Downieville Antique Bottle Show

[westernbittersnut]

September 8th is the annual Downieville Bottle Show in Sierra county, CA. This show continues to grow with approximately 41 tables this year. The show starts on Saturday at 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. early looker ($10). From 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. the show is free. I hope many of you can make it this year. This show attracts a lot of bottle collectors from several western states both dealers and buyers.

 

[ktbi]

Downieville is a smaller show, but still one of the best. You can't beat the drive or the location. A smaller venue is more user friendly and I see more discussion groups here than at most shows. Oh yea - killer bottles too!! Would not miss it...Ron

 

[tigue710]

Downieville is quite a show! This year was my first time ever even up onto the Yuba river which passes right through the heart town with its gold rush era buildings and mountains towering up around both sides. What a beautiful place. The show is top notch even for being just a one day show. Friday night after dealer set up there is a dealer BBQ put on by most gracious hosts at their beautiful home. On site there is plenty of room to entertain with real western saloon and mine tunnel that swings back into the hill and then around into the house! I found a nice IP utility in the tunnel on display with other blacks that the host gave me as a souvenir, (thank you R.). The show on Saturday had good turn out and I hear that sales were good for everyone. I picked up some great bottles at great prices and there was so much to choose from I found myself wishing I had a bit more money to spend! The BBQ was excellent, great food and libations and quite the social shindig, and there was a bottle show too! I'd be hard pressed to have a better time.

Thanks to the folks in Downieville, and if your thinking of going next year I recommend not missing it!


sorry, bad pic! and a little later at night...

 

[andy volkerts]

[] It was a very nice show. I got to talk to Jeff Wichmann, and R. simi, Bill Ham, and a lot of others that I only see at the shows, very nice folk and the BBQ is always good. Picked up an awesome yellow Bunker Hill pickle in the small size to go with my half gallon.........Andy

 

[nhglass]

Hi Matt, did you see many demijohns at the Show ?

 

[tigue710]

Dale, there were not many good ones besides the one I picked up, some large aqua carboys, and one private sale bottle I only caught while passing by. I wasn't able to spark up a conversation about it with the owner who hurried by with it tucked under her arm. It was a sapphire blue 1 1/2 gallon or so cylinder. I dont know where it came from or where it went!

 

[nhglass]

Glad you found some goodies Matt and thanks for letting me know about the demijohns.

 

[westernbittersnut]

Dale,
You missed an opportunity to pick up two fantastic demijohns at the Downieville Bottle Show. Tom Chapman from Bishop who usually comes and sets up at this show brought two killer examples. A colbalt blue and a screaming vibrant lime green example. Both appeared to be one gallon examples. You may get a chance to see the lime green one as that was bought by Shawn McAllistar who may join the 49er Historical Bottle Club. Sorry we missed you this year!

The show was quite a success with 44 sales tables, the most we've ever had. The bottle display drew a lot of comments, the theme being bottles from the silver seventies decade. The barbeque and social gathering on Friday was very well attended and a live band played great rock n roll music from a house across the river which was great to listen to. Several good western bottles traded hands at the show to include an amber Dr. Wonser's U.S.A. Indian Root Bitters and a gorgeous London Jockey Club Gin in a yellowish citron color. A Dr. Soule's Hop Bitterine in a light medium pinkish peach color and a grass green small lettered Dr. Renz's Herb Bitters also found new homes at the show. The weather was absolutely perfectly crystal clear with a slight warm breeze blowing, just fantastic scenery for this bottle show location.

 

[tigue710]

I got to see the Bitterine bottle, it was quite exceptional. I missed the lime green example Warren, and thought the blue one was a private sale. They must of walked before I made my rounds... We did show up a little late Sat. morning, about 8 o'clock... Probably shouldn't have gone across the crick to see the band! lol Is anyone doing a write up for bottles and extras?

 

[nhglass]

Thanks Warren and Matt, I wish I could of made it but I have prior commitments, I apprecaite the information about the show.