there is no other game quite like this. From the start, you'll pass places (spaces) such as the Abandoned House, Abandoned Outhouse, Town Dump, Swamp, Construction Site, and Trails End to name a few. It was produced by Cal Industries and seems to be complete, including a spinner, rules sheet, four game pieces which are tiny bottles, scorecards and the board itself. It even comes with its original box. It's in great shape for it's age. Someone has placed small pieces of tape on the corners of the box to make it stronger and a couple of the original scorecards have been used, but overall it's in great condition. These must have been made in a very limited number, because we've never seen another offered in recent years. Size is 20" by 11 1/4"..... SOLD"

FLASCHENJAGER - BOTTLE HUNTER Antique Bottles and Related - For Sale

Antique bottles and related for sale

w.antiquebottlehunter.com

 

[Codozalator]

Wow...that's the only other one I have seen. I wonder what it sold for.

Take care

 

[Camcar]

My family is CamCar. My dad is the inventor. The game board was painted by a famous syndicated cartoonist. There are two version. One was a store version and one was a mail order version. You have the mail order version. The one in the ebay ad is the same mail order version. The store version has a painted yellow cover, also painted by the cartoonist. It was very popular in the mid / late 70's however with the advent of video games, board games wained a bit. As such popularity wained with the times. However in collectors circles it is popular to this day.