Dealers vs. Collectors

[Wheelah23]

ORIGINAL: baltbottles

Granted in the process I find many bottles and other things i'm not interested in and I sell these. And put the money into my collection and gas for more digging.

Do I take selling seriously? Yes I do its part of the hobby. And money in general is part of life you can't escape it. But you seem to be thinking this is all about money when I don't really care about that aspect of it. I flat out hate tumbled bottles with a passion and if there is a way to clean them without tumbling then I want to know about it and I would like to see the results in hand. And I would like this process to be an option over tumbling for all collectors.

Chris

I agree wholeheartedly with Chris with these points. I absolutely don't dig for money. When I'm digging anywhere, the first thing in my mind is "I hope I'll find that X from Glen Ridge... or Montclair... or that one blob from...". Anything else I find is just extra. However, I keep most of it, because I dig for fun! The fun of unearthing your very own rare local bottle, I think, is the reason people dig... Otherwise, most people would be strictly bottle buyers. You can't realistically dig privies and expect to find valuable bottles. Granted, it can happen! But I never thought I'd dig those umbrella inks. People dig because they dare to dream of finding such things, not because they expect to!

Money, as others have said, has to factor in in some ways, though. Some bottles I sell, so that I can use the money to buy local stuff that chances are I'll never dig. That is more than likely how most diggers operate, whether they care to admit it or not!

 

[cyberdigger]

Wow.. there's a lot of writing in this thread.. I'd hate to see anything come between collectors and dealers.. we need each other alive..

 

[baltbottles]

ORIGINAL: cyberdigger

Wow.. there's a lot of writing in this thread.. I'd hate to see anything come between collectors and dealers.. we need each other alive..

Now there's two women that I wouldn't want to mess with lol Granted the one on the left looks to have nice legs....

Chris

 

[RICKJJ59W]

ORIGINAL: AntiqueMeds

I collect totally for the enjoyment factor. Never have been concerned with the money side at all.
People have given me great stuff for free. I have given lots of stuff away.
I deal in bottles just because its fun to do.
But , if money was tight my family comes first and I'm sure I would be a lot more frugal in my hobby dealings.
I might not be able to justify it at all.
Everyone has different situations , I'm not going to start judging.
Personally I can think of dozens of better ways to make money than dealing in bottles.

[]

 

[carobran]

Lord knows i need bottle dealers(and good relations with them) since i buy all my bottles.One of the main reasons i collect is for the history,I mean,who knows,my great-great grandfather could have drinken out of the local hutch i have,and i know these bottles were made by Mississippians,not some Chinese or illegal aliens.

 

[VTdigger]

I'm a collector all the way if I cant dig, I 2nd hand hunt, I could, if I wanted to make a profit off 2nd hand hunting, for example today, I got a nice peace of depression glass for $15 at the goodwill, it's listed in Warmen's price guide for $60. I knew it was worth more that $15 when I got it, and I've been trying to watch my spending but I had to have it. It's gonna be displayed with all the other glass I've bought and dug, but for me the sentimental value of this lovely hobby is worth more than and dollar sign.

 

[andy volkerts]

ORIGINAL: VTdigger

I'm a collector all the way if I cant dig, I 2nd hand hunt, I could, if I wanted to make a profit off 2nd hand hunting, for example today, I got a nice peace of depression glass for $15 at the goodwill, it's listed in Warmen's price guide for $60. I knew it was worth more that $15 when I got it, and I've been trying to watch my spending but I had to have it.  It's  gonna be displayed with all the other glass I've bought and dug, but for me the sentimental value of this lovely hobby is worth more than and dollar sign.

[] Seems to me you have the right attitude! I also 2nd hand hunt, as well as dig and buy from auctions and dealers. I feel that there should be no VS between bottle collectors and bottle dealers we all our neccessary for our hobby without one ya wouldnt sometimes have the other.......

 

[VTdigger]

I'm a collector of more that just embossed bottles, that's where it all started, but I've since began collecting depression glass, hand blown art glass dated as recently as 2007, but it's hand made art. I love to find pottery items as well. I've learned of the amazing things artists can do with glass and clay and the amazing way it can connect you to the past.

 

[ncbred]

I find bottles cheap at auctions and flea markets all the time. If its nothing I'm interested in for myself, hell yeah I'll buy it and make a few bucks off of it. Thats how I've paid for 95% of my collection.