Hello from Pittsburgh (currently)

[Hal]

Hi all,

Just wanted to start out saying that I'm not a collector, my father was. I've inherited his collection since he's passed, which he admittedly didn't keep very organized (or organized at all is a better description). Some bottles he picked up just because they "were neato" even though they held no real value ... others, he told me, had some value and are very old. Trouble is, I don't know enough to know which is which (our shared passion was cars, the bottles were really just his thing).

I'm hoping to find a spot on the forum to post some pics once a week or so as I go through the dozens of boxes of bottles to see what's worth preserving and cleaning up, what's junk, and what's worth seeing if someone on Craigslist or wherever might like because "it's neato".

Anyway, that's me, clueless with five stacks of boxes an man-and-a-half high. Have a good weekend.

 

[hemihampton]

Post pics of what you have. Leon.

 

[Dje2004]

try to post pics of them i might be interested and can help you i identify them for you.

 

[Johnny M]

Hi all,

Just wanted to start out saying that I'm not a collector, my father was. I've inherited his collection since he's passed, which he admittedly didn't keep very organized (or organized at all is a better description). Some bottles he picked up just because they "were neato" even though they held no real value ... others, he told me, had some value and are very old. Trouble is, I don't know enough to know which is which (our shared passion was cars, the bottles were really just his thing).

I'm hoping to find a spot on the forum to post some pics once a week or so as I go through the dozens of boxes of bottles to see what's worth preserving and cleaning up, what's junk, and what's worth seeing if someone on Craigslist or wherever might like because "it's neato".

Anyway, that's me, clueless with five stacks of boxes an man-and-a-half high. Have a good weekend.

Can't wait for the pics. Sorry for your loss. My late dad always supported my interest in bottles since I was about 9 or 10 when I first started digging and collecting. He never once doubted me when I dropped thousands on good pickles in later life. He never caught the bottle bug himself but always enjoyed my passion and enjoyed seeing my newly acquired specimens throughout my life. I miss him and have nothing but fond memories. Johnny M.

 

[Hal]

Thanks for the replies everyone (and your condolences Johnny M). I took some pics on my phone of the first box. They'll be in this and the next two posts (10 pics per post). I have boxes of bottles like the first three (little medicine bottles). Most are not in very good shape in terms of the labels and they seem kind of new (seam all the way to the top). The second brown bottle pic is from Pittsburgh Brewing Company (written in script), couldn't get my phone to focus on it.

 

[Hal]

The fifth pic is a milk bottle from the Pittsburgh Milk Co.

 

[Hal]

Last set. Is there somewhere better to post these? I think I can guess what they are and post in the right spots (based on the categories). I've been reading about dating methods (seam method).

 

[hemihampton]

Your best bottles would mostly be any bottle with a embossed name on them & the older the better like the blob tops, those that did not have a crown/cap to open them. LEON.

 

[Hal]

Your best bottles would mostly be any bottle with a embossed name on them & the older the better like the blob tops, those that did not have a crown/cap to open them. LEON.

Thank you. I have several boxes full of bottles, which weren't packed in any organized way because I don't know anything about bottles. Are you suggesting I look for the blob tops or I guess what would be pre-1900 and pitch the rest?

I have a few pics from before I packed them. Is it worth it to list them here in the forums? I can't see myself doing Ebay unless I can narrow it down to a smaller lot that's worth listing (there are just too many bottles for me to spend the time trying to sell everything). Or perhaps I can track down a bottle club in or near Pittsburgh? I think a bottle show presents issues because I don't know any of this is worth so how to price it?

 

[CanadianBottles]

These are some which stand out to me as being particularly likely to be desirable bottles, depending on their embossing. That doesn't mean the others aren't, but for most of them it'll really depend on rarity and local interest. The ones like the labeled local pharmacy bottles will always be of interest to local collectors although probably not super valuable. The clear milks and crown top beer/sodas will be similar unless you've got any particularly rare ones.