German flea market

[bostaurus]

Hi all. I am new to the forum. I started collecting when I was 12...38 years ago. I did not do much collecting during college, kids, putting hubby through school and almost 20 years following him around the world with the Army. Every move meant 1 or 2 broken bottles so they were packed up and are sitting at my in-laws until we stop moving... I collect veterinary and apothecary bottles when I find them (and can afford them).
Not much time to hit the flea markets here in Germany but we do have one big one nearby the first Saturday of the month. I saw these bottles and could not pass them by...I just hope the packers are careful with them this summer when we head back to the US.
Big demijohns are common here but this is the first one I have found with a pontil. I think it spent most of its life covered in wicker as it is perfect.
The pharmacy bottle is the biggest I have seen so i could not pass it up. It is 18 inches tall. It basically held strong bleach.

 

[GuntherHess]

I sold a similar pontil marked demijohn. http://www.mattsoldhouse.com/MC/bottles/salepics/4021.jpg

There were mainly German immigrants in this area so I find quite a few German wicker covered demijohns

 

[bostaurus]

That looks exactly the same..
Frederick is a beautiful area. There is a small chance we will end up there after the military. That would be fine by me.

 

[GuntherHess]

Fort Dietrick is a small base but it has pretty good facilities. Lots of army doctors and nurses here.

 

[bostaurus]

Made another trip to the big monthly flea market near here yesterday. I found another big, mint, olive pontiled demijohn. The guy only wanted 5 Euro for it ( about $8). I was so excited. I cradled my purchase in my arms and headed for the other vendors (this is all outside). My 18 year old son offered to carry it but I told him I would do it. He was planning on doing his own snooping for WWII stuff.
He headed off in one direction and I in another. I came down a slight rise and stepped onto the parking area when most of the dealers were set up. The next thing I know I am on a pile of old glass shards! I had hit some black ice. One of the vendors came over and helped me up. Then we cleared the ground of the glass. She was quite concerned but I was more upset about the bottle. Even when I noticed the blood I still was upset about the bottle ( I am sure you guys understand). I did a quick once over and realized it was mostly shallow cuts. We were doing this all in scharades as she spoke no English and my German is poor. She gave me some tissues to staunch the bleeding and I headed out in search again...after another conversation with a kindly old German lady in which I just kept nodding and saying "Ja".
It was only later that I realized how blessed I was. It could have been very bad. The cuts were on my hand and wrists. I think my long wool jacket sleeves kept the rest of my arms safe. If the wrist ones had been deeper it may have been a problem. The large thick shards under my chest could have easily punctured through my coat and into my body or into my face and neck.
Who would have thought bottle collecting could be dangerous (besides diving or digging)? Have any of y'all had accidents that threatened life or limb related to collecting?

 

[cordilleran]

I was heartsick in your relating the pratfall. Glad, however, that the injuries were superficial. I lived in Fulda, Germany for a few years and your expression of how helpful people were toward addressing your mishap brought back fond memories making me long for a sense of humanity amongst our own.

 

[beendiggin]

wow. Sorry to hear about that....and you are lucky you didn't get hurt worse. The worst bottle accident I had was a deep cut on my finger from a broken pontilled ink, I stopped by a hillside and was just "looking", then I started poking around with a stick, , next thing I knew I was digging bare-handed. Big mistake. This doesn't really compare with falling onto a demijohn, but you asked.... Welcome and post often...and good luck on future finds. By the way, I recognize your name....I used to edit and print the NEABC newsletter between 1989-1992 and I always sent one to you. Was it like a newsletter swap or were you a member?
-Paul

 

[bostaurus]

I think it must have been a swap. Besides the Privy Diggers Newsletter I don't think I ever signed up for any other publications or newsletters. It was just too hard to keep up with those things with the moves and changes of address. It is even worse here with our military post box. Magazines come about 6-8 weeks late. Retirement from the Army is on the horizon and a civilian job so I am looking forward to joining a club, going to bottle shows, subscribing to a magazine and seeing it the month it is published, and unpacking my bottles I have not seen in over 6 years.
If I saw some bottles sticking out of a hillside I would start poking around too....with my bare hands. It is a terrible sickness!
Melinda